United States or Paraguay ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Trent knew that, although broadly speaking he was innocent of any desire to harm or desert Monty, no power on earth would ever convince Francis of that. Appearances were, and always must be, overwhelmingly against him. Without interference from any one he had already formulated plans for quietly putting Monty in his rightful position, and making over to him his share in the Bekwando Syndicate.
Trent and the boy took it by turns to watch, their revolvers loaded by their side, and their eyes ever turned towards that dark line of forest whence came nothing but the singing of night birds and the calling of wild animals. Yet Trent would have no caution relaxed, the more they progressed, the more vigilant the watch they kept. At last came signs of the men of Bekwando.
"I am ready," he said simply. "Let us start at once." Da Souza planted himself in front of them. "You defy me!" he said. "You will not trust him with me or take my advice. Very well, my friend! Now listen! You want to ruin me! Well, if I go, the Bekwando Company shall go too, you understand! Ruin for me shall mean ruin for Mr. Scarlett Trent ah, ruin and disgrace.
It was those fetish fellows who worked the mischief and he certainly warned us all he could. He took us safely to Bekwando and he worked the oracle with the King!" "Yes, and afterwards sneaked off with Francis," Trent broke in bitterly, "and took every bearer with him after we'd paid them for the return journey too. Sent us out here to be trapped and butchered like rats.
"Great Heavens!" he exclaimed, "why, you are Scarlett Trent, the man whom I met with poor Villiers in Bekwando years ago." Trent nodded. "We waited for you," he said, "to witness our concession. I thought that you would remember." "I thought," Francis said slowly, "that there was something familiar about you.... I remember it all now.
A Company like the Bekwando Company is very much like a woman's reputation, drop a hint or two, start just a bit of talk, and I tell you the flames'll soon do the work." Trent turned his back upon him. "Monty," he said, "you aren't afraid to come with me?" Monty looked at him, perplexed and troubled. "You've nothing to be afraid of," Trent continued. "As to the money at Mr.
So they went on till the foremost gang came close to the forests, beyond which lay the village of Bekwando. Then began the period of the greatest anxiety, for Trent and the boy and a handful of the others knew what would have sent half of the natives flying from their work if a whisper had got abroad.
Inquiries as to his right of title had poured in upon him, and to all of them he had returned the most absolute and final assurances. Yet he knew when closing-time came, that he had exhausted every farthing he possessed in the world it seemed hopeless to imagine that he could survive another day. But with the morning came a booming cable from Bekwando.
"You would not have me come into the City this morning. D n it, you don't mean that you " "I'm bust!" Trent said roughly. "Is that plain enough? I've been bulling on West Australians, and they boomed and this afternoon the Government decided not to back us at Bekwando, and the mines are to be shut down. Tell you all about it if you like." No one wanted to hear all about it.
A mutual antipathy seemed to have been born between them from the first moment when they had met in the village of Bekwando. As though it were yesterday, he remembered that leave-taking and Francis's threatening words. Trent had always felt that the man was his enemy certainly the power to do him incalculable harm, if not to altogether ruin him, was his now. And he would not hesitate about it.
Word Of The Day