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khaki clad Englishman had aroused in Korak memories long
dormant.
Once he had dreamed of returning to the world of such as
these; but with the death of Meriem hope and ambition seemed
to have deserted him. He cared now only to pass the remainder
of his life in solitude, as far from man as possible. With a
sigh he turned slowly back into the jungle.
Tantor, nervous by nature, had been far from reassured by
close proximity to the three strange whites, and with the report
of Hanson's rifle had turned and ambled away at his long,
swinging shuffle. He was nowhere in sight when Korak returned
to look for him. The ape-man, however, was little concerned by
the absence of his friend. Tantor had a habit of wandering
off unexpectedly. For a month they might not see one another,
for Korak seldom took the trouble to follow the great pachyderm,
nor did he upon this occasion. Instead he found a comfortable
perch in a large tree and was soon asleep.
At the bungalow Bwana had met the returning adventurers on
the verandah. In a moment of wakefulness he had heard the
report of Hanson's rifle far out across the plain, and wondered
what it might mean. Presently it had occurred to him that the
man whom he considered in the light of a guest might have met
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with an accident on his way back to camp, so he had arisen and
gone to his foreman's quarters where he had learned that Hanson
had been there earlier in the evening but had departed several
hours before. Returning from the foreman's quarters Bwana had
noticed that the corral gate was open and further investigation
revealed the fact that Meriem's pony was gone and also the one
most often used by Baynes. Instantly Bwana assumed that the
shot had been fired by Hon. Morison, and had again aroused
his foreman and was making preparations to set forth in
investigation when he had seen the party approaching across
the plain.
Explanation on the part of the Englishman met a rather chilly
reception from his host. Meriem was silent. She saw that Bwana
was angry with her. It was the first time and she was heart broken.
"Go to your room, Meriem," he said; "and Baynes, if you will step
into my study, I'd like to have a word with you in a moment."
He stepped toward Hanson as the others turned to obey him.
There was something about Bwana even in his gentlest moods
that commanded instant obedience.
"How did you happen to be with them, Hanson?" he asked.
"I'd been sitting in the garden," replied the trader, "after
leaving Jervis' quarters. I have a habit of doing that as your
lady probably knows. Tonight I fell asleep behind a bush, and was
awakened by them two spooning. I couldn't hear what they said,
but presently Baynes brings two ponies and they ride off. I didn't
like to interfere for it wasn't any of my business, but I knew
they hadn't ought to be ridin' about that time of night, leastways
not the girl--it wasn't right and it wasn't safe. So I follows them
and it's just as well I did. Baynes was gettin' away from the lion
as fast as he could, leavin' the girl to take care of herself, when
I got a lucky shot into the beast's shoulder that fixed him."
Hanson paused. Both men were silent for a time. Presently the
trader coughed in an embarrassed manner as though there was
something on his mind he felt in duty bound to say, but hated to.
"What is it, Hanson?" asked Bwana. "You were about to
say something weren't you?"
"Well, you see it's like this," ventured Hanson. "Bein'
around here evenings a good deal I've seen them two together a
lot, and, beggin' your pardon, sir, but I don't think Mr. Baynes
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means the girl any good. I've overheard enough to make me
think he's tryin' to get her to run off with him." Hanson, to fit
his own ends, hit nearer the truth than he knew. He was afraid
that Baynes would interfere with his own plans, and he had hit
upon a scheme to both utilize the young Englishman and get rid
of him at the same time.
"And I thought," continued the trader, "that inasmuch as
I'm about due to move you might like to suggest to Mr. Baynes
that he go with me. I'd be willin' to take him north to the
caravan trails as a favor to you, sir."
Bwana stood in deep thought for a moment. Presently he
looked up.
"Of course, Hanson, Mr. Baynes is my guest," he said, a grim
twinkle in his eye. "Really I cannot accuse him of planning
to run away with Meriem on the evidence that we have, and as
he is my guest I should hate to be so discourteous as to ask him
to leave; but, if I recall his words correctly, it seems to me
that he has spoken of returning home, and I am sure that nothing
would delight him more than going north with you--you say you
start tomorrow? I think Mr. Baynes will accompany you. Drop over
in the morning, if you please, and now good night, and thank you
for keeping a watchful eye on Meriem."
Hanson hid a grin as he turned and sought his saddle. Bwana stepped
from the verandah to his study, where he found the Hon. Morison
pacing back and forth, evidently very ill at ease.
"Baynes," said Bwana, coming directly to the point, "Hanson is
leaving for the north tomorrow. He has taken a great fancy
to you, and just asked me to say to you that he'd be glad to have
you accompany him. Good night, Baynes."
At Bwana's suggestion Meriem kept to her room the following
morning until after the Hon. Morison Baynes had departed.
Hanson had come for him early--in fact he had remained all
night with the foreman, Jervis, that they might get an early start.
The farewell exchanges between the Hon. Morison and his
host were of the most formal type, and when at last the guest
rode away Bwana breathed a sigh of relief. It had been an
unpleasant duty and he was glad that it was over; but he did not
regret his action. He had not been blind to Baynes' infatuation
for Meriem, and knowing the young man's pride in caste he had
never for a moment believed that his guest would offer his name
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to this nameless Arab girl, for, extremely light in color though
she was for a full blood Arab, Bwana believed her to be such.
He did not mention the subject again to Meriem, and in this
he made a mistake, for the young girl, while realizing the debt
of gratitude she owed Bwana and My Dear, was both proud and
sensitive, so that Bwana's action in sending Baynes away and
giving her no opportunity to explain or defend hurt and
mortified her. Also it did much toward making a martyr of
Baynes in her eyes and arousing in her breast a keen feeling
of loyalty toward him.
What she had half-mistaken for love before, she now wholly
mistook for love. Bwana and My Dear might have told her much
of the social barriers that they only too well knew Baynes must
feel existed between Meriem and himself, but they hesitated to
wound her. It would have been better had they inflicted this
lesser sorrow, and saved the child the misery that was to follow
because of her ignorance.
As Hanson and Baynes rode toward the former's camp the
Englishman
maintained a morose silence. The other was attempting to
formulate an opening that would lead naturally to the proposition
he had in mind. He rode a neck behind his companion, grinning as
he noted the sullen scowl upon the other's patrician face. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]