Mrs. Graham was carried carefully into one of the apartments and given the same treatment as had been the others. It was only a few moments later when one of the other men brought in Nellie. He had found her in much the same position as had been found her mother, but nearly a mile distant from her. It was thought for a long time by those who were working on them, that they were surely dead, but after very hard rubbing and frequent applications of native restoratives, they began to show signs of life, and after a little they opened their eyes and looked about them. That these women had withstood the dreadful experiences of the past few hours, could scarcely be believed, but so they had, and had regained consciousness long before the men.
They too, though, had been brought back to life and their first inquiries had been of the women. The attendants had told them that the ladies were safe but had been somewhat overcome by the close atmosphere, and were slightly indisposed as a consequence. But Onrai knew that he had seen Enola and had assisted her in some way, but how he could not tell, for the whole fearful experience seemed, in some way, like a horrible nightmare. He could not yet fully realize that the events of the day had really occurred. They seemed too horrible to be real. He shuddered as he thought of the massacre of his men and later, the horrible slaughter of the negroes, and then the last occurrence, when the remainder of his men had perished. Then the fearful ride for life, the last hope, when the elephants gave out, and then the terrible fear that Gip would give out after he had once more renewed hope in them.
Then he saw Enola lying there nearly buried beneath the dead zebra; he had seen Gip raise her with his trunk, then he had clasped her in his arms; but all was a blank from here on, until he had wakened and found the attendants standing about him, and had felt himself bandaged from head to foot. Yes, it must be, the whole fearful story must be real; else why this terrible weakness and soreness and all these bandages. He was convinced at last, that it was no dream, but a terrible reality. But he marveled that he and his companions yet lived. The whole thing now passed before the mind’s eye and as he remembered the flying assagais and the formidable spear-pointed hatchets, and later, the death-dealing shower of ashes; when he thought of how men and beasts had dropped about him like sheep, he could but wonder that they, of all the others, should survive.
But that brought him to Gip, and he wondered what had become of the noble beast. He signed to his attendant that he wished to know of the elephant which had brought them back. The man left the apartment for a moment, and then returning, said that the elephant had borne them directly into the large hall of the villa, and had dropped dead a moment later. But this did not please Onrai, and he gave orders to see that the elephant had restoratives given him, and to be sure that he was dead before they gave him up. The man had taken several of his companions, and they had gone to work on the great beast. He was turned on his back with great difficulty, and buckets full of stimulants were poured down his throat. His head was deluged with water, and everything was done to restore the brave animal to which the survivors owed their lives. And their work was rewarded at last by the animal showing signs of life, and a little later, by his again turning on his side and attempting to rise. This he finally did, and staggering about for a while, he then laid down in one corner of the hall and was now resting quietly.
So all the survivors were doing as well as could be expected after the dreadful experiences through which they had passed. But what of the eruption?
Shortly after Gip had burst into the villa with his precious load, the shower had ceased, as if the volcano had known that now there were no more victims for it to destroy, and it was useless for it to further keep up the terrible strain which had shook the earth and covered a great part of the surrounding country with a layer of ashes. But the internal fires were still raging, for the great, lurid light flashed into the dark heavens above, and made all bright within the radius of several miles. There were no more shocks, and the violent eruption seemed to have spent its greatest force. From the cliff to a point some three miles beyond the villa, in which lay our friends, the ground was covered with a layer of ashes well mixed with a sort of loam, which would probably make a fertile soil in time. Some large rocks of a lava formation lay here and there, having been hurled by the mighty internal fires to this distance.
The lava flow had ceased, too, as far as could be seen, for none of the red stream was now visible coming over the side of the cliff.
It had been very fortunate for the survivors that the flow of lava had confined itself to certain channels, for if it had taken the old course, which was shown plainly by the bad lands, there would be no hope of their escaping. It had run over the sides of the great crevice when our friends stood looking at it, and it, together with the falling ashes, had been fast filling the awful crevice. But would the great eruption end here? Truly it had done damage enough, but would the internal fires be satisfied with this temporary vent? It seemed hardly possible that they would, and if they did burst forth again, what would be the further outcome? But now it was quiet. The hot bed of steam and ashes were fast cooling into an almost solid mass, and there would be no more plunging and falling when walking over its surface, hereafter. It would be as the surface had been before, only a few feet higher.
A few days longer, and if the party had convalesced sufficiently to allow them to travel, they would start on their return to the city, for Onrai had said that all must be in the city on the Day of Resis. Then, after the ceremonies of the day, after its mysteries had been learned, on the evening of that day, Enola was to become the bride of the King.