Part 19 (1/2)
”Just traveling ' in these parts--not by a sight, they don't--not alone!”
He helped hie where it had no further visible effect on hi the neck of the jar with his hand, ”if she kids herself she'll be let go where she pleases--why, she kids herself!
It takes Pioneer Jane to trespass where writs don't run! Jane goes where her husband don't dare follow The officials don't say a word
Y'see there's no jail where they could stohite wooes over the borderline whenever she sees fit
The king's writ runs maybe for thirty miles north o' this railway
Once over that they can't catch youBut unless you're a black ov'et two-thirds the way They'll take less than half a chance with her ladyshi+p or I' her back between two native policemen? She'll not be allowed five miles outside Nairobi townshi+p!”
He up-ended his whisky again, consumed about a pint of it, and settled down to sleep We took his and arms and threw him on the upper berth to stew in the cabined heat under the roof
”It's good Monty's not with us,” said Fred He sat down and laughed at our surprise that he should state such heresy ”Monty mustn't break laws, but who cares if we do?”
”Laws?” said Will disgustedly ”I don't care who makes, or breaks the laws of this land! Let's beat it! Let's join Monty in London and make plans for some other trip Everybody's after this ivory We haven't a look-in Even if we knehere to look for it we'd be followed Let's take the next train back from Nairobi, and the next boat for Europe!”
Fred rubbed his hands delightedly, and stroked his beard into the neat point it refuses to keep for long at a time in very hot weather
”Let's stay in Nairobi” he said, ”at least until Courtney sends that boy he pro questions, and then--”
”What then?” grumbled Will
”There may be truth in what Brown of Lumbwa says about a dead-line”
”Dead-line?”
”Beyond which the king's writ doesn't run”
”Betcherlife there's truth in it!” Brown oing through the e he knew--not an insignificant perfor on the lower berth and lifting the man's eyelid to iven the game away The woon So did this sharp Now he hears Fred talk about dead-lines and the king's writ and breaking laws! The game's up! Me for the down-train and a stea by the deepening gloorew no cooler What little wind there was followed the train, so that we traveled in stagnation Utter darkness brought no respite, but the fascination of flitting shadows and the ever-new ht The train drew up at last in a station in the shadow of great overleaning s We seeh thicknesses of cloth, and the very trees that cast black shadow on the platfor for lack of air
”One hour for dinner!” called the guard, walking li the train
”Just an hour for dinner! Dinner waiting!”
He was not at all a usual-looking guard He was dressed in riding breeches and puttee leggings, and wore a worn-out horsey air as if in protest against the obligation to work in a black man's land In countries where the half-breed and the black overnment employment fehite men take kindly to braid and brass buttons That fellow's contempt for his job was equaled only by the babu station master's scorn of him and his own for the station master Yet both men did their jobs efficiently
”Only an hour for dinner, gents--train starts on tinized--”Guard! Come here at once, I want you!”
We left Brown of Luood imitation of the Battle of Waterloo on the upper berth, and filed out to the dihted platforated iron and under that the yellow laers swar blended with the reek of axle and laures were throwing cord-wood into the tender, and the thu else suggested lethargy
”Guard!” called the voice again ”Co to close our s and lock our coainst railway thieves
”There's a man asleep in there,” I said