the yellow god-第51节

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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。　We