Part 32 (2/2)
”Lord, there is a devil greatly respected in these parts, anders in the forest all the tiives many curious medicines”
”Where is he to be found?”
”Lord, none know He cohost, and he has a fetish ave the woht I know that she would die?”
”Cheg'li,” said Sanders shortly to the 'li in the dialect of the River eable mood, and a little irritable by reason of the fact that he knew hi to you? In powder, in liquid, or--”
The man's lips were dry He could do no more than shake his head helplessly
”Release him,” said Sanders; and Abiboo loosened the noose and unstrapped the man's hands
”If you have lied to me,” said Sanders, ”you die at sunset First let me hear more of this Devil Man, for I aave the man ten minutes to recover from the effects of his fear, then sent for hi of the Devil Man save that he is the greatest witch-doctor in the world, and on nights when the moon is up and certain stars are in their places he cohost, and we are all afraid Then those of us who need hi to our desires”
”How carried he the drug?”
”Lord, it was in a crystal rod, such as whiteit to you”
He went back to his hut and returned a few minutes later with a phial, the fellow to that which was already in Sanders' possession The Co There was the faintest odour of alnised the after-scent of cyanide of potassiu as untutored witch-doctors know, est,” wrote Sanders to headquarters, ”that by soe Carsley has come into the possession of a native 'doctor' You will remember that the chest ith the professor when he was drowned It has possibly been washed up and discovered In the ent inquiries as to the identity of the Devil Man, who seems to have leapt into fahts ahead for Sanders, nights of swift s, of quick runs up the river, of unexpected arrivals in villages, of lonely vigils in the forest and by strange pools But he had no word of the Devil Man, though he learnt ical possessions was a box, ”so small,” said one who had seen it, and indicated a six-inch square In this box dwelt a small anda mark), who could stick needles into the huive it up,” said Sanders in despair, and went back to his base to think ht, when far away on the river the druular lo-koli roll, but a series of staccato tappings, and, stepping softly to the door, the Conalling staff fro the river On a still night the tapping of a drum carries far, but the rattle of iron-wood sticks on a hollowed tree-trunk carries farthest of all
”Clok-clok, clockitty-clock”
It sounded like the far-away croaking of a bull-frog; but Sanders picked out the letters:
”Devil Man sacrifices to-ht in the Forest of Dreae on the white sleeve of his jacket, Abiboo ca up the path
”I have heard,” said Sanders briefly ”There is steam in the pucapuc?”
”We are ready, master,” said therevolver from the wall and throw his overcoat over his ar kit was already deposited on the Zaire, and had been for three days
In the darkness the sharp nose of his little boat swung out to the streae caainst the swift river