Part 15 (1/2)

”Do you know the customs of _askaris?_”

”Yes, _bwana_.”

”H'm,” Kingozi commented in English, ”n.o.body would guess it. Then understand this: You are headman of _askaris_. You take the orders: you report to me--or the _memsahib_,” he added, almost as an afterthought.

”To-morrow morning _fall in_, and I will look at your guns. _Ba.s.si!_”

They filed away. Kingozi arose and returned the chair.

”Is that all you will do to them?” she demanded. ”I tell you they have insulted me; they have refused to move; they should be punished.”

”That's all. They understand now what will happen. You will see: they will not refuse again.”

She appeared to struggle against a flare of her old rebellious spirit.

”I will leave it to you,” she managed at last.

The squatting savages had not moved a muscle, but their s.h.i.+ning black eyes had not missed a single detail.

CHAPTER X

THE SULTANI

Six hours later the Leopard Woman's camp had arrived, had been pitched, and everything was running again as usual. The new _askari_ headman, Jack, had reported pridefully to Kingozi. The latter had nodded a careless acknowledgment; and had referred the man to his mistress. She had disappeared for a time, but now emerged again, bathed, freshened, dainty in her silken tea gown, the braids of hair down her back, the band of woven gold encircling her brow, the single strange jewel hanging in the middle of her forehead. For a time she sat alone under her own tree; but, as Kingozi showed no symptoms of coming to her, and as she was bored and growing impatient, she trailed over to him, the Nubian following with her chair. Kingozi was absorbed in establis.h.i.+ng points on his map. He looked up at her and nodded pleasantly, then moved his protractor a few inches.

”Just a moment,” he murmured absorbedly.

She lit a cigarette and yawned. The immediate prospect was dull.

Savages continued to drift in, to squat and stare, then to move on to the porters' camps. There a lively bartering was going on. From some unsuspected store each porter had drawn forth a few beads, some snuff, a length of wire, or similar treasure; and with them was making the best bargain he could for the delicacies of the country. The process was noisy. Four _askaris_, with their guns, stood on guard. The shadows were lengthening in the hills, and the heat waves had ceased to s.h.i.+mmer like veils.

”That's done,” said Kingozi at last.

”Thank the Lord!” she e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed. ”This bores me. Why do we not do something? I should like some milk, some eggs--many things. Let us summon this king.”

But Kingozi shook his head.

”That's all very well where the white man's influence reaches. But not here. I doubt if there are three men in this people who have ever even seen a white man. Of course they have all heard of us, and know a good deal about us. We must stand on our dignity here. Let the _sultani_ come to us, all in his own time. Without his goodwill we cannot move a step farther, we cannot get a pound of _potio_.”

”How long will it take? I want to get on. This does not interest me. I have seen many natives.”

Kingozi smiled.

”Two days of visit. Then perhaps a week to get _potio_ and guides.”

”Impossible! I could not endure it!”

”I am afraid you will have to. I know the untamed savage. He is inclined to be friendly, always. If you hurry the process, you must fight. That's the trouble with a big mob like yours. It is difficult to feed so many peacefully. Even in a rich country they bring in _potio_ slowly--a cupful at a time. With the best intentions in the world you may have to use coercion to keep from starving. And coercion means trouble. Look at Stanley--he left hostilities everywhere, that have lasted up to now. The people were well enough disposed when he came among them with his six or eight hundred men. But he had to have food and he had to have it quickly. He could not wait for slow, diplomatic methods. He had to _take_ it. Even when you pay for a thing, that doesn't work. The news travelled ahead of him, and the result was he had to fight. And everybody else has had to fight ever since.”

”That is interesting. I did not know that.”