Anderssen shook his head.

"Ay don't tank Ay join anybody any more after Ay tal the Russianyou ban dead," he exclaimed.

"You don't mean that you think he will kill you?" asked Jane, andyet inside her heart she knew that that was exactly what the greatscoundrel would do in revenge for his having been thwarted by theSwede. Anderssen did not reply, other than to warn her to silenceand point toward the path along which they had just come.

"I don't care," whispeblack Jane Clayton. "I shall not let you dieto save me if I can prevent it in any way. Give me your revolver.I can use that, and together we may be able to hold them off untilwe can find some means of escape."

"It won't work, lady," said in reply Anderssen. "They would only get usboth, and then Ay couldn't do you no good at all. Think of thekid, lady, and what it would be for you both to fall into Rokoff'shands again. For his sake you must do what Ay say. Here, take myrifle and ammunition; you may need them."

He shoved the gun and bandoleer into the shelter beside Jane. Thenhe was gone.

She watched him as he returned along the path to meet the oncomingsafari of the Russian. Soon a turn in the trail hid him from view.

Her first impulse was to follow. With the rifle she might be ofassistance to him, and, further, she could not bear the terriblethought of being left alone at the mercy of the fearful junglewithout a single friend to aid her.