Leopard evaded, and said, "But, Iheli, take a broom and sweep up the
scraps from the floor, and throw them into the yard." (Making thus a
final effort to get Gazelle into that pit.) But, Gazelle, refused,
"No; yourself do it. When the town's-people hear the bones falling
as they are thrown in the yard, will they not suspect me, and say,
'What animal has Iheli killed at night, that he is clearing away the
scraps?'" Leopard swept up the floor and table, and threw the pieces
into the backyard. As they were finishing, day began to dawn. Gazelle
said, "Njâ, the day is breaking; let us seek hiding-places; for, when
the people come in, in the morning, and find that their daughter
is dead, lest they kill us." So, they began to look around for
hiding-places. Gazelle said, "I shall hide in this big box on the
floor." But, Leopard objected, "No; that traveling-box befits me;
and, as the elder, I shall take it." Gazelle said, then, "Well,
I'll hide under the bed." But, Leopard again objected (hoping to
leave Gazelle without a place). "No; that also is my place; it suits
me." Gazelle protested, "You are claiming this and that place! Where
shall I go? Well! I see! I'll hide over the door." "Yes" said Leopard,
"that's the hiding-place for a young person like you." (This he said,
still thinking of the pit near the door.) Gazelle agreed, saying,
"I am here, by the door. You get into that box, and I'll tie it
with a string, as if no one was in it." Leopard objected, "But,
the string will hinder my breaking out." "No," replied Gazelle,
"it shall be a weak twine. You can easily burst it, when you fling
up the lid, and jump out, and run away."
Leopard got into the box, and Gazelle began to tie it with a heavy
chain. Leopard hearing the clanking, exclaimed, "With a chain,
Iheli?" Gazelle had the chain fast; and he coolly replied, "It's only
a little one." Then he piled heavy stones on the box. As day broke,
he took his stand among a bundle of dried plantain-leaves that was
over the door-way. The towns-people sent a child to open the door
of the strangers' house, to call them to eat. As the child was about
to enter, Gazelle struck him a blow on the head; and the child went
away wailing with pain. The child's father said to his family that
he would go to see what was the matter. As he pushed wide open the
door of the strangers' house, Gazelle slid down, sprang out, and ran
rapidly away, shouting, "Njâ is there! Njâ is in that box! He it is
who has killed your woman!" And the towns-people shouted after him,
"Is that so? Well, you're off, Iheli! Go!"