Part 58 (1/2)
The Greek gritted his teeth savagely ”She said--that hell-damned Lady Saffren Waldon said, as we sat there in the dhow, 'How about the kicking Fred Oakes gave you on the island, Mr Coutlass? Where is your Greek honor?'--Do you see? She worked on e at the sa hussy! 'That Fred Oakes in this Rebecca away from you very soon!' she went on 'I have watched him”'
Fred srid The presence of the dusky damsel, confirmed by her smell behind him, made him touchy on the subject of sex
”Presently she said to me, 'I have my own affairs that will adjust theet to British East
As for you, they will si those cattle of Brown's Can you i you? He will have you thrown in jail! Why wait? But we must not leave the Goanese or the other porters, and we o,'
she said, 'and send the Goanese and the rest of the porters on board!'
”So I did go I kicked de Sousa awake, and he cursed h where the bullet wounded him I drove hi up the sail Then I went off to get those cursed porters I could not find thee, to find women I don't doubt! I tell you what I would do to them if they were uess what form the punishment would take ”Get on with the tale! You couldn't find the porters What next?”
”I decided to leave the dogs behind, and serve theone! Vanished! Disappeared as if the lake had opened up and sed her! I could just see the sail in the distance I shouted! No answer! I shouted again I heard Rebecca call to hter! Gassharamminy! I will run red-hot skewers into that woeance on Rebecca? Do you see nohy she took sides between me and Kamarajes and de Sousa? Do you see how she has plotted? What will she do now?
What Will she do?”
He began to pace up and down again furiously, shaking both fists at the unresponsive stars
”She will do Rebecca an injury! She will give that girl to de Sousa or to that old Kamarajes! We shall never catch them! Gassharamminy! Oh, Absalo has a trick of some kind up her sleeve yet! How shall we catch her? Why do ait? Give o after them alone! You do not knohat Greek spirit is! I alish when it suits ed!”
”You certainly have been put upon” Fred answered ”Tell us how your Greek spirit justified deserting us”
”Why not?” snarled Coutlass ”Do you love et me to British East in your power? You would hand me over as a cattle thief!”
”You bet I will!” ad, you've ruined me!”
”What did I tell you?” demanded Coutlass ”Why, then, should I not look out for myself?”
”I think we'd better leave you on this island,” Fred told hiht The only way to prevent you fro us all would be to lie awake in turns”
”Bah!” grinned the Greek, striding back toward the fire ”How es have you left? Five, eh? After I had murdered all of you, how many would reument than that,” s in deadly earnest
Coutlass suspected it, too, and grew still The sweat burst out on his face, and his eyes bulged from their sockets
”You will leaveup at him
”You see, you're such on all-in scoundrel!” Brown assured him
”You! You poor drunkard!” Coutlass turned his back on Brown, and faced Fred squarely ”You are a man, Mr Oakes! I can speak to you as to my brother”
Fred smiled blandly
”I will speak to you God's truth!”