Part 6 (2/2)

”Have another drink? The whiff of that doesn't make you sick, eh?”

”You're right there, old chap,” laughed Ancram. ”This is a deuced thirsty country of yours, Lamont, if you don't mind my saying so.”

”Oh dear, no! Never mind me. It's all that, even when there isn't a drought on.”

”Now I could understand a fellow like Peters smoking that stuff,” said Ancram, going back to the question of the tobacco. ”But you, who've had an opportunity of knowing better--that's a thing I can hardly take in.

By the way, Lamont, while on the subject of Peters, I think he's too beastly familiar and patronising altogether.”

”Patronising--'m--yes.”

If Ancram perceived the crispness of the tone, the snap in his host's eyes, he, thinking the latter was afraid of him, enjoyed being provocative all the more.

”Yes. For instance, I think it infernal cheek a fellow of that sort calling us by our names--without any mister or anything. And the chummy way in which he's always talking to me. It's a little too thick. A common chap like that--who murders the Queen's English. No; I'm getting d.a.m.n tired of Peters.”

”Quite sure Peters isn't getting d.a.m.n tired of you?”

”Eh? Oh come, I say, Lamont! You're always getting at a fellow, you know.”

Lamont was inwardly raging. He had exaggerated ideas of the obligations of hospitality, and this fellow was his guest--an uninvited one certainly, but still his guest. And he--could he control himself much longer?

”I told you you weren't in the least cut out for life in this country, Ancram,” he said at last, striving to speak evenly. ”For instance, according to its customs even the blasphemy of Peters daring to call you by your name doesn't justify you in abusing a man who has saved your life; for if it hadn't been for him you'd be a well-gnawed skeleton in the mopani belt down the Pagadi road this very moment. Wait a bit,”--as the other was about to interrupt. ”It may surprise you to hear it--they call this a land of surprises--but there's no man alive for whom I have a greater regard than I have for Peters. He's my friend--my _friend_, you understand--and if you're so tired of him I can only think of one remedy. I can lend you a horse and a boy to show you the way. There's a hotel at Gandela. The accommodation there is indifferent, but at any rate you won't be tired by Peters.”

It was out at last. Ancram had gone too far. Would he take him at his word? thought Lamont, hoping in the affirmative. But before the other could reply one way or the other there was a trampling of hoofs, and a man on horseback came round the corner of the house.

”Hallo, Driffield! Where have you dropped from?” cried Lamont, greeting the new-comer cordially.

”Home. I'm off on a small patrol. Thought, as it was near dinner-time, I'd sponge on you, Lamont. Where's Peters?”

”Up at his camp. He never comes down till evening. Er--Ancram. This is Driffield, our Native Commissioner. What he don't know about the guileless savage isn't worth knowing.”

”Glad to meet you,” said that official as they shook hands. ”You needn't take in everything Lamont says, all the same,” he laughed. ”I say, Lamont, it's a pity Peters isn't here. I'm always missing the old chap.”

”I'll send up for him, and he'll be here in half an hour or so. I'll see to your horse and start Zingela off at once. But--first of all have a drink. We won't get dinner for half an hour yet.”

”Thanks, I will,” laughed the new arrival. ”Thirsty country this, eh, Mr --?”

”Ancram,” supplied that worthy. ”Thirsty? I believe you. We were talking of that very thing just before you came.”

Two things had struck Ancram--the frank cordiality that seemed to be the predominant note among these dwellers in the wilderness, and that his own opinion of Peters was by no means shared by others. There he had made a _faux pas_. But he did not intend to take Lamont at his word, all the same; wherefore it was just as well that this new arrival had appeared on the scene when he had.

”What'll you have, Driffield?” said Lamont, as the four sat down to table a little later--Peters having arrived. ”'Tisn't Hobson's choice this time--it's guinea-fowl or goat ribs.”

”The last. They look young. I'll get enough game on patrol.”

”Going to look in at Zwabeka's kraal, Driffield?” said Peters presently.

”If I do it'll be on the way back. I've got to meet Ames to-morrow evening at the Umgwane Drift, and settle which the devil of us Tolozi is under. Half his people are in Sik.u.mbutana. Ames is quite welcome to him for me.”

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