United States or Saudi Arabia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
You'll pull out in a day or so." But the Leopard Woman pulled out in a second or so after Kingozi's departure. As soon as he was safe away, she threw back the covers and swung to the edge of the cot. At her call Chake, the Nubian, appeared. To him she immediately began to give emphatic directions, repeating some of them over and over vehemently.
They really ought to fire a few rounds after a week of aiming and snapping. Then they'll be of some use. Not much, though." "I really don't know," she answered his question. "Chake will look and see." "Send him over to report when he finds out," requested Kingozi, preparing to return. "What move does your wisdom contemplate to-day?" she called after him.
"You shall not do this! Chake is not to blame! It is I I, who speak. I did this. I ordered him to kill you. I alone should be punished!" He drew a deep breath. "I thought so," he said softly; then in Swahili: "These are my orders. Let this man be well guarded. Let him be treated well, and given potio and meat. He shall be punished later.
"What!" exclaimed Kingozi sharply. "Why did you not start men for them when you first awakened?" She smiled at him ruefully. "I tried. But they said they were very tired from yesterday. They would not go." "Simba!" called Kingozi. "Suh!" "Bring the headman of Bibi-ya-chui. Is he that mop-headed blighter?" he asked her. "Who? Oh, the Nubian, Chake. No; he is just a faithful creature near myself.
"Why did you wish to kill me?" he repeated. But again he sensed the fact that Chake had taken refuge in the dull stupidity that is an acknowledgment of defeat. He knew that he would get no more replies. After waiting a few moments he went on. His voice had become weighty with authority and measured with doom. "You will not tell. Let it be so. And now listen; and you other safari men listen also.
Some one cried out, figures ran to and fro, commands were given, brands were snatched from dying fires, torches were lit. Elsewhere, all about camp, sleepers were sitting up, were asking one another what was the matter. The askaris in Chake's tent grumbled, and turned over, and asked what it was all about. Chake shook his mop of hair, staring into the fire.
As each man was named, he was required to step forward to undergo Kingozi's scrutiny. Most were uneasy, many were excited. Kingozi passed them rapidly in review. But when Chake came forward, he paused in the machine-like regularity of his inspection. "Hullo, my bold buccaneer," said he in English, "what ails you?" The Leopard Woman had drawn near. Kingozi glanced at her over his shoulder.
However, before I could come to any conclusion in the matter, revolving, as I did, more things than I have yet spoken of in my busy brain, which seemed `all wool-gathered' this morning, as father would have said had he been there and seen me star-gazing all round the compass, the boy- bugler on the bridge, who "had a purty foine chake of his own," as Mick observed to me on noticing his puffed-out mouth, blew a resonant blast.
Kingozi's witnesses would have been called solely for the purpose of furnishing information to himself. He needed only one piece of information here, and that only one witness could furnish him the man before him. "Why did you kill Mavrouki?" he demanded. "I did not kill Mavrouki, bwana." "That is a lie," rejoined Kingozi calmly. Chake became voluble.
Chake Schmidt iss a boliceman, Harry Sullivan iss in te vater-vorks department, ant a few oders. Mostly dey are scattered; some are teadt many are teadt," he added, on second thought. "Well, good-luck," and Haney reached down to shake hands again, and the machine began to whiz. "Tell all the boys 'How."
Word Of The Day