Again came the jets of
smoke, and again more Arabs dropped from their saddles. But the others
still came on. A thousand feet away others fell. Twenty-two of the fifty
had already gone. The rest fired their rifles as they galloped. But now,
to David's relief, his own forces, which should have moved half an hour
before, were coming swiftly down to cut off the approach of Ali Wad Hei's
infantry, and he turned his horse upon the position where a handful of
men were still emptying the saddles of the impetuous enemy. But now all
that were left of the fifty were upon the trenches. Then came the flash
of swords, puffs of smoke, the thrust of lances, and figures falling from
the screaming, rearing horses.
Lacey's pistol was in his hand, David's sword was gripped tight, as they
rushed upon the melee. Lacey's pistol snapped, and an Arab fell; again,
and another swayed in his saddle. David's sword swept down, and a
turbaned head was gashed by a mortal stroke. As he swung towards another
horseman, who had struck down a defender of the trenches, an Arab raised
himself in his saddle and flung a lance with a cry of terrible malice;
but, even as he did so, a bullet from Lacey's pistol pierced his
shoulder.
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