按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
heavy and slow； and I bent over him in alarm。 As I did so； I heard him sigh
faintly； 〃Lucy！〃 and at that moment the native boy softly placed something
upon the bed。 I took it up。 It was the ring the sick man had thrown away in
the night； and as I looked at it I saw 〃James； from Lucy〃 engraved on its
inside surface； and I knew that the dead woman was his wife。
As the first faint streaks of dawn stole into the room； the slow…drawn
breathing of the dying man ceased。 I listenedit came againonce twice…
…and then all was silence。 He was dead； and I realised in the sudden
49
… Page 50…
STORIES
stillness that had come upon the room that I was alone。 Yet he had passed
away so quietly after his fitful fever that I could not bring myself to
believe that he was really gone； and I stood looking at the body； fearing to
convince myself of the truth by touching it。
So entranced was I by that feeling of awe which comes to almost every
one in the presence of death； that I did not hear the shouting of the
hammock…boy outside； or the footsteps of a white man coming into the
room； and not until he touched me on the shoulder did I turn and recognise
the sallow face of the Portuguese doctor whom I had sent for； and who had
thus arrived too late。 However； he served to help me to bury the mortal
part of Jackson in the little graveyard beside the body of his wife and that
of the man who had come between them when alive。 And such was
without doubt the fact； for when the doctor had gone； and I was alone
again； I collected and made an inventory of the dead men's effects； and in
Jackson's desk I found his diary； or； as he himself would have called it； his
log； and in that log was noted； on the very day that Bransome had arrived
on the Point； his suspicion of the man； and later on his conviction that
Bransome was indeed he who had injured him。
Sooka was never found； but when the mail…steamer returned from the
south coast； I discovered that the younger patrao had made his crew row
away suddenly from the steamer's side； while Mr。 Bransome had been
engaged below； and was out of sight。 So it was evident that the pair had
been in league together to insure Sooka his revenge。 What share Jackson
had had in the murder of his enemy I did not care to think of； but feared
the worst。
For myself； I had to remain on the Point for many months； until the
factory was finally closedfor no purchaser was ever found for it； and
doubtless； by this time； the buildings are in ruins； and long grass hides the
graves of those who sleep upon King Bemba's Point。
50
… Page 51…
STORIES
GHAMBA
BY WILLIAM CHARLES SCULLY
The darksome cave they enter； where they find That cursed man； low
sitting on the ground； Musing full sadly in his sullen mind。 /The Faerie
Queene。
When Corporal Francis Dollond and Trooper James Franks； of the
Natal Mounted Police； overstayed their ten days' leave of absence from the
camp on the Upper Tugela； in the early part of 1883； everybody was much
surprised； they being two of the best conducted and most methodical men
in the force。 But the weeks and then the months went by without anything
whatever being heard of them； so they were officially recorded as
deserters。 Nevertheless none of their comrades really believed that these
men had deserted； each one felt there was something mysterious about the
circumstances of their disappearance。 They had applied for leave for the
alleged purpose of visiting Pietermaritzburg。 They started on foot； stating
their intention of walking to Estcourt； hiring horses from natives there； and
proceeding on horseback。 They had evidently never reached Estcourt； as
nothing could be heard of them at that village。 They were both young
men colonists by birth。 Dollond had an especially youthful appearance。
Franks was older。 He had joined the force later in life。 He and Dollond；
who had only very recently before his disappearance been promoted； were
chums。
Some months later in the same year； when Troopers George Langley
and Hiram Whitson also applied for ten days' leave of absence；likewise
to proceed to Pietermaritzburg；the leave was granted； but the officer in
charge of the detachment laughingly remarked that he hoped they were not
going to follow Dollond and Franks。
Now； neither Langley nor Whitson had the remotest idea of visiting
Pietermaritzburg。 It is necessary； of course； for the reader to know where
they did intend going to； and how the intention arose； but before doing this
we must deal with some antecedent circumstances。
Langley was most certainly the most boyish…looking man in the force。
He had a perfectly smooth face； ruddy complexion； and fair hair。 He was
51
… Page 52…
STORIES
of middle height； and was rather inclined to stoutness。 He was so fond of
talking that his comrades nicknamed him 〃Magpie。〃 A colonist by birth； he
could speak the Kaffir language like a native。
Whitson was a sallow…faced； spare…built man of short stature； with
dark…brown beard and hair； and piercing black eyes。 His age was about
forty。 He had a wiry and terrier…like appearance。 A 〃down…East〃 Yankee；
he had spent some years in Mexico； and then drifted to South Africa
during the war period； which； it will be remembered； lasted from 1877 to
1882。 He had served in the Zulu war as a non…commissioned officer in one
of the irregular cavalry corps； with some credit。 The fact of his being a
man of extremely few words was enough to account for the friendship
which existed between him and the garrulous Langley。 Whitson was
known to be a dead shot with the revolver。
This is how they came to apply for leave： One day Langley was
strolling about just outside the lines； looking for somebody to talk to；
when he noticed an apparently very old native man sitting on an ant…heap
and regarding him somewhat intently。 This old native had been several
times seen in the vicinity of the camp； but he never seemed to speak to any
one； and he looked so harmless that the police did not even trouble to ask
him for the written pass which all natives are obliged by law to carry when
they move about the country。 The old man saluted Langley and asked in
his own language for a pipeful of tobacco。 Langley always carried some
loose leaves broken up in his pocket； so he at once pulled some of these
out and half filled the claw…like hand outstretched to receive them。 The old
native was voluble in his thanks。 There was a large ant…heap close to the
one on which he had been sitting； and on which he reseated himself while
filling his pipe。 Against this Langley leaned and took a good look at his
companion。 The man had a most extraordinary face。 His lower jaw and
cheek…bones were largely developed； but Langley hardly noticed this； so
struck was he with the strange formation of the upper jaw。 That portion of
the superior maxillary bone which lies between the sockets of the eye…
teeth protruded； with the sockets； to a remarkable degree； and instead of
being curved appeared to be quite straight。 The incisor teeth were very
large and white； but it was the development of the eye…teeth that was most
52
… Page 53…
STORIES
startling。 These； besides being very massive； were produced below the
level of the incisors to a depth of nearly a quarter of an inch。 They
distinctly suggested to Langley the tusks of a baboon。
As is not very unusual with natives； the man was perfectly bald。 His
back was bent； and his limbs were somewhat shrunken； but he did not
appear in the least degree decrepit。 His eyelids were very red； and his eyes；
though dim； had a deep and intent look。 Ugly as was the man or perhaps
by virtue of his uglinesshe exercised a strange fascination over Langley。