verdict of done to death lawful or unlawful； according as evidence may
show when got； my Lord。 So march on； for we no breakfast yet。 No； not
that way； round here to left； where I think I hear kettle sing。〃
So having no choice； Aylward came； marching between the other two and
saying nothing。 When they had gone a couple of hundred yards Alan also
heard something； and to him it sounded like a man crying out in pain。
Then suddenly they passed round some great trees and reached a glade
in the forest where there was a spring of water which Alan remembered。
In this glade the camp had been built； surrounded by a 〃boma〃 or
palisade of rough wood； within which stood two tents and some native
shelters made of tall grass and boughs。 Outside of this camp a curious
and unpleasant scene was in progress。
To a small tree that grew there was tied a man； whom from the fashion
of his hair Alan knew to belong to the Coast negroes； while two great
fellows； evidently of another tribe； flogged him unmercifully with
hide whips。
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed Jeekie； 〃that the kettle I hear sing。 Think you better
taken him off the fire； my Lord； or he boil over。 Also his brothers no
seem to like that music；〃 and he pointed to a number of other men who
were standing round watching the scene with sullen dissatisfaction。
〃A matter of camp discipline；〃 muttered Aylward。 〃This man has
disobeyed orders。〃
By now Jeekie was shouting something to the natives in an unknown
tongue； which they seemed to understand well enough。 At any rate the
flogging ceased； the two fellows who were inflicting it slunk away；
and the other men ran towards them； shouting back as they came。
〃All right； Major。 You please stop here one minute with my Lord； late
Bart。 of Bloody Hand。 Some of these chaps friends of mine； I meet them
Old Calabar while we get ready to march last rains。 Now I have little
talk with them and find out thing or two。〃
Aylward began to bluster about interference with his servants and so
forth。 Jeekie turned on him with a very ugly grin； and showing his
white teeth； as was his fashion when he grew fierce。
〃Beg pardon； Right Honourable Lord；〃 he said； or rather snarled； 〃you
do what I tell you just to please Jeekie。 Jeekie no one in England；
but Jeekie damn big Lord too out here； great medicine man； pal of
Little Bonsa。 You remember Little Bonsa； eh！ These chaps think it
great honour to meet Jeekie； so； Major； if he stir； please shoot him
through head； Jeekie 'sponsible； not you。 Or if you not like do it； I
come back and see to job myself and don't think those fellows cry very
much。〃
There was something about Jeekie's manner that frightened Aylward； who
understood for the first time that beneath all the negro's grotesque
talk lay some dreadful； iron purpose； as courage lay under his
affected cowardice and under his veneer of selfishness； fidelity。 At
any rate he halted with Alan； who stood beside him； the revolver of
which Aylward had been relieved by Jeekie； in his hand。 Meanwhile
Jeekie； who held the rifle which he had reloaded； went on and met the
natives about twenty yards away。
〃We always disliked each other； Vernon； but I must say that I never
thought a day would come when you proposed to murder me in my own
camp；〃 said Aylward。
〃Odd thing；〃 answered Alan； 〃but a very similar idea was in my mind。 I
never thought； Lord Aylward； that however unscrupulous you might be
financiallya day would come when you would attempt to shoot down an
unarmed man in an African forest。 Oh！ don't waste breath in lying； I
saw you recognize me； aim； and fire； after which Jeekie would have had
the other barrel； and who then would have remained to tell the story；
Lord Aylward？〃
Aylward made no answer； but Alan felt that if wishes could kill him he
would not live long。 His eye fell upon a long； unmistakable mound of
fresh earth； beneath a tree。 He calculated its length； and with a
thrill of terror noticed that it was too small for a negro。
〃Who is buried there？〃 he asked。
〃Find out for yourself；〃 was the sneering answer。
〃Don't be afraid； Lord Aylward； I shall find out everything in time。〃
The conversation between Jeekie and the natives proceeded； their heads
were close together； it grew animated。 They seemed to be coming to
some decision。 Presently one of them ran and cut the lashings of the
man who had been bound to the tree； and he staggered towards them and
joined in the talk； pointing to his wounds。 Then the two fellows who
had been engaged in flogging him； accompanied by eight companions of
the same typethey appeared to be soldiers； for they carried guns
swaggered towards the group who were being addressed by Jeekie； of
whom Alan counted twenty…three。 As they approached Jeekie made some
suggestion which； after one hesitating moment； the others seemed to
accept； for they nodded their heads and separated out a little。
Jeekie stepped forward and asked a question of the guards； to which
they replied with a derisive shout。 Then without a word of warning he
lifted Aylward's express rifle which he carried； and fired first one
barrel and then the other； shooting the two leading soldiers dead。
Their companions halted amazed； but before they could lift their guns；
Jeekie and those with him rushed at them and began stabbing them with
spears and striking them with sticks。 In three minutes it was over
without another shot being fired。 Most of them were despatched； and
the others； throwing down their guns； had fled wounded into the
forest。
Now； shouting in jubilation； some of the men began to drag away the
dead bodies； while others collected the rifles and the remainder；
headed by Jeekie； advanced towards Alan and Aylward； waving their red
spears。 Alan stood staring； for he did not in the least understand the
meaning of what had happened； but Aylward； who had turned very pale；
addressed Jeekie； saying：
〃I suppose that you have come to murder me also； you black villain。〃
〃No； no； my Lord；〃 answered Jeekie politely； 〃not at present。 Also
that wrong word； execute； not murder； just what you do to some of
these poor devils；〃 and he pointed to the mob of porters。 〃Besides；
mustn't kill holy white man； poor black chap don't matter； plenty more
where he come from。 Think we all go see Miss Barbara now。 You come
too； my Lord Bart。； but p'raps best tie your hands behind you first；
if you want scratch head； I do it for you。 That only fair； you scratch
mine this morning。〃
Then at a word from Jeekie some of the natives sprang on Aylward and
tied his hands behind his back。
〃Is Miss Barbara alive？〃 said Alan to Jeekie in an agonized whisper；
at the same time nodding towards the grave that was so ominously
short。
〃Hope so； think so； these cards say so； but God He know alone；〃
answered Jeekie。 〃Go and look； that best way to find out。〃
So they advanced into the camp through a narrow gateway made of a
V…shaped piece of wood； to where the two tents were placed in its
inner division。 Of these tents； the first； was open； whereas the
second was closed。 As the open tent was obviously empty； they went to
the second； whereof Jeekie began to loosen the lashings of the flap。
It was a long business； for they seemed to have been carefully knotted
inside； indeed at last； growing impatient； Jeekie cut the cord； using
the curved knife with which the Mungana had tried to kill Alan。
Meanwhile Alan was suffering torments； being convinced that Barbara
was dead and buried in that new…made grave beneath the trees。 He could
not speak； he could scarcely stand； and yet a picture began to form in
his numb mind。 He saw himself seated in the dark in the Treasure…house
at Bonsa…Town； he saw a vision in the air before him。
Lo！ the tent door opened and that vision reappeared。
There was the pale Barbara seated； weeping。 There again； as he entered
she sprang up and snatching the pistol that lay beside her； turned it
to her breast。 Then she perceived him and the pistol sank downwards
till from her relaxed hand it dropped to the ground。 She threw up her
arms and without a sound fell backwards； or would have fallen； had he
not caught her。
CHAPTER XIX
THE LAST OF THE ASIKI
Barbara had recovered。 She sat upon her bed in the tent and by her sat
Alan； holding her hand； while before them stood Aylward like a
prisoner in the dock； and behind him the armed Jeekie。
〃Tell me the story； Barbara；〃 said Alan； 〃and tell it briefly； for I
cannot bear much more of this。〃
She looked at him and began in a slow； even voice：
〃After you had gone； dear； things went on as usual for a month or two。
Then came the great Sahara Company trouble。 First there were rumours
and the shares began to go down。 My uncle bought them in by tens and
hundreds of thousands； to hold up the market； because he was being
threatened； but of course he did not know then that Lord Aylwardfor
I forgot to tell you； he had become a lord somehowwas secretly one
of the principal sellers； let him deny it if he can。 At last the
Ottoman Government； through the English ambassador； published its
repudiation of the concession； which it seems was a forgery； actually
executed or obtained in Constantinople by my uncle。 Well； there was a
fearful smash。 Writs were taken out against my uncle； but before they
could be served； he died suddenly of heart disease。 I was with him at
the time and he kept saying he saw that gold mask which Jeekie calls
Bonsa； the thing you took back to Africa。 He had a fine funeral； for
what he had done was not publicly known； and when his will was opened
I found that he had left me his fortune； but made Lord Aylward there
my trustee until I came to the full age of twenty…five under my
father's will。 Alan； don't force me to tell you what sort of a
guardian he was to me； also there was no fortune； it had all gone；
also I had very； very little left； for almost all my own money had
gone too。 In his despair he had forged papers to get it in order to
support those Sahara Syndicate shares。 Still I managed to borrow about
￡2000 from that little lawyer out of the ￡5000 that remain to me； an
independent sum which he was unable to touch； and； Alan； with it I
came to find you。
〃Alan； Lord Aylwa