Part 12 (2/2)

”Olari, the chief, is cursed!”

Olari heard the tidings froht, raving horribly

The next day he sickened, and on the fifth day he was near to dead and suffering terrible pains, as also were sixof Carter That they did not die was no fault of the witch-doctor, who excused his failure on account of the great distance between himself and his subjects

As for Sanders, he was satisfied, saying that even the pains were cheap at the price, and that it would give hireat satisfaction to write ”finis” to Olari with his own hand

A week after this, Abiboo, Sanders' favourite servant, was taken ill There was no evidence of fever or disease, only theinquiries, Sanders discovered that Abiboo had offended the witch-doctor Kelebi, and that the doctor had sent hie

Sanders took fifty Houssas into the bush and interviewed the witch-doctor

”I have reason,” he said, ”for believing you to be a failure as a slayer of ic cannot cross mountains, otherwise Olari and his friends would have died”

”That is as it ic nearer at hand, and Iyou”

”Father,” said Kelebi emphatically, ”under those circun, and rode back to headquarters, to find his servant on the high road to recovery

I give you this fragrasp the peculiar environreater part of his life, and because you will appreciate all the better the irony of the situation created by the co breakfast on the verandah of his house Fro beauties of his garden a view of a broad, rolling, oily sea, a golden blaze of light under the hot sun There was a stea three miles out (only in five fatholasses, recognised her as the Elder Deht the monthly mail Since there were no letters on his table, and the boat had been ”in” for two hours, he gathered that there was no mail for him, and was thankful, for he had outlived the sentimental period of life when letters were pleasant possibilities

Having no letters, he expected no callers, and the spectacle of the Hon George being carried in a ha

The Hon George carefully alighted, adjusted his white pith helmet, smoothed the creases from his immaculate ducks, and mounted the steps that led to the stoep

”How do?” said the visitor ”My nah to say ence

Sanders bowed, a little ceremoniously for him He felt that his visitor expected this

”I'e went on ”As you've doubtless heard, overnor is the proprietor of the Courier and Echo, and so he thought I'd better go out and see the thing for erated--”

”Hold hard,” said Sanders, a light dawning on hiather that you are a sort of correspondent of a newspaper?”

”Exactly”

”That you have come to inquire into--”

”Treate easily

”And what is wrong with the treatentles in newspapers- somewhat embarrassed by the realisation that thebefore him