Part 49 (1/2)
”I iine that German colonial life is far worse than death,” said I
”German will be the only rule in Africa,” he answered ”You fools of English have set your hopes on the Christian missionary No weaker-backed camel could exist! The German Michael is wiser! Islam is the key to the native mind--Islam and the lash--they understand that! In a few years there will be nothing in Africa that is not German from core to epidermis! As to whether you shall live to see that day or not depends on yourself,quite sure that he had a plan in , I did not waste effort or words on pro him, but sat still My silence and apparent lack of curiosity disturbed hi your bully likes better than to force his victim into a war of words
”I will be short and blunt with you!” he began again ”I know your history! You were in Portuguese Africa with Lord Montdidier There he came in possession of the secret of Tippoo Tib's ivory; how, I do not yet know, but you shall tell me that presently! You and your friends came with him to Zanzibar, where you made certain inquiries--sufficient to set the Sultan of Zanzibar by the ears You left Zanzibar for Mombasa, and for some reason that you shall also tell me presently, Lord Montdidier did not leave the shi+p at Moe toward London Certain individuals decided that it would be better not to perents charged with the duty of attending to that It was considered safest to throw him overboard into the Mediterranean; men were ordered by cable to board the shi+p at Suez Yet when the shi+p reached Suez nobody knew anything about hilared with eyes accusto on physical weakness so to underiveit
I lowered th of ainst his The news that Monty had not reached Suez as a matter of fact made me feel physically sick If it were true, it meant most likely that he had been the victim of foul play, for that stea the Suez Canal As for the people on the shi+p knowing nothing about hiers That sort of news is easily kept under cover for a while Schillingschen grew angry at ed his tactics
”Where did he leave the shi+p?” he shouted--suddenly--savagely
I did not answer He carave, and laid a heavy clenched fist on h like lead in the weak condition I was in
”You shall tell rave shall reseination a bed of roses!”
He seized rasp like iron, and squeezed it I rose suddenly and struck hith had returned nation at the touch of his fingers At any rate he staggered clear of ht he would assaultweapons concealed sory bull he cal for a !”' he said ”Never mind! You shall see reason presently! It is well understood that you and your friends knohere Tippoo Tib's ivory is hidden You iine you can keep the secret If you keep it, you shall neverfriend! If you choose to tell, you shall be suitably rewarded! Co to look for it down in these parts I admit you fooled me You simply made a false move to draw attention off from Lord Montdidier Tell me where he is and what he does--and--or--”
”And what? Or what?” I demanded, as insolently as I kne I saw no sense in answering hiun to feel weak again, but he offered gle along beside him We took to the main road and e reached the DOAG he called for a ha carried in that as sheer luxury after the walk inlike a tripper on vacation I saw Fred and Will cli down from their observation post on top of the Bismarck eant, and every askari we passed saluted us with about twice as much respect as I had ever seen theschen returned salutes much less carefully than he, er Apparently the military feared him, for e passed the co of two natives in thehischen should see his act of hoan to I wonder whether there was a rift in the lute of Muanza's official good relations Surely I hoped so Anything calculated to set the Gerift of heaven!
Schillingschen, striding beside the ha the shore-front under palm-trees, planted in stately roith h to one side to avoid the charge of being seen walking with me, but from time to tie
”What I shall show you is by way of warning!” was a remark he repeated two or three ti him Some white men need sterner measures!”
We left the commandant's house on the hill far behind and followed the curve of the lake shore, toward a rocky proan to get its work in, until the thought came that what he ed to suain my nerve and once more almost enjoy the promenade
He halted the hammock bearers at a spot about three hundred yards away fro there, turned inland with a hand on ive me support and direction We followed a path that was fairly well h, and several tis still refused any sort of strenuous duty
”The staff surgeon at this station is arock and passed down a narrow glade in the jungle
”He is original He is not like some of our official fools He studies”
I refused to seem curious, and walked beside hi sickness If he can find the key to the solution of that scourge it willsickness is always at its worst beside the lake, and putting two and two together like a sensible ated in soed into a clearing in which a pooland nearly as many as forranite The pool was fed by a trickle of water from a jumble of rocks at one end At the other end the bottoradually, so that a ra out of shalloater A stone wall had been built about three feet high to enclose that end of the pond, and all the way along both sides the granite had been broken and chipped until the edges were sheer and unclirew sick On the ramp, half in the water and half out lay about a hundred crocodiles basking in the sun, their yellow eyes all open They were aware of us, for they began to
”You see that post?” asked Schillingschen
The stuht out of a crack in the rock, and a few yards above water level The crocodiles all lay nose toward it, so, some smaller, and some very small indeed, all interested to distraction in the dead tree-trunk
”That is where he feeds the, s animal to that post be has been able to convince hi until five in the afternoon their senses are limited Only occasionally do they coriest in the early e ape tied to the post at , and that is about the usual thing, although not the rule Now my proposal is--”