Part 28 (1/2)
”H Gold--so,” was how he pieced this scanty clue together ”Well, Johannesburg is all 'gold,' or it's supposed to be,” and he grinned to himself at this lame joke ”But I wonder what's the other half of the na or Gold--what? Then, again, there must be tens of thousands of PO boxes there too, and it's clearly one of these But how the deuce one is to trace any of the thousands of children of Israel whose nain with 'Gold' is another side of the joke”
He carefully copied the frag as nearly as possible, and that was very nearly indeed, the character of the writing Then he looked around in search of further fragot a couple of sticks, for he could not touch the loathly thing, and having first lighted his pipe, raphic purposes Then he sat down--at a respectable distance--and began to study the features
”One of the children of Israel, if ever there was one, and no ly thing long enough”
Another pipe was filled and lighted He felt hungry, and the stuff he had brought with him for lunch was in his holster on the other side He did not care to swim the river alone, with no one to help scare potential crocodiles He felt thirsty too, but he would have to feel a great dealhi facing hihs and placed them over it to keep off the flies, then returned to his seat in the demi-shade of a thorn-tree, and proceeded to elaborate theories with all his o upon as yet
He stood a good chance for the next Sub-Inspectorshi+p which should fall vacant; could he but work up this case successfully it would be the irl over in Natal whoed; but they had agreed to wait for the Sub-Inspectorshi+p It was hot, very hot Would his comrade never come back? The hours wore on The ripple anddickinson felt drowsy Presently he slidposture and slept, and dreairl over in Natal
He slept on and on, now hard and dreaeant dickinson, NP, was in greater peril than he had ever been in his life
”Yonder now, Shuh It is not safe to go nearer, but at such short distance, for one as taught to shoot when in the _Nongqai_, [in this instance the Zululand Native Police], and turned out of it through him who lies yonder, it is not possible to ures crouched down upon the rock which overlooked the sleeping dickinson at about two hundred yards, while the discharged policeman stealthily dreard his Martini rifle and carefully sighted it
Wake up, dickinson, for this man is one of the few natives who can use a rifle with accuracy of ai race
And he is drawing a fine ”bead” on the two hundred yards sight He held the sah your agency that he was--rightly--degraded and dismissed the Force He is as cool-nerved as you are yourself, and is not likely to ain Wake up, dickinson!
Just then a lizard runs over the face of the sleeper, causing hi, crash!+ and the bullet embeds itself in the trunk of the thorn-tree, which a second before had been supporting the weight of his body It takes only another second for him to throw hirowth of short bush
Sergeant dickinson is as brave a reat deal He realises now that he is in a tight corner
The rascal, whoever he may be, _can_ shoot; ulation revolver The enee and stalk him, from a distance, at leisure And to enforce this side of the situation bang corowth of bush which sur rifle, and the target, with lightning-like resource, has flattened down behind the stones
”Good line that, da missile is distinctly perceptible above his head ”Well, I' all day”
”I thought thou couldst shoot true, Shumilana,” whispers Mandevu
”_Whau_!”
The last, _staccato_ For a bullet has splattered hard against the rock upon which the two are lying It has not come from the man in yonder flimsy cover, but from across the river Another follows sharp, and it splinters the stock of Shurowl of pain, for the shock has strained the es drop frolide away like snakes into the thicker bush, only barely in time to avoid another bullet which rips viciously over them And Trooper Symes chuckles as he rides down to the river bank, where the other horse whinnies excitedly at the reunion
dickinson's first remark was characteristic
”Got the kodak, Sy it through”
”No fear It'll save tih above his head, Syh in a minute
”It's a case of sharp's the word if we're to catch the light,” said dickinson, and forthwith he proceeded to uncover the ghastly relic
”There,” he went on, having taken half-a-dozen snapshots at every angle, ”we've got the workings of so devil, any way you look at him,” pronounced Symes