Boy a hero." After reading it Mr.Rawlinson walked about almost out of his senses from joy, and,squeezing Pan Tarkowski's palm, he repeated: "You see, it was he whosaved her. To him I owe her life." Pan Tarkowski, not desiring todisplay too much weakness, answered only, setting his teeth, "Yes! Theboy acquitted himself bravely," but when he retired to the privacy ofhis cabin he wept from happiness. At last the hour arrived when thechildren fell into the embraces of their fathers. Mr. Rawlinson seizedhis recovered little treasure in his arms and Pan Tarkowski longclasped his heroic boy to his bosom. Their misfortune disappeared aspass away whirlwinds and storms of the desert. Their lives were filledanew with serenity and happiness; longing and separation had augmentedtheir joy. But the children were surprised that the hair of their"papas" had whitened completely during the separation.
They returned to Suez on a splendid French steamer belonging to the"Messageries Maritimes Company," which was full of travelers from theislands Reunion, Mauritius, Madagascar, and Zanzibar. When the newsspread that on board were children who had escaped from dervish slaveryStas became an object of general curiosity and universal praise. Butthe happy quartette preferred to lock themselves in a great cabin whichthe captain gave up to them and spend there the cooler hours innarrations. Nell, too, took part in them, chirping like a little bird,and at the same time, to the amusement of all, beginning each sentencewith an "and." So, sitting on her father's knees and raising to him herbeautiful little eyes, she spoke in this manner: "And, papa, theykidnapped us and conveyed us on camels--and Gebhr struck me--and Stasdefended me--and we came to Khartum and there people died ofhunger--and Stas worked to get dates for me--and we were at theMahdi--and Stas did not want to change his religion--and the Mahdi sentus to Fashoda--and afterwards Stas killed a lion and all of them--andwe lived in a big tree, which is called Cracow--and the King was withus--and I had a fever and Stas cured me--and killed a wobo andconquered the Samburus--and was always very kind to me--papa!"
In the same fashion she spoke about Kali, Mea, the King, Saba, MountLinde, the kites, and the final journey until their meeting with thecaptain's and doctor's caravan. Mr. Rawlinson, listening to thischirping, checked his tears with difficulty, while Pan Tarkowski couldnot contain himself from pride and happiness, for even from thesechildish narratives it appeared that were it not for the bravery andenergy of the boy the little one ran the risk of perishing, not oncebut a thousand times, without help.
Stas gave a more specific and complete account of everything. And ithappened that during the narration of the journey from Fashoda to thewaterfall, a great load fell off his heart, for when he told how heshot Gebhr and his companions, he hemmed and hawed and began to lookuneasily at his father, while Pan Tarkowski knitted his brow, pondereda while, and after that gravely said:
"Listen, Stas! It is not allowable for any one to be lavish with death,but if anybody menaces your fatherland or puts in jeopardy the life ofyour mother, sister, or the life of a woman entrusted to your care,shoot him in the head and ask no questions. Do not reproach yourself onthat account."
Mr. Rawlinson immediately after the return to Port Said took Nell toEngland, where he settled permanently. Stas was sent by his father to aschool in Alexandria, where his deeds and adventures were less known.The children corresponded almost daily, but circumstances combined toprevent their seeing each other for ten years. The boy, after finishingschool in Egypt, entered the Polytechnic in Zurich, after which, havingsecured his diploma, he was engaged in the construction of tunnels inSwitzerland.
When ten years had passed, Pan Tarkowski retired from the service ofthe Canal Company, and he and Stas visited their friends in England.Mr. Rawlinson invited them to his home, near Hampton Court, for thewhole summer. Nell had finished her eighteenth year and had grown intoa maiden as charming as a flower, and Stas became convinced, at theexpense of his own peace, that a man, who had completed twenty-fouryears, could nevertheless still think of ladies. He even thought ofbeautiful and dear Nell so incessantly that finally he decided to runaway to whatever place his eyes would lead him.
But while in that state of mind, Mr. Rawlinson one day placed both ofhis palms on Stas' shoulders and, looking him straight in the eyes,said with an angelic benignity:
"Tell me, Stas, whether there is a man in the world to whom I couldgive my treasure and darling with greater confidence?"
The young couple married and remained in England until Mr. Rawlinson'sdeath and a year later they started upon a long journey. As theypromised to themselves to visit those localities in which they hadspent their earliest years and afterwards at one time had wandered aschildren, they proceeded first of all to Egypt. The state of the Mahdiand Abdullahi had already been overthrown, and after its fall England,as Captain Glenn stated, "succeeded." A railroad was built from Cairoto Khartum. The "sudds," or the Nilotic obstructions of growing waterplants, were cleared so that the young couple could in a comfortablesteamer reach not only Fashoda but the great Lake Victoria Nyanza. Fromthe city of Florence lying on the shores of that lake they proceeded bya railroad to Mombasa. Captain Glenn and Doctor Clary had alreadyremoved to Natal, but in Mombasa there lived under the solicitous careof the local English authorities the King. The giant at once recognizedhis former master and mistress and particularly greeted Nell with suchjoyful trumpeting that the mangrove trees in the neighborhood shook asif they were swept by the wind. He recognized also old Saba, whooutlived almost two-fold the years usually allotted to a dog and,though a trifle blind, accompanied Stas and Nell everywhere.
Here also Stas learned the Kali enjoyed good health; that under theEnglish Protectorate he ruled the entire region south of Lake Rudolf,and that he had introduced missionaries who were spreading Christianityamong the local savage tribes.
After this journey the young couple returned to Europe and, with Stas'venerable father, settled permanently in Poland.
THE END
Typographical error silently corrected:
Part II
Chapter 1: =Stas rose at once= replaced by =Saba rose at once=
Chapter 4: =is n't he wise= replaced by =isn't he wise=
Chapter 5: =is n't it true= replaced by =isn't it true=
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