Part 12 (1/2)
”He's staying at our shop, Halse,” said Jaether I shall have to be a bit late, I'”
”Well, it's ti at the clock ”I just thought I'd drop in and see as alive or dead
Ready, Mr Denhaet your letter saying you were actually here,” began Ben Halse, when they were outside ”I'm rather of a cautious disposition--suspicious, some folks call it, but it's the upshot of experience, so I avoided any reference to our ever having heard of each other before”
”I'iven the shoay, then, Mr Halse, for only thisthem at the hotel where you were to be found”
”Ah, well; it can't be helped Besides, it doesn't greatlyup this new--yet not new--acquaintance, and the process took no tiether a favourable one They had been in correspondence together-- had done business together--for quite a long time, and often had he speculated as to the up-country trader's individual personality One thing was certain--the htforward, in all their dealings, as any one could be
”I've got a rare record head for you now, Mr Denhaot your letter, saying you were here I thought I'd drive in, and if you care to come and stay out at my place a bit I'm sure you'd find a lot to interest you It's precious wild and also a bit rough, but if you can put up with that, you're very welcome By the way, don't say a word to any one here or anywhere else about the head The Lumisana's a royal preserve, and there's a hundred pound fine for shooting anything there without a permit”
”By Jove! is there?” answered Denha ”I'll keep dark, never fear I shall be delighted, though, to take up your invite
Here we are at the Nodwengu”
”_Amakosi_!”
It was the same Zulu Denham had noticed ith Inspector Ja fluently in his own tongue
”You'll have to pick up the lingo, Mr Denhahty useful”
”And hed the other
In the verandah of the hotel a girl was standing Denham looked at her with furtive interest He had certainly not seen her there since his arrival
”This is hter, Mr Denham,” said his co forth a hand ”I seeh the post”
Such a straight, frank, welcolance of the hazel eyes Denhaed the introduction with outward coirl!
he was thinking He had no idea that Ben Halse owned a daughter; in fact, had never given a thought to anything of the kind And then the trader's cordial invitation seemed to take on an entirely new aspect
If his first impressions of the father had been entirely favourable, precisely the sahter
CHAPTER TEN
IMPRESSIONS
If Denhaard to Verna, hers had been the saard to hiarden path with her father, and the tall, fine figure, and clean-cut face had taken her i her father what sort ofto set eyes on hier table, Emmie?” said Ben Halse, as they went in He had known the hostess of the Nodwengu--herself the daughter of a fine old up-country trader and pioneer--ever since she was born ”I like being a folks when I break ahich isn't often”
”Plenty We're anything but full noorse luck Here, next me