A Veldt Official Part 16

"I don't care a d.a.m.n. Ha, ha! we shall see who will sing small now!

Ha, ha! Musgrave, my boy, we shall see who has de crow this time. We shall see you in your own dock to-morrow, or de next day. Then de _tronk_, for he'll never be able to pay de lumping fine they'll have to put on him; a beggarly out-at-elbows rip, for all de side he crowds on."

And the expression on the face of the evil Jew was now simply demoniacal. "That devil, Tom, ought to be back by now!" he went on, glancing again at the time. "A quarter to one, by Jove!"

Both sat on, ill at ease and talking constrainedly, the one gloating over the sure accomplishment of a diabolical revenge, the other antic.i.p.ating his chances when this all-powerful rival should be once and for all removed from his path. Still the hands of the clock moved on and on; still n.o.body came.

"I can't stand this any longer," said Sonnenberg at last, jumping from his seat, when nearly another hour had gone by. "Have another liquor, doctor, and then we'll prowl out and see if we can see anything of Tom."

"Is it wise? Apart from the possibility of missing him, is it wise, in view of the tremendous rumpus this affair will make, for us to be seen prowling around together at this time of night? Remembering, too, that Tom is your boy?"

The Jew answered with a snarl of rage, recognising the force of what the other said. Then, after a little further waiting, he could stand it no longer, and the pair sallied forth.

Carefully, in the darkness they reconnoitred Roden Musgrave's modest abode, but all was quiet, all as usual. Then they patrolled the township, no lengthy task. But of the defaulting Tom, not a sign.

"I feel like ripping his black hide off him in the morning," snarled Tom's master savagely. "Well, he may have mistaken my orders about returning to report to-night, and if he's brought the job off all right, that'll put things more than square. And I'm certain he has."

"Let's hope so, anyhow," replied Lambert. And hoping being all they could do for the present, the worthy pair separated for the night.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

HOIST WITH HIS OWN PETARD.

When Tom, the store-boy, reached his master's premises at an early hour on the following morning, early as it was, his said master was there to meet him.

"Well, Tom?"

"Morrow, _Baas_!"

"Did you get what you wanted?"

"_Ja, Baas_."

"You got it all right?"

"_Ja, Baas_."

Sonnenberg could hardly conceal his delight.

"And, Tom, what did _he_ say," with a nod in the direction meant, "when he gave it you?"

"What did he say?"

"Yes, you fool. What did he say? That was what I asked."

"Say? say?" repeated the Kaffir, as though to recollect. "_Au_! he said I would be glad in the morning to find what I wanted most."

"Was that all?"

"_Ja, Baas_."

"And your brother, Ndimbi, he saw the whole affair?"

"_Ja, Baas_."

"All right, Tom. Get to your work now," said Sonnenberg, turning away.

The bird was trapped now. As pretty a case as ever was proved in broad daylight. It was early yet, but no longer able to conceal his impatience he went to knock up Lambert.

It was close upon the breakfast hour at the Barkly Hotel, and a knot of men were collected on the _stoep_ waiting for the bell. There came strolling up Roden Musgrave and Emerson, the bank-manager.

"Wish to the Lord you'd go and shoot some game, Musgrave," the latter was saying. "Jones has been giving us more than enough of his rag yard of late."

"His what?" said a man who was within earshot.

"Oh, old bones, and heads and tails, and all that kind of ill-a.s.sorted refuse. Now a young rhybok or so--or a few partridges would come in well."

"Musgrave doesn't give much of his spare time to buck-shooting now.

Higher game, don't you know," chaffed another, with what was intended for a very meaning wink.

"Talking of shooting," said Lambert, getting up from where he sat, "I wish you'd lend a fellow one of your guns, Musgrave. I want to go out this afternoon somewhere."

"I've only got two," answered Roden, "and you don't want the old muzzle-loader, I suppose?"

"That's just the one I do want," rejoined the other eagerly. "At least--er--I mean, I couldn't of course think of asking for your other one--your best."

"All right. It's a very true shooter, although, a trifle heavy. Look round at the office about twelve, Lambert, and you shall have it."

"At the office? Is it there then?" quickly asked the doctor, again giving himself away, and causing his precious confederate, who was intently listening, to swear almost audibly.

"You look round about then," was the careless rejoinder.

"What does he mean? What the devil does he mean?" whispered Sonnenberg, excitedly, beckoning the doctor back after the others had gone in. "Tom swears it's all right, yet you're to have the gun about twelve o'clock.

Now, I believe he's going to try and get it back again. Yes; that's it.

I'll keep an eye on Tom till then and stop that little game."

This the amiable Jew accordingly did. But that sable servitor, though never out of his master's sight, was more good-humoured than ever, and trotted about the store and the yard, doing his work thoroughly and well, and notwithstanding that he never left the premises, by the time Lambert appeared at the public offices, according to direction, Roden reached the gun from the corner--the very weapon supposed to have been sold to Tom. Lambert could hardly believe his eyes. There it was, however; the identical piece. There had been no subst.i.tution, as he had at first suspected. Every one knew it; for the peculiar rifling of its long-range barrel was unique in Doppersdorp. No, there could be no mistake.

"I'm sorry, Lambert," said Roden, in the indifferent tone of a man speaking to another whom he disliked but had never quarrelled with, "but I find the old shooter has broken down. It'll want some tinkering before it'll be good for anything."

There could be no mistake as to the truth of this; the locks were off, and Roden seemed to be piecing them together with his hand. Lambert stared. He was lost in amazement. Had not Sonnenberg a.s.sured him jubilantly that all had gone well, that the bait had taken, that their mutual enemy was safe within the net? Yet here was the gun still in its owner's possession, and the diabolical plot had clean broken down.

Replying confusedly and at random to certain remarks on the part of Mr Van Stolz, who had at that moment entered, Lambert finally broke away, and betook himself post-haste to his confederate. The latter's rage was a sight to witness. He went out there and then to the yard. Tom was at work in the stable, and alone.

"Tom."

"_Baas_."

"Didn't you tell me this morning that it was all right--_that it was all right_?" repeated the Jew in his fury hissing the words through his set teeth.