Part 18 (2/2)
”You mustn't s every yarn you hear,” said James
”We've been killed at least three times this year already on those terms,” said Ben Halse
”I suppose I shall be included in the fourth,” laughed Denha visit
Stride, however, had suddenly grown silent
The Ezulwini Club was not large, as we have said; however, it would soht it was lively, very; the circulation of whiskies-and-sodas brisk
”Anything an thethe subject at the hotel table Others asked, ”What yarn?”
”_You_ ought to know so of it, Halla that thean important post
”Why?” curtly
”Because you're in a position to”
This was all the other wanted
”Exactly,” he retorted ”But if I'm in a position to know, I'h, in which the offender, who at first looked resentful, joined
”What's the joke?” asked Jasby's putting up idiotic questions,” answered Hallaain--you know every one's pet poison What's yours, Mr Denhaht,” answered Denham, who had come to the conclusion that the hospitality of this club required a strong head, which, fortunately, he possessed But Harry Stride, less fortunate, did not
”I can tell you all about that yarn,” he broke in ”Slingsby's not so wide of the rief in the Makanya, and a white man too, for I picked up a saddle in the Bobi drift, and it had a bullet hole through the flap, an unmistakable bullet hole”
”You picked it up?” said some one, while Inspector James, as ”in the know,”ass!”
Then followed a considerable as and discussion
When was this, and where, and hoould it have happened, and what had he done with the saddle, and so forth? Hallaht have been noticed, stood out of the discussion altogether Perhaps he was ”in the know” also; at any rate, as an official, he was instinctively averse toBut Harry Stride had got outside of quite as ood for hi on top of his then state of frothy mental tension, was disastrous Now he said--
”You must have crossed just above the Bobi drift, Mr Denhah the Makanya that way”
”Yes, I shouldn't wonder if it was somewhere about there,” answered Denham easily ”But, you see, I didn't know any of the names of drifts and so on I just 'drifted' on”
”Were you alone?” queried Stride, with athe other full in the face
There could be no possibleA scarcely perceptible start ran through those present This was getting too thick altogether, was the general opinion