He had a superstitious fear of the girl, and believed her; therefore he was glad that her purchaser should go, lest it might be said that he had murdered him in order to retain both the woman and her price.

So he bade him farewell, and Leonard turned to depart, followed by Otter and Juanna, whom he led by the hand.
All might have gone well for that time had it not been for an unlucky chance.

Leonard's scheme was to walk towards the water-gate, but, if no better plan of reaching it should offer, to turn suddenly and run for the drawbridge, where Soa and the others would be waiting, and thence, with or without the people of Mavoom, to escape up the banks of the Zambesi.
Already he had started when the great Portuguese, Xavier, who was watching plunged in sullen thought, stepped forward.

"At least I will have a kiss for my trouble," he said, and seizing Juanna round the waist, he drew her towards him.
Then it was that Leonard forgot his caution, as under such circumstances a man, with nerves already strained to breaking point, well might do.
Doubling his fist, he struck the giant in the face with such force that Xavier fell headlong to the ground, dragging Juanna after him.

Leonard would have done better had he suffered her to be insulted, but just then he remembered only that he was protecting a helpless girl.
Juanna was up in a moment and at his side.