Part 3 (1/2)
He started and said-
”Of Allan Quatermain of course I have heard The natives toldto those parts; and if you, sir, are one of Lord Mountford's sons, oddly enough I think I must have known your father in my youth Indeed I served with hie,” said Ansob ”He's dead now and my brother is Lord Mountford Do you like life here better than that in the Guards? I aes,” he answered evasively, ”of which, if, as I think, you are also a soldier, you can judge for yourself But won't you cohter Heda is away, and my partner Mr Rodd” (as he mentioned this name I saw a blue vein, which showed above his cheek bone, swell as though under pressure of so sort of a ht think him sulky until they caive you a decent bottle of wine”
”No, thank you very on or our servants will think that we have corief Perhaps you will accept the wildebeeste if it is of any use to you”
”Very well,” he said in a voice that suggested regret struggling with relief To the buck he made no allusion, perhaps because he considered that it was already his own property ”Do you know your way? I believe your wagon is camped out there to the east by e call the Granite stream If you follow this Kaffir path,” and he pointed to a track near by, ”it will take you quite close”
”Where does the path run to?” I asked ”There are no kraals about, are there?”
”Oh! to the Tehter calls our house My partner and I are labour agents, we recruit natives for the Ki, ”Where do you propose to shoot?”
I told him
”Isn't that rather a risky district?” he said ”I think that Sekukuni will soon be giving h there is a truce between hiiment to raid that way”
I wondered how our friend knew so much of Sekukuni's possible intentions, but only answered that I was accustomed to deal with natives and did not fear them
”Ah!” he said, ”well, you know your own business best But if you should get into any difficulty, ht for this place The Basutos will not interfere with you here”
Again I wondered why the Basutos should look upon this particular spot as sacred, but thinking it wisest to ask no questions, I only answered-
”Thank you very much We'll bear your invitation in mind, Mr-”
”Marnham”
”Marnham,” I repeated after him ”Good-bye and many thanks for your kindness”
”One question,” broke in Ansob, ”if you will not think ned thathouse of yours which seened it, or at least I think she copied it fro of a ruin Also it is marble; there's a whole hill of the stuff not a hundred yards fro else I hope you will coh it is not as fine as it appears from a distance It would be very pleasant after all these years to talk to an English gentleain”
Then we parted, I rather offended because he did not see after us-
”Stick close to the path through the patch of big trees, for the ground is rather swa dark”
Presently we cah scattered, was quite large for South Africa, of the yelloood species, and interspersed wherever the ground was dry with huge euphorbias, of which the tall finger-like growths and sad grey colouring looked unreal and ghostlike in the waning light Following the advice given to us, we rode in single file along the narrow path, fearing lest othere should tuher land covered with the scattered thorns of the country
”Did that bush give you any particular impression?” asked Ansob a ave ht catch fever there See thein my saddle I pointed with the rifle in my hand to what looked like athe last red glow of sunset, producing a curious and indeed rather unearthly effect ”I expect that thousands of years ago there was a lake yonder, which is why trees grow so big in the rich soil”
”You are curiously mundane, Quatermain,” he answered ”I ask you of spiritual iical for in the spiritual line?”
”I felt nothing except a chill,” I answered, for I was tired and hungry ”What the devil are you driving at?”