“Whatbecameofhim？“Iasked。Tamb’Itam，staringatme，madeanexpressivegesturewithhisrightarm。“TwiceIstruck，tuan，“hesaid。“Whenhebeheldmeapproachinghecasthimselfviolentlyonthegroundandmadeagreatoutcry，kicking。Hescreechedlikeafrightenedhentillhefeltthepoint；thenhewasstill，andlaystaringatmewhilehislifewentoutofhiseyes。“
`Thisdone，Tamb’Itamdidnottarry。Heunderstoodtheimportanceofbeingthefirstwiththeawfulnewsatthefort。Therewere，ofcourse，manysurvivorsofDainWaris’sparty；butintheextremityofpanicsomehadswumacrosstheriver，othershadboltedintothebush。Thefactisthattheydidnotknowreallywhostruckthatblow——whethermorewhiterobberswerenotcoming，whethertheyhadnotalreadygotholdofthewholeland。Theyimaginedthemselvestobethevictimsofavasttreachery，andutterlydoomedtodestruction。Itissaidthatsomesmallpartiesdidnotcomeintillthreedaysafterwards。However，afewtriedtomaketheirwaybacktoPatusanatonce，andoneofthecanoesthatwerepatrollingtheriverthatmorningwasinsightofthecampattheverymomentoftheattack。Itistruethatatfirstthemeninherleapedoverboardandswamtotheoppositebank，butafterwardstheyreturnedtotheirboatandstartedfearfullyupstream。OftheseTamb’Itamhadanhour’sadvance。“
Tamb’Itam，paddlingmadly，cameintothetown-reach，thewomen，throngingtheplatformsbeforethehouses，werelookingoutforthereturnofDainWaris’slittlefleetofboats。Thetownhadafestiveair；hereandtheremen，stillwithspearsorgunsintheirhands，couldbeseenmovingorstandingontheshoreingroups。Chinamen’sshopshadbeenopenedearly；butthemarket-placewasempty，andasentry，stillpostedatthecornerofthefort，madeoutTamb’Itam，andshoutedtothosewithin。Thegatewaswideopen。Tamb’Itamjumpedashoreandraninheadlong。
Thefirstpersonhemetwasthegirlcomingdownfromthehouse。
`Tamb’Itam，disordered，panting，withtremblinglipsandwildeyes，stoodforatimebeforeherasifasuddenspellhadbeenlaidonhim。