The Ivory Trail Part 26

He flung away the cigarette she had given him and knocked his chair away.

"Sit down, you young fool!" she said. "Don't make all that noise!"

But Will had none of the respect for t.i.tles acquired by marriage that made most men an easy mark for her.

"Leave the room!" he ordered. "Go away from us! Just you hope that's a lie about Monty, that's all!"

"Sit down!" she repeated. "I admit I am a little previous. The story is unconfirmed yet. Sit down and be sensible! Something of the sort will happen to all of you unless you three men get religion!"

But Will began to pace the floor noisily, stopping to glare at her each time he turned.

"Is there any sense in protracting the scene?" asked Fred.

"No," she admitted. "I see you are too hot-headed to be reasoned with.

But it makes little difference!

Fever--animals--climate--sun--flood--accident--natives--there are excuses in plenty--explanations by the dozen! I will say good night, then--and good-by!"

"Yes, good-by!" growled Will, facing her with his back to the stairs.

"You take us for men with a price, do you?"

"All men have a price," she smiled bitterly. "Only it is no use offering flowers to pigs! We must treat pigs another way--pigs, and young fools! And fools old enough to know better!" she added with a nod toward Fred, who bowed to her in mock abas.e.m.e.nt--too politely, I thought.

Will got out of her way and she went up-stairs with the manner of an empress taking leave of subjects. Fred swept her food and wine from the table and stowed it in a corner, and we sat down at the table again.

"The whole thing's getting ridiculous." he said.

"Why don't we hunt up some official in the morning," I proposed, "and simply expose her?"

"No use," said Will. "She never followed us up here and tried that game without being sure of her pull. Besides--what kind of a tale could we tell without letting on we're after the ivory? I vote we see the game through to a finish."

"Good!" said Fred. "I agree!"

"The only clue we've got," said I, "is Courtney's advice about Mount Elgon."

"And what Coutla.s.s said in Zanzibar about German East," added Will.

"Tell you what," said Fred, rapping the table excitedly. "Instead of falling foul of this government by slipping over the dead-line, why not run down to German East--pretend to search for the stuff down there--and go from German East direct to Mount Elgon, giving 'em all the slip. Who's got the map?"

"It's up-stairs," I said. "I'll fetch it."

There was nothing like silence in the rooms above. Men were smoking and drinking in one another's rooms. Some doors were open to make conversation easier across the landing, and n.o.body was asleep. But I was surprised to see Georges Coutla.s.s leaning against the door-post of the room he shared with the other Greek and the Goanese, obviously on guard, but against whom and on whose behalf it was difficult to guess.

"Are you off to bed?" he asked, piercing me with his unbandaged eye.

"Why don't the others go, too?"

It dawned on me what he was after.

"Take the wine if you want it," I said. "None of us will prevent you."

He went down-stairs in his stocking feet, leaving his own door wide. I glanced in. The other Greek and the Goanese were asleep. Ha.s.san lay on the floor on a mat between their cots. He looked up at me. I did not dare speak, but I smiled at him as friendly as I knew how and made a gesture I hoped he would interpret as an invitation to come and attach himself to our party. Then I hurried on, for Coutla.s.s was coming back with a bottle of wine in each hand.

I was five minutes in our bedroom. In a minute I knew what had happened. We had left the door locked, but the lock was a common one; probably the keys of other doors fitted it, and there was not one thing in the room placed exactly where we had left it. Everything was more or less in place, but nothing quite.

I returned empty-handed down-stairs, locking the bedroom door behind me.

"Listen, you chaps!" I said. "While we waited for that woman she and her maid went through our things again!"

"How d'you know it was she?" asked Fred.

"No mistaking the scent she uses. Where's our money?"

"Here in my pocket."

"Good. The map's gone, though!"

Will showed big teeth in the first really happy smile for several days.

"Good enough!" he said. "Let's go to bed now. I'll bet you my share of the ivory they're poring over the map with a magnifying-gla.s.s!

D'you remember the various places we underscored? They'll think it's a cryptogram and fret over it all night! Come on--come to bed!"

CHAPTER SIX

THE SONG OF THE GREAT GAME RESERVE

Noah was our G.o.dfather, and he pitched and caulked a ship 'With stable-room for two of each and fodder for the trip, Lest when the Flood made sea of earth the animals should die; And two by two he stalled us till the wrath of G.o.d was by.

But who in the name of the Pentateuch can the paleface people be Who ha' done on the plains of Africa more than he did at sea?

A million hoofs once drummed the dust (Kongoni led the way!) From river-pool to desert-lick we thundered in array Until the dark-skin people came with tube and smoke and shot, Hunting and driving and killing, and leaving the meat to rot.

And we didn't know who the hunters were, but we saw the herds grow thin That used to drum the dust-clouds up with thousand-footed din.

We were few when the paleface people came--scattered and few and afraid.

Fewer were they, but they brought the law, and the dark-skin men obeyed.

The paleface people drew a line that none by dark or day Might cross with fell intent to hunt--capture or drive or slay.

But who can the paleface people be with red-meat appet.i.tes Who ruled anew what Noah knew--that animals have rights?

And now in the Athi Game Reserve--in a million-acre park A million creatures graze who went by twos into the Ark.

We sleep o' nights without alarm (Kongoni, p.r.i.c.k your ear!) And barring the leopard and lion to watch, and ticks, we've nought to fear, Zebra, giraffe and waterbuck, rhino and ostrich too-- But who can the paleface people be who know what Noah knew?

The lions awoke us a little before dawn as the proprietor had promised.

They seemed to have had bad hunting, for their boastfulness was gone.

They came in twos and threes, snarling, only roaring intermittently--in a hurry because the hated daylight would presently reverse conditions and put them at disadvantage.

I grew restless and got up. The air being chilly, I put my clothes on and sat for a while by the window. So it happened I caught sight of Ha.s.san, very much afraid of lions, but obviously more afraid of being seen from the hotel windows. He was sneaking along as close to the house as he could squeeze, his head just visible above the veranda rail.