"He is asking how the pistol kills," replied the girl.
A brilliant idea occurred to the American. "Tell him to give it to me, and I will show him," he said.
But when she translated the offer to Elija he demurred. "He could then kill me with it," he said, shrewdly.
"He won't give it to you," the girl told Smith. "He is afraid you want to kill him."
"I do," replied the man.
"Tell him," said Elija, "to explain to me how I may kill some one with it."
"Repeat my instructions to him very carefully," said Smith, after Lady Barbara had translated the demand of the prophet. "Tell him how to grasp the pistol," and when Lady Barbara had done so and Elija held the weapon by the grip in his right hand, "now tell him to place his index finger through the guard, but warn him not to pull the trigger."
Elija did as he was bid. "Now," continued Smith, "explain to him that in order to see how the weapon operates he should place one eye to the muzzle and look down the barrel."
"But I can see nothing," expostulated Elija when he had done as Lady Barbara directed. "It is quite dark down the little hole."
"He says it is too dark in the barrel for him to see anything," repeated Lady Barbara to the American.