Part 51 (2/2)
”But how can you prove all this?” Fred asked her
”How? I know the nah British East! I know all Schillingschen's secrets! Why should I not? I have suffered enough! He is a drunken brute nearly always after the sun goes down, and his caresses are disgusting; I have endured them until I know all he knows! Now he realizes that I know his secrets and have none of my own to tell, so he hopes to send overnment I have betrayed tooto be better than I am? I am a spy--a traitress--a divorced woman orse than no reputation! I am not a person likely to be shown much mercy! I never would have recanted unless the end of my rope had come! Now I know I must buy my pardon--I must earn it--I must pay for it with solid value! Luckily I can do that! I do not ask you men for mercy I knohat is in store for you if you do not escape! I offer to help you to escape, in exchange for helping ested Fred ”Exactly what is in store for us?”
She pointed her finger at schen! Well and good; he ith you But you, and you--”
She pointed at Fred and Will ”--ithout permission Why do you suppose they over-looked such a splendid chance of jailing you legally?
Schillingschen ca passion, de the immediate arrest and close confinement of all three of you He was only persuaded to wait a few days longer because a runner has come in ord that the bodies of several Masai whom you shot on this side of the Ger the bones--and cartridge cases that will fit your rifles are being brought to Muanza! After that--the deluge, ets drunk and sings hi still at liberty! Either escape before that evidence reaches Muanza, orlate--answer lanced once at each of us We both nodded
”We agree with reservations,” he said
”What are they? Man--don't be a fool! Don't fritter the lives of all of us away!”
”They're simple We've a friend in the jail here His name's Brown”
”That drunkard? Leave hi His naer? You'd risk another day in this place for a nigger? How absurd! They're never grateful They don't see things from the white man's standpoint They don't expect ideal treates and tell him to follohen they let hi of porters,” Fred continued ”We will not leave Muanza without the porters, our man Kazimoto, and Mr Brown of Lumbwa!”
”You are mad! You are crazy!”
”We are the men you have invited to trust you,” Fred answered kindly
”Those are our conditions We will not 'bate one iota! Take 'em or leave 'em, Lady Waldon!”
CHAPTER TEN
IN HOC SIGNO VADE
Lean, loveless, hungry lanes are these!
The longest has an end
Ill luck tasted to the bitter lees Soonest shall mend
From out the foe's ranks if Heaven please Shall coht, although we knew there was no alternative She held out, in the vain hope of ree to leave Kaziht coh it was at least doubtful that we should be able to slip out of Muanza by land The Ger, to supplying the the bill to us by an askari, aited for the cash At any rate, she conceded the porters, provided ould leave the two others behind And of course ere adamant