United States or Liechtenstein ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Don't you swallow all that, Stanninghame," cut in Holmes. "He fought, standing over me fought like any devil, the Ba-gcatya say, although he makes out now it was all playful fun." "Well, for the matter of that, we had to fight," rejoined Hazon tranquilly. "Where have you been all this time, Stanninghame?" "Here, at Imvungayo. And you two?" "Shot if I know.
Three of the quartette we have already made the acquaintance of. The fourth, Mrs. Falkner, a good-looking middle-aged lady, was the aunt of the other three, and with her they were staying. "I've heard of you, Mr. Stanninghame," said this one, when introductions had been effected. "I hope you have made a success of Johannesburg so far. Everybody turns up here.
They were mere animals. Men dealt in sheep and cattle, in order to live, in horses and other beasts of burden, why not in these, who were even lower than the higher animals? This theory of their sinister occupation Hazon thoroughly indorsed. "Depend upon it, Stanninghame," he said, "ours is the right view to take of it the only view.
"What a lazy Johnnie you are, Stanninghame! Now, what the deuce are you thinking about all this time, I wonder?" He addressed, who had been gazing out upon the sea and sky-line, plunged in dreamy thought, did not even turn his head. "Get into this chair, Holmes, if you want to talk," he said. "A fellow can't wring his own neck and emit articulate sound at the same time. What?"
Yet not altogether does Laurence Stanninghame feel relieved, for a sudden thought surges through his brain which causes a shade of paleness to sweep over his firm, bronzed countenance. What if this were but a scheme to get him into their power? What if he were not suffered to die fighting, to fall into their hands alive? Why, then, his fate was certain certain and inexpressibly horrible.
"By the Lord, Stanninghame, I used to think you a deuced snarling, cynical beggar at first, but now, 'pon my soul, I believe you're right." "Do you? Well, then, you don't want to go away up-country and get bowled out with fever or struck by a nigger, and all that sort of thing, because one girl don't care a cent for you." "Perhaps not. Still, I hate this place now. I'm sick of it.
And, having seen to all being in complete readiness, as Laurence Stanninghame sat there at his post in the torrid heat, smoking the pipe of meditation, did no thought of the home, such as it was, but which he would probably never see again, not rise up before him?
"All the same, I believe you have been out here before," went on Holmes, staring at him with a new interest. "Only you're such a mysterious chap that you won't let on." "Have it so, if you will. Only, aren't you rather drawing a red herring across the trail, Holmes? We were talking about Miss Ormskirk." "Um yes, so we were. But, have you talked to her at all, Stanninghame?
He stood gloomy and grim, while the two were talking together, and then rather brusquely and to the disgust of Holmes, who was discoursing eagerly with pretty Mabel Falkner he reminded his aunt that they were due to call at So-and-So's, and were far behind their time. "Ah, yes, I was forgetting. Well, good-bye, Mr. Stanninghame. I hope you will come and see us.
The flood-gate of an awful torrent of pent-up, bravely controlled grief may be opened in the utterance of that word "good-bye." Laurence Stanninghame seemed to walk blindly, staggering in the strong sunlight. Was it the midday heat, or the strong glare?
Word Of The Day