John Ames, Native Commissioner Part 14

"Yes. We remained on at Cogill's. It was rather fun. I think there was hardly a corner of the whole neighbourhood we didn't explore."

"--With John Ames."

The tone, slightly bantering, was thoroughly good-natured. Even one more touchy than Nidia Commerell could hardly have taken offence. But nothing was further from her thoughts.

"You know him, then?" And the expressive face lighted up with genuine pleasure.

"Not personally; only by name."

"Then, how did you know--"

"--About the explorations? The Cape Peninsula is a very gossipy place."

"I suppose so. Most places are," said Nidia, tranquilly; "but that sort of thing never troubles me one little bit. Mr Ames lives somewhere up here, doesn't he? I wonder where he is now?"

Cool and at ease they sat there chatting. Had she been a clairvoyante a vision might have been vouchsafed to Nidia--the vision of a man, crouching in a thicket of "wacht-een-bietje" thorns, his face and hands lacerated, his clothes torn--a hunted man, with the look of some recent horror stamped upon his pale, set face; the last degree of desperation, of despair, yet of resolution, s.h.i.+ning from his eyes; his hand grasping a sword-bayonet, already foul with the dried stains of human blood; and flitting through the brake, their dark forms decked with cowhair and other fantastic adornments, glistening in the sun, a band of armed savages bent on the shedding of blood. But not being blessed--or the reverse--with the faculty of clairvoyance, all she did see was the eminently peaceful scene around her--the two men lazily smoking their pipes beneath the shade of the great tree, while the third moved about attending to some of the hundred and one details of his farm business; the figure of her hostess, her head protected by an ample white "kapje,"

coming forth to see that four of her young, disporting themselves in the open in front of the house, were not getting into more mischief than usual, and retiring precipitately within to a.s.suage the yells of the fifth, and haply to attend to some household duty, "Where he is now?"

repeated Moseley. "Why, he can't be far from here. He's Native Commissioner of Sik.u.mbutana. I don't suppose his place can be more than twenty or twenty-two miles off. Eh, Dibs?"

"About that," a.s.sented Tarrant, laconically.

"I should so like to see him again," pursued Nidia.

"Nothing easier, Miss Commerell. Get Hollingworth to send over a boy with a note, or a message to that effect, and I predict Ames will be here like a shot."

"I'm sure he would," a.s.sented Nidia, in such a genuinely and naturally pleased tone as to set Tarrant the cynic, Tarrant the laconic, Tarrant the incipient admirer of herself, staring. "We were great friends down at the Cape, and made no end of expeditions together. Yes; I would like to see him again."

"Phew!" whistled Tarrant to himself, not entirely deceived by her consummate ingenuousness. "Lucky Ames! Well, there's no show for me in that quarter, that's manifest."

"Isn't he that rather good-looking chap who was sitting at our table the day I had lunch with you at Cogill's?" said Moseley.

"Yes. That's the man. We soon got to know him, and saw a great deal of him."

"And thought a great deal of him?"

"Well, yes. I can see that you're trying to tease me, Mr Moseley, but I don't care. I don't know when I've seen a man I liked better."

"'Present company--' of course?"

"No; not even present company. No; but really, I would like to let Mr Ames know I am here. But I don't like to ask Mr Hollingworth. It's a long way to send, and he may not be able to spare a boy."

Thought Tarrant, "She's a puzzler! She's playing on the innocent stop for all the instrument will carry, or--she's genuine. Can't make her out."

But Moseley lifted up his voice and hailed--

"Hollingworth!"

"What is it?" sung out that worthy. "Sun over the yard-arm yet? All right. You know where to find it. No soda, though; you'll have to do with selzogene. If you want 'squareface' you must get the missis to dig it out of the store. There's none out. Maitland and Harvey between them got outside what there was yesterday."

"No, no; that's not what we want, though it'll come in directly,"

laughed Moseley. "Look here, Hollingworth"--the latter had drawn near by this time--"Miss Commerell has found an old friend up here--Ames at Sik.u.mbutana--and she doesn't like to ask you to send a boy over to let him know she's here."

"But, Mr Moseley, I didn't tell you to ask Mr Hollingworth," laughed Nidia.

"Pooh! Why didn't you like to ask me, Miss Commerell? Of course I can send over. Though--if it will be all the same to you, I'd rather send to-morrow," Hollingworth added dubiously.

"Certainly it will. Thanks awfully. Are you sure it won't inconvenience you?" said Nidia, in her most winning way.

"Not to-morrow. To-day, you see, I have two boys away. But I'll start one off the first thing in the morning."

She reiterated her thanks; and Tarrant, keenly observant, said to himself: "No; clearly I've no show. d.a.m.n Ames!"

CHAPTER TWELVE.

THE SPREADING OF THE FLAME.

"Well, good-bye, Moseley. Pity you're in such a hurry; you might just as well have stayed the night. However, since you're determined, you'd better not ride too slow. It'll take you three mortal hours to fetch Jekyll's place."

Thus Hollingworth, soon after the midday dinner. The horses stood ready saddled, the pack-donkeys having been sent on in the forenoon.

"I'll see you in Bulawayo week after next, I suppose. I've got to go in about that disputed 'pegging' case. Beastly nuisance! Besides, I've got to take Miss Commerell back."

Tarrant p.r.i.c.ked up his ears at this. He had not done much to improve the s.h.i.+ning hour with Nidia during that long, cool, lazy morning. He had confined himself to observing her, now and then putting in a word or two, but not often. But he had plans.

And now the farewells became general, all talking at once, as people will on such occasions; for the whole household had turned out to see them off. Suddenly Hollingworth said:--

"You've forgotten your rifle, Tarrant. Never mind; don't get down"--for the other was already mounted. "I'll get it for you. Which corner did you leave it in?"

"Didn't leave it. Mafuta's gone on ahead with it."

"Oh! No chance of him clearing with it, eh?" said Hollingworth.

"No; he's a reliable boy. Had him a long time. He's quite safe."

Thus in that lurid March of '96 did the settlers in Matabeleland rejoice in their security.

"You put that on rather well, old man," said Tarrant, as the two rode along.

"What did I put on?"

"Oh, the surprise part of the business. Now I see why you were so desperately bent on fetching up at Hollingworth's."

"Smart boy, Dibs. See through a brick wall, and all that sort of thing," replied Moseley, good-humouredly. "This time you've seen through too far, though. I had no more notion Miss Commerell was there than you had, or even that she was in the country at all. Nice girl, isn't she?"

"Ye-es. I was studying her rather closely. She's either the most consummate actress or the most out of the ordinary sample of her s.e.x I've encountered for a long, long time, if ever."