the yellow god-第57章

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cannot　have　meant　to　murder　me。〃

〃Don't　know　what　he　mean；　but　know　his　bullet　go　through　my　hair；
Major；　and　give　me　new　parting；〃　grumbled　Jeekie　as　he　obeyed。

〃Of　course　it　was　a　mistake；　Vernon；　for　I　suppose　it　is　Vernon；〃　said
Aylward；　as　he　rose。　〃I　do　not　wonder　that　your　servant　is　angry；　but
the　truth　is　that　your　sudden　appearance　frightened　me　out　of　my　wits
and　I　fired　automatically。　We　have　been　living　in　some　danger　here　and
my　nerves　are　not　as　strong　as　they　used　to　be。〃

〃Indeed；〃　answered　Alan。　〃No；　Jeekie　will　carry　the　rifle　for　you；
yes；　and　I　think　that　pistol　also；　every　ounce　makes　a　difference
walking　in　a　hot　climate；　and　I　remember　that　you　always　were
dangerous　with　firearms。　There；　you　will　be　more　comfortable　so。　And
now；　who　do　you　mean　by　'we'？〃

〃I　mean　Barbara　and　myself；〃　he　answered　slowly。

Alan's　jaw　dropped；　he　shook　upon　his　feet。

〃Barbara　and　yourself！〃　he　said。　〃Do　I　understand〃

〃Don't　you　understand　nothing；　Major；〃　broke　in　Jeekie。　〃Don't　you
believe　one　word　what　this　pig　dog　say。　If　Miss　Barbara　marry　him　he
no　want　shoot　you；　he　ask　you　to　tea　to　see　the　Missus　and　how　much
she　love　him；　ducky！　We　just　go　on　and　call　on　Miss　Barbara　and　hear
the　news。　Walk　up；　Sir　Robert　Aylward；　Bart。；　and　show　us　which　way。〃

〃I　do　not　choose　to　receive　you　and　your　impertinent　servant　at　my
camp；〃　said　Aylward；　grinding　his　teeth。

〃We　quite　understand　that；　Sir　Robert　Aylward〃

〃Lord　Aylward；　if　you　please；　Major　Vernon。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardonLord　Aylward。　I　was　aware　of　the　contemplated
purchase　of　that　title；　I　did　not　know　that　it　had　been　completed。　I
was　about　to　add　that　all　the　same　we　mean　to　go　to　that　camp；　and
that　if　any　violence　towards　us　is　attempted　as　we　approach　it；　you
will　remember　that　you　are　in　our　hands。〃

〃Yes；　my　Lord；〃　added　Jeekie；　bowing；　〃and　that　monkeys　don't　tell　no
tales；　my　Lord；　and　that　here　there　ain't　no　twelve　Good…Trues　to　sit
on　noble　corpse　unhappily　deceased；　my　Lord；　and　to　bring　in　Crowner's
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；