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Updated: June 23, 2025
"'Ere, sir," cried Joseph, literally throwing Durnovo down on the ground at Oscard's feet, "that man has just shot one o' them poor niggers, so 'elp me God!" Durnovo rose slowly to his feet, as if the shaking had disturbed his faculties. "And the man hadn't done 'im no harm at all. He's got a grudge against him. I've seen that this last week and more.
As he finished somewhat lamely perhaps his rounded periods, he looked very deliberately over Oscard's shoulder towards Durnovo, who was approaching them. Meredith walked a little way down the slope with Oscard. "Good-bye, old chap!" he said when the parting came. "Good luck, and all that. Hope you will find all right at home.
It was midday before the new-comers were espied making their way painfully up the slope, and Joseph's welcome was not so much in Durnovo's handshake, in Guy Oscard's silent approval, as in the row of grinning, good-natured black faces behind Durnovo's back. That night laughter was heard in the men's camp for the first time for many weeks nay, several months.
Women do like these things they seem to understand them and to attach some strange, subtle importance of their own to them. For which power some of us who have not the knack of turning a pretty phrase or throwing off an appropriate pleasantry may well be thankful. Presently she returned, bringing the coffee on a rough tray, also a box of matches and Oscard's tobacco pouch.
The terrible, slow-kindling anger of this Northerner made Durnovo catch his breath. It was so different from the sudden passion of his own countrymen. "Is this true?" he asked. "It's a lie, of course," answered Durnovo, with a shrug of the shoulders. He moved away as if he were going to his tent, but Oscard's arm reached out. His large brown hand fell heavily on the half-breed's shoulder.
"Of course," Durnovo went on, with the details which he knew were music in Oscard's ears, "of course we shall be a clumsy party going up. We shall have heavy loads of provisions, ammunition, and seeds for cultivating the land up there." "Yes," replied Guy Oscard absently.
Millicent was wearing one of them, and she now became aware that Sir John had glanced more than once with a certain significance towards her left hand, which happened to be in that pocket. It, moreover, happened that Guy Oscard's letter was in the same receptacle. She withdrew the hand and changed colour slightly as she became conscious that the corner of the envelope was protruding.
He stretched out his legs and wagged his head sapiently. "And no mistake!" he said. "They timed it almost to the minute. We had sort of beaten them back for the time bein'. Mr. Meredith had woke up sudden, as I told you, and came into the thick of the melee, as we say in the service. Then we heard the firin' in the distance and the 'splat' of Mr. Oscard's Express rifle.
Finishing off the port had also meant beginning it, and the worthy butler's mind was not particularly clear. "Was there any mention of Mr. Oscard's partner, Mr. eh Meredith?" asked Millicent, glancing at the clock. "Yes, miss, there was that name, but I don't rightly remember in what connection."
Joseph had been promoted to the command of a certain number of the porters, and his domestic duties were laid aside. Thus Marie was called upon to attend to Guy Oscard's daily wants. "I think I'll take coffee," he was saying to her in reply to a question. "Yes coffee, please, Marie." He was smoking one of his big wooden pipes, staring straight in front of him with a placidity natural to his bulk.
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