Part 18 (1/2)
Perhaps it was rash, but my curiosity led me to accept this invitation
Out I went, followed by Hans with a loaded double-barrelled rifle, and scrah and there were no trees just here, commanded a very fine view of the desert beyond
”Look to the north,” said Hart froht five or six hundred yards away, ranged rank by rank upon a slope of sand and along the crest of the ridge beyond, I saw quite two hundred kneeling caure who held in his hand a long lance to the shaft of which, not far beneath the blade, was attached a little flag For a while I stared to e Then when I had satisfied myself that these were indeed men and camels I descended from the ant-heap
”You will admit, Macumazana,” said Hart politely, ”that if we had meant you any ill, with such a force it would have been easy for us to take a sleeping caht But these men come here to be your escort, not to kill or enslave you or yours And, Macumazana, we have sworn to you the oath that , after you have eaten, ill return again unarmed and alone”
Then like shadows they slipped away
CHAPTER X
CHARGE!
Ten minutes later the truth was known and every ns of panic, but these with the help of Babe the men to make the best preparations for defence that circu their minds For from the firstthat, except for the three of us who had horses, escape was ireat ca old Babee of his soldiers, we three white men and Hans held a council at which I repeated every word that had passed between Hart and Mart andhad anything to do with the disappearance of Lady Ragnall on the Nile
”Now,” I asked, ”what is to be done? My fate is sealed, since for purposes of their own, of which probably we know nothing, these people intend to take me with the, since I have been fool enough to keep a kind of assignation with them here But they don't want anybody else Therefore there is nothing to prevent you Ragnall, and you Savage, and you Hans, fro with the Mazitu”
”Oh! Baas,” said Hans, who could understand English well enough although he seldo me with such _praatjes_?”--(that is, chatter) ”Whatever you do I will do, and I don't care what you do, except for your own sake, Baas If I a to die, let o soon and make report to your reverend father, the Predikant And now, Baas, I have been awake all night, for I heard those ca while before the two spook men appeared, and as I have never heard camels before, could not iraffes So I a to sleep, Baas, there in the sun When you have settled things, you can wake ive me your orders,” and he suited the action to the word, for when I glanced at hi at its ation
”I a on,” he said briefly
”Despite the denial of these men of any complicity in your wife's fate?” I asked ”If their words are true, what have you to gain by this journey, Ragnall?”
”An interesting experience while it lasts; that is all Like Hans there, if what they say _is_ true, my future is a matter of complete indifference to me But I do not believe a word of what they say
Soreat deal which they do not choose to repeat--about my wife I mean That is why they are so anxious that I should not accoe for yourself,” I answered doubtfully, ”and I hope to Heaven that you are judging right Now, Savage, what have you decided?
Remember before you reply that these uncanny fellows declare that if we four go, two of us will never return It seems impossible that they can read the future, still, without doubt, they _are_ e, ”I will take land his lordshi+p made a provision for my old mother and my ed sister and her children, and I have none other dependent upon me Moreover, I won't return alone with those Mazitu to become a barbarian, for how could I find o on and leave the rest to God”
”Which is just e have all got to do,” I remarked ”Well, as that is settled, let us send for Babely The old fellow received the neithhis one eye upon me, he said:
”Macumazana, these words are what I expected from you Had any other man spoken them I should have declared that he was quite mad But I reo, and that you ca done wonderful things there, and that it was the Pongo who suffered, not you So I believe it will be again, so far as you are concerned, Macuoes with you who looks after his own For the others I do not know They must settle the matter with their own devils, or with those of the Kendah people Now farewell, Macumazana, for it comes to me that we shall ood to have known you who are so great in your oay
Often I shall think of you as you will think of me, and hope that in a country beyond that of the Kendah I may hear from your lips all that has befallen you on this and other journeys Now I go to withdraw e beasts to seize you, lest they should take us also and there should be a fight in which we, being the fewer, must die The loads are all in order ready to be laden on their strange beasts If they declare that the horses cannot cross the desert, leave them loose and ill catch them and take them ho ones from them which shall be yours when you send for the's if you never send Nay, I want no un and the powder and the bullets you gave , and what is best of all, the e and wisdom May these and the Gods you worshi+p befriend you Froone Farewell,”
and waiting for no answer, he departed with the tears running from his solitary eye
Ten one, leaving us seated in that deserted cae, and so far as I was concerned, feeling most lonely Another tenour personal belongings Then Hans, as noashi+ng out the coffee kettle at a little distance, looked up and said:
”Here coiment of them” We ran and looked It was true Marshalled in orderly squadrons, the ca towards us, and a fine sight the beasts ait About fifty yards away they halted just where the strea entered the desert, and there proceeded to water the camels, twenty of thenized Hart and Mart, walked forward and presently were standing before us, bowing obsequiously
”Good lish ”So you come with Macumazana to call at our poor house, as we call at your fine one in England You think we got the beautiful lady you ive old necklace That is not so No white lady ever in Kendahland
We hear story from Macumazana and believe that lady drowned in Nile, for you 'member she walk much in her sleep We very sorry for you, but Gods know their business They leave when they will leave, and take when they will take You find her again some day more beautiful still and with her soul come back”