enthusiasm，hewouldhavefailed。DainWaris，thedistinguishedyouth，wasthefirsttobelieveinhim；theirswasoneofthesestrange，profound，rarefriendshipsbetweenbrownandwhite，inwhichtheverydifferenceofraceseemstodrawtwohumanbeingscloserbysomemysticelementofsympathy。OfDainWaris，hisownpeoplesaidwithpridethatheknewhowtofightlikeawhiteman。Thiswastrue；hehadthatsortofcourage——thecourageintheopen，Imaysay——buthehadalsoaEuropeanmind。Youmeetthemsometimeslikethat，andaresurprisedtodiscoverunexpectedlyafamiliarturnofthought，anunobscuredvision，atenacityofpurpose，atouchofaltruism。Ofsmallstature，butadmirablywellproportioned，DainWarishadaproudcarriage，apolished，easybearing，atemperamentlikeaclearflame。Hisduskyface，withbigblackeyes，wasinactionexpressive，andinreposethoughtful。Hewasofasilentdisposition；afirmglance，anironicsmile，acourteousdeliberationofmannerseemedtohintatgreatreservesofintelligenceandpower。SuchbeingsopentotheWesterneye，sooftenconcernedwithmeresurfaces，thehiddenpossibilitiesofracesandlandsoverwhichhangsthemysteryofunrecordedages。HenotonlytrustedJim，heunderstoodhim，Ifirmlybelieve。Ispeakofhimbecausehehadcaptivatedme。His——ifImaysayso——hiscausticplacidity，andatthesametime，hisintelligentsympathywithJim’saspirations，appealedtome。Iseemedtobeholdtheveryoriginoffriendship。IfJimtookthelead，theotherhadcaptivatedhisleader。Infact，Jimtheleaderwasacaptiveineverysense。Theland，thepeople，thefriendship，thelove，werelikethejealousguardiansofhisbody。Everydayaddedalinktothefettersofthatstrangefreedom。Ifeltconvincedofit，asfromdaytodayIlearnedmoreofthestory。
`Thestory!Haven’tIheardthestory？I’vehearditonthemarch，incamphemademescourthecountryafterinvisiblegame；I’velistenedtoagoodpartofitononeofthetwinsummits，afterclimbingthelasthundredfeetorsoonmyhandsandknees。Ourescortwehadvolunteerfollowersfromvillagetovillagehascampedmeantimeonabitoflevelgroundhalf-wayuptheslope，andinthestillbreathlesseveningthesmellofwood-smokereachedournostrilsfrombelowwiththepenetratingdelicacyofsomechoicescent。Voicesalsoascended，wonderfulintheirdistinctandimmaterialclearness。Jimsatonthetrunkofafelledtree，andpullingouthispipebegantosmoke。Anewgrowthofgrassandbusheswasspringingup；thereweretracesofanearthworkunderamassofthornytwigs。“Itallstartedfromhere，“hesaid，afteralongandmeditativesilence。Ontheotherhill，twohundredyardsacrossasombreprecipice，Isawalineofhighblackenedstakes，showinghereandthereruinously——theremnantsofSherifAli’simpregnablecamp。
`Butithadbeentaken，though。Thathadbeenhisidea。HehadmountedDoramin’soldordnanceonthetopofthathill；tworustyironseven-pounders，alotofsmallbrasscannon——currencycannon。Butifthebrassgunsrepresentwealth，theycanalso，whencrammedrecklesslytothemuzzle，sendasolidshottosomelittledistance。Thethingwastogetthemupthere。Heshowedmewherehehadfastenedthecables，explainedhowhehadimprovisedarudecapstanoutofahollowedlogturninguponapointedstake，indicatedwiththebowlofhispipetheoutlineoftheearthwork。Thelasthundredfeetoftheascenthadbeenthemostdifficult。Hehadmadehimselfresponsibleforsuccessonhisownhead。Hehadinducedthewarpartytoworkhardallnight。Bigfireslightedatintervalsblazedalldowntheslope，“butuphere，“heexplained，“thehoistingganghadtoflyaroundinthedark。“
Fromthetophesawmenmovingonthehill-sidelikeantsatwork。Hehimselfonthatnighthadkeptonrushingdownandclimbinguplikeasquirrel，directing，encouraging，watchingallalongtheline。OldDoraminhadhimselfcarriedupthehillinhisarm-chair。Theyputhimdownonthelevelplaceupontheslope，andhesatthereinthelightofoneofthebigfires——“amazingoldchap——realoldchieftain，“saidJim，“withhislittlefierceeyes——apairofimmenseflintlockpistolsonhisknees。Magnificentthings，ebony，silver-mounted，withbeautifullocksandacalibrelikeanoldblunderbuss。
ApresentfromStein，itseems——inexchangeforthatring，youknow。UsedtobelongtogoodoldM`Neil。Godonlyknowshowhecamebythem。