Part 31 (1/2)
”Ru this murder down in the Makanya, isn't it?”
”I don't know enough about it to say But I suppose there's no doubt about it being a murder?”
”Not a particle dickinson has worked the thing up in first-rate style
There's hardly a link , though, that a chain is no stronger than its weakest link; but if the link is not ether, what's the use of that chain?”
”The link can be supplied,” said Stride ht man at any minute”
”Then why the devil doesn't he?”
The straightness of this query rather nonplussed Stride But he remembered that men in desperate straits had many a time been known to save the situation by consummate bluff
”Perhaps he isn't quite sure where he is at this moment,” he answered
”I could help him”
”Then why the devil don't you?”
”Look here Let's quit beating around the bush,” said the other, speaking quickly ”Will you take a piece of advice?”
”Can't say until I hear it But I'll proetting rather sick of all thisa bit ”short”
”I'll give it you in one word, then,” was the answer ”Skip”
”Don't see the joke Explain”
”Don't see it, eh?”
”Not even a little bit”
”Well, bluff's a good dog soht he would enjoy a different situation directly ”Still, you take e I don't suppose they'll bother to follow up the thing very keenly once you're clean out of the country And if you're wise you h Swaziland and into German territory if you can, or at any rate keep dark Halse will be able to help you”
All this while Denha at the speaker with a kind of amused curiosity At the close of the above remark he said--
”What's the matter with you?”
”What d'youhis te why you asked me to come out with you to listen to all the nonsense you have just been talking You're not drunk, any fool can see that, and yet you fire off some yarn about so, down in the Makanya; and talk about chains and th of it all invite _me_ to 'skip' Really the joke strikes me as an uncommonly thin one”
”It'll take the form of an uncoling over a certain trap-door in Ezulwini gaol
Well, I thought to do you a good turn, came up here mostly to do it, and that's how you take it Well, you , and be daar He offered his case to his companion, but it was promptly refused
”Now let's prick this bubble,” he said, looking the other fair and straight in the eyes ”Froathered you wanted to insinuate that I had murdered some one