In another moment his weapon, raised to
strike, would have descended on my neck. His attitude convinced me of
his intentions, so there was not a moment for deliberation. I was
unwilling to have his blood on my head, but had I even ventured to speak
my life would have been sacrificed. Suddenly lifting my pistol, I
fired. The shot took effect. Raising his hand to his head, and
dropping his sword, the black fell backward to the ground.

For a moment it seemed as if I had been in a fearful dream, but the
still smoking pistol in my hand convinced me of the reality of what had
occurred; so, rising, at length I staggered towards where Antonio lay.
Not a limb, not a muscle, moved, however. He had been shot through the
heart. Feeling a horror of remaining near the dead body, and knowing
also that it would certainly attract beasts of prey, I was anxious, in
spite of the pain my feet suffered, to get to a distance. Reloading my
pistol, therefore, and taking the scimitar,--which might enable me to
defend myself against savage beasts as well as human foes,--I hurried
forward as fast as my maimed feet would allow me.

At length I made out a dark mass rising above the ground, which I hoped
was the commencement of the forest bordering the river; and in a short
time I reached the trunk of a large tree, which stood out at some
distance from the others, when, unable longer to endure the pain of
walking, I sank down at its base. It was just the sort of place in
which I knew Selim would search for me. Suddenly the dreadful thought
occurred, Had Antonio first encountered him, and taken his life? Such,
I feared, was but too possible, as the savage black must have discovered
our camp after I had left it, and pursued me to the spot where,
intending to take my life, he had met his own doom. This idea caused me
much anxiety, and greatly damped the satisfaction I felt at finding
myself free. How many difficulties and dangers also yet lay before me!
Should I meet Halliday and Ben? I asked myself. If not, what would
become of us all? Could they find their way to the sea alone? Could I,
indeed, expect to do so? How deeply I regretted having been separated
from Boxall, who, with his good sense and courage, was far better
calculated than any of us to conduct to a successful issue the hazardous
undertaking proposed.

Afraid of going to sleep, lest Selim should approach or any wild beast
find me, I watched the moon sinking lower and