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Updated: June 11, 2025
Durnovo glanced hastily round the room in order to make sure that they were not overheard. "Suppose," he said, in a low, hissing voice, "that I possess knowledge that I have only to mention to one or two people to make this place too hot for Maurice Gordon. If he escaped the fury of the natives, it would be difficult to know where he could go to. England would be too hot for him.
The victim of Joseph's violence was off his feet, but still struggling and kicking. Guy Oscard saw the flash of a second shot, apparently within a few inches of Joseph's face; but he came on, dragging the man with him, whom from his clothing Oscard saw to be Durnovo. Joseph was spitting out wadding and burnt powder. "Shoot ME, would yer yer damned skulking chocolate-bird? I'll teach you!
Oscard came forward and shook hands. His manner was not exactly effusive. The truth was that their acquaintanceship in Africa had been of the slightest, dating from some trivial services which Durnovo had been able and very eager to render to the sportsman. "I'm all right, thanks," replied Durnovo. "I only landed at Liverpool yesterday. I'm home on business. I'm buying rifles and stores."
He passed his brown hand nervously over his face, where the perspiration stood in beads. "Yes," said Oscard slowly; "but I think we will go on all the same." "What!" cried Durnovo. "Go on?" "Yes," replied Guy Oscard; "we will go on, and if I find you trying to desert I'll shoot you down like a rat." He made no sign; the fires of Hell were round him, The Pit of Hell below.
Jack Meredith passed out of the verandah with him, murmuring something about giving him a leg up. While they were walking round the house, Victor Durnovo made one of those hideous mistakes which one remembers all through life with a sudden rush of warm shame and self-contempt.
"I wonder how you knew? I am afraid of him." "I can reassure you on that score," said Meredith. "For the next two years or so Durnovo will be in daily intercourse with me. He will be under my immediate eye. I did not anticipate much pleasure from his society. But now I do." "Why?" she asked, rather mystified.
"Let us hope that it is Meredith," said Durnovo with a forced laugh, "but I doubt it." Oscard looked down in his sallow, powerful face. He was not quick at such things, but at that moment he felt strangely certain that Victor Durnovo was hoping that Meredith was dead.
The last-named was evidently the leader of the little expedition, while the manner and attitude of the man in the bows suggested the servitude of a disciplined soldier slightly relaxed by abnormal circumstances. "Who fired that shot?" inquired Durnovo, when there was no longer any necessity to shout. "Joseph," replied the man in the stern of the boat, indicating his companion.
There was a pause of considerable duration, at the end of which Durnovo produced a paper from his pocket and threw it down. "That's good business," he said. "Two thousand tusks," murmured Maurice Gordon. "Yes, that's good. Through Akmed, I suppose?" "Yes. We can outdo these Arabs at their own trade." An evil smile lighted up Durnovo's sallow face.
They had been brought from the north by a victorious chief, who in turn had handed them over to Victor Durnovo in payment of an outstanding debt for ammunition supplied. The great African moon rose into the heavens and shone her yellow light upon this group of men. Overhead all was peace: on earth there was no peace. And yet it was one of Heaven's laws that Victor Durnovo had broken.
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