The Twelve African Novels (A Collection). Edgar Wallace

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СКАЧАТЬ headman’s hands. Then his eyes wandered along the length of the vessel. Amidships was a solid iron cage, protected from the heat of the sun by a double roof and broad canvas eaves. His eyes rested here for a long time, for the cage was empty and the emissary of the White Goat gone.

      Sanders stood for a few moments in contemplation; then he stepped slowly down the bank and crossed the gangway.

      “Be ears and eyes to me, Abiboo,” he said in Arabic, “find what has become of Ofalikari, also the men who guarded him. Place these under arrest and bring them before me.”

      He walked to his cabin, his head sunk in thought. This was serious, though he reserved his judgment till Abiboo returned with his prisoners.

      They arrived under escort, a little alarmed, a little indignant.

      “Lord, these men have reason,” said Abiboo.

      “Why did you allow the prisoner to go?” asked Sanders.

      “Thus it was, master,” said the senior of the two; “whilst you slept the God-man came — him we saw at daybreak this morning. And he told us to let the prisoner come with him, and because he was a white man we obeyed him.”

      “Only white men who are of the Government may give such orders,” said Sanders; “therefore I adjudge you guilty of folly, and I hold you for trial.”

      There was nothing to be gained by lecturing them. He sent for his headman.

      “Lobolo,” he said, “ten years you have been my headman, and I have been kind to you.”

      “Lord, you have been as a father,” said the old man, and his hand was shaking.

      “Yonder,” said Sanders, pointing with his finger, “lies your land and the village you came from is near enough. Let the storeman pay you your wages and never see me again.”

      “Lord,” stammered the headman, “if the stacking of wood was a fault — ?”

      “Well, you know it is a fault,” said Sanders; “you have eaten my bread and now you have sold me to the White Goats.”

      The old man fell sobbing at his feet.

      “Lord master,” he moaned, “I did this because I was afraid, for a certain man told me that if I did not delay your lordship I should die, and, lord, death is very terrible to the old, because they live with it in their hearts.”

      “Which man was this?” asked Sanders.

      “One called Kema, lord.”

      Sanders turned to his orderly.

      “Find me Kema,” he said, and Abiboo shifted his feet.

      “Lord, he has died the death,” he said simply, “for whilst you slept he came to slay you. And I had some palaver with him.”

      “And?”

      “Lord, I saw him for an evil man and I smote his head from his body with a machette.”

      Sanders was silent. He stood looking at the deck, then he turned to his cabin.

      “Master,” said the waiting headman, “what of me?”

      The Commissioner stretched his finger towards the shore, and with bowed shoulders Lobolo left the ship that had been his home for many years.

      It took the greater part of an hour to trim the vessel.

      “We will make for the mission station,” said Sanders, though he had no doubt in his mind as to what he would find…

      The mission house was still burning when the Zaire rounded the river’s head.

      He found the missionary’s charred body among the smouldering wreckage.

      Of Ofalikari he found no trace.

      There had been a secret society suppressed in Niger-land, and it had been broken by three regiments of native infantry, a battery of mountain guns and some loss of life. The “British victory” and the “splendid success of our arms” had given the people of the islands a great deal of satisfaction, but the Commissioner who let the matter get to the stage of war was a ruined man, for governments do not like spending the millions they have put aside for the creation of a national pension scheme which will bring them votes and kudos at the next election, on dirty little wars which bring nothing but vacancies in the junior ranks of the native army.

      Sanders had a pigeon post from headquarters containing a straightaway telegram from the Administrator.

      “Your message received and forwarded. Ministers wire settle your palaver by any means. For God’s sake keep clear necessity employing army. Sending you one battalion Houssas and field gun. Do the best you can.”

      There was not much margin for wastage. The whole country was now rotten with rebellion. It had all happened in the twinkling of an eye. From being law-abiding and inoffensive, every village had become of a sudden the headquarters of the White Goats. Terrible rites were being performed on the Isisi; the N’Gombi had danced by whole communities the dance of the Goat; the Akasava killed two of Sanders’ spies and had sent their heads to Sanders as proof of their “earnest spirits” — to quote the message literally.

      There was a missionary lady at Kosumkusu. Sanders’ first thought was for her. He steamed direct from the smouldering ruins of Haggin’s hut to find her.

      She was amused at the growth of the secret societies, and thought it all very interesting.

      Sanders did not tell her the aspect of the situation which was not amusing.

      “Really, Mr. Sanders,” she smiled, “I’m quite safe here — this is the second time in three months you have tried to bring me into your fold.”

      “This time you are coming,” said Sanders quietly. “Abiboo has turned my cabin into a most luxurious boudoir.”

      But she fenced with him to the limits of his patience.

      “But what of Mr. Haggin and Father Wells?” she asked. “You aren’t bothering about them.”

      “I’m not bothering about Haggin,” said Sanders, “because he’s dead — I’ve just come from burying him.”

      “Dead!”

      “Murdered,” said Sanders briefly, “and his mission burnt. I’ve sent an escort for the Jesuits. They may or they may not get down. We pick them up tomorrow, with luck.”

      The girl’s face had gone white.

      “I’ll come,” she said, “I’m not afraid — yes, I am. And I’m giving you a lot of worry — forgive me.”

      Sanders said something more or less incoherent, for he was not used to penitent womankind.

      He took her straight away, and the Zaire was hardly out of sight before her chief convert set fire to the mission buildings.

      Sanders СКАЧАТЬ