Forging the Blades Part 9

"He is dumb," replied the emissary. "There are those who have spoken in his ear, and He is dumb."

Sapazani sat, thinking deeply. "He" applied to the head of the royal House. More than ever did the insidious poison of the Ethiopian preacher of whom mention has been made, come back to his mind. Now he saw his own chance. Not by force of arms alone could a change be effected; but by the dissensions among the ruling race. Now was the time--before it should pa.s.s.

"Tell him who sent you," he said, "that at the moment I shall be ready.

That is my 'word.'"

"_Nkose_!"

CHAPTER EIGHT.

THE PROSPECTORS.

"I've got some news for you, Stride."

He addressed was just dismounting. Obviously he had returned from a journey. His steed was flecked with sweat and had rather a limp appearance, as though ridden through the heat of a long day, and, withal, a hot one. A tent and a makeshift native shelter, together with a roughly run-up stable const.i.tuted the prospectors' camp on the Mihlungwana River.

"Well, spit it out, then, if it's worth having," returned the other, with a light laugh. He was a tall, well-built young fellow, bronzed with the healthy, open-air life.

"Man, but there's no that hurry," said the first speaker, with a twinkle in his eyes. "First of all, what's the news Grey Town way?"

"There you are, with your North Country tricks, Robson, answering one question with another. Well, both our news'll keep till scoff-time. I suppose it's nearly ready, anyway I hope so, for I want it badly, I can tell you."

The other smiled to himself. He thought his partner would not be quite so placid if he really knew what there was to impart. There was a pleasant odour of frying on the evening air. The sun had just gone down, and the fading beams still lingered on the green, rounded tops of the Mihlungwana hills. The native boys, a little distance off, were keeping up a low hum of conversation round their fire, one being occupied in frying steaks upon that of their masters'. The new arrival was splashing his head and face in a camp basin.

"Well, what _is_ the news?" he said, coming forward, vigorously rubbing his head with a towel.

"Ay; you said yourself it'd keep till scoff-time, and I'm going to take you at your word, lad. But, buck up. It's nearly ready."

Soon the two were discussing supper with the appet.i.te engendered by a healthy, open-air life. Then Robson remarked--

"What would you say to Ben Halse and his girl being at Ezulwini?"

"No, by Jove! Are they really, though?"

"Well, the night before last they slept at Malimati, so they'll be at Ezulwini now, won't they?" And the speaker laughed to himself, as he noticed the start and eagerness of tone on the part of his younger companion. The latter relapsed into unwonted silence.

"Ay, he's a good chap, Ben. You'll like to be seeing him again, I'm thinking."

"Yes--yes, of course. A thundering good chap, as you say. I'd rather like to see him again."

"_Him_?" drily.

"Of course. Didn't he get me out of a jolly big mess, when I'd already captured a bang on the head from an infernal n.i.g.g.e.r's kerrie, and herd me back to life?"

"Ay; but now I think of it, I believe the boy said it was only him who was going to Ezulwini. Ay, I'm sure I must have made a mistake when I said it was both of them."

There was a moment of chapfallen silence on the part of Harry Stride.

Then he said--

"Robson, you villainous old humbug. Is the whole thing a yarn, or any part of it, or what?"

"Well, Sipuleni told me. He had it from some other n.i.g.g.e.r. You know how these fellows gossip together, and how news spreads. Ho, Sipuleni!"

he called.

"_Nkose_!"

The boy came. Him Harry Stride began volubly questioning, or rather trying to, for Harry Stride's Zulu was defective. Sipuleni turned, puzzled and inquiring, to his other master.

"Oh, d.a.m.n it! these silly devils don't understand their own language.

You go ahead, Robson."

Robson did, and soon elicited that Ben Halse and his daughter had slept at Malimati _en route_ for Ezulwini, just as he had told the other. He was enjoying the latter's eagerness and uncertainty.

"Yes, I'd like to see old Halse again," repeated Stride, when the boy had been dismissed. "He's a thundering good old chap. I say, Robson, we don't seem to be doing over-much here at present. Let's take a ride over to Ezulwini for a day or two. What do you say?"

Robson was a big, burly north-countryman, and the very essence of good-nature. He shook his head and winked.

"Ye'd better go alone, lad, if your horse'll carry you. And he won't, I'm thinking, if you try to make him do it in a day and a half."

"He'll jolly well have to. I think I'll start to-morrow. Sure you won't come?"

Robson shook his head slowly.

"Dead cert.," he answered. "I'd like to have a crack with Ben Halse; but Ezulwini's rather too far to go to see--_him_. Fine girl that of his, ain't she?"

"Rather. I can't make out how she gets through life stuck up there in that out-of-the-way place."

"Well, she does, and that's all in her favour; women being for the most part discontented, contrarious things--especially discontented. You'd better sail in quick, lad, if you mean biz. There's bound to be a run on her when she gets in among other folks."

"Hang it, don't I know that," was the answer, given with some impatience. "The fact is, Robson, she was too awfully good to me when I was hung up at Ben's place after that crack on the nut. I haven't been able to get her out of my system ever since. Look here. Shall I tell you something I never let out before? She--refused me."

The other nodded.

"Ay! She wouldn't jump at anybody. But why not try your luck again?

Go in and win, lad, go in and win."

"By Jove! I've a devilish good mind to--to try my luck again, I mean."

Robson nodded again, this time approvingly.

"That's the way. Ye'll be no worse off than before. But I'm thinking there was the news from down yonder getting cold."

"Oh, of course. I was forgetting. Well, they seem in a bit of a stew over the river there. A sweep named Babatyana is beginning to give trouble. Some think the Ethiopian movement is behind it, and others don't. But there's certainly something simmering."

"He has been troublesome before. They ought to get hold of him and make an example of him, same as they did with those fellows at Richmond."

"Wonder if we shall have a war," went on Stride.