Witch-Doctors Part 35

"What time does the moon set, sergeant?" demanded zu Pfeiffer.

"About three, Excellence."

"Good. Then at five precisely the column will move. Warn Sergeant Schneider."

"Ya, Excellence."

"You will transfer the remainder of your men and the Nordenfeldt as soon as we have gone."

"Ya, Excellence."

"That is all, sergeant."

Zu Pfeiffer dropped his head wearily on to his hand. Schultz remained rigidly by the door. Zu Pfeiffer glanced up peevishly.

"I said that was all, sergeant," he exclaimed tetchily.

"Ya, Excellence."

"Herr Gott, what are you standing there for like a stuffed pig?"

Schultz saluted.

"Excellence, it is my duty to remind your Excellence that according to regulation 47 of ..."

"To h.e.l.l with you and your regulations, d.a.m.n you.... Will you leave me alone!" The last was almost a plea.

"Excellence!"

Schultz saluted briskly and went. Again zu Pfeiffer's head dropped on to the cupped hand and he gazed at the portrait in the ivory frame.... Against the blue twilight of the door appeared a tall figure in white.

"What in the name of--" began zu Pfeiffer.

"Chakula tayari, Bwana," announced Bakunjala timidly.

"I don't want any chakula," said zu Pfeiffer. "Wait. Bring some here."

"Bwana!"

Bakunjala fled, to reappear almost instantly with a covered plate, which he placed on the table as bidden and vanished. Zu Pfeiffer regarded distastefully his favourite dish of curried eggs. Then he bawled irritably:

"Lights, animal!"

"Bwana!" gasped Bakunjala appearing in the doorway with the lamp.

But zu Pfeiffer pushed the plate away to stare at the photograph of Lucille. The stare turned to a glare, and then as if mutinying against his G.o.d, as Kawa Kendi had done when summoning rain, he suddenly s.n.a.t.c.hed at the frame and flung it upon the floor with an oath, grabbed up a fountain pen and began to write.

Indeed zu Pfeiffer was half insane with anger which he was disposed to vent upon Lucille by proxy as the source of yet another trouble and possibly official disgrace. He had not had a notion that Birnier could have survived the gentle hands of the corporal until without warning came that ivory disc with "Amantes-Amentes!" scribbled upon it, which not only inferred that Birnier had escaped, but that he was near to him and intended to champion these native dogs against the Imperial Government in the person of himself.

The message had been made the more insulting by the note of exclamation at the end implying derisive laughter. It had, as Birnier had calculated that it would, struck zu Pfeiffer upon the most tender spot in his mental anatomy, evoking a homicidal mania which dominated his consciousness. To be cheated, to be swindled, to be sworn at, cursed, even to be beaten was sufferable to a degree, but to be laughed at-zu Pfeiffer's haughty soul exploded like a bomb at an impact. For a time he had been absolutely incoherent with rage. His one impulse had been to rush out and tear Birnier limb from limb. Well might the listening natives believe in the mighty magic of the new King-G.o.d, that it should make the Son-of-the-Earthquake to trumpet like a wounded cow elephant!

Then out of the dissolving acrid smoke of wounded pride begin to loom arbitrary points. First, that Birnier would have complained, as he once had threatened to do, to Washington, which would infuriate the authorities in Berlin; and secondly, that he would have written to Lucille revealing the attempt he had made upon the life of her husband as well as the things he had said. How Birnier had escaped was immaterial, but the particular fate that awaited Corporal Inyira was decided but futilely; for the bold son of Banyala and his merry men were footing it to the south of lake Tanganika, scared by day lest the long arm of the Eater-of-Men should overtake them and haunted by the terror of seeing another illuminated ghost by night.

As the jewelled hand glittered in the lamp-light came the mutter of a distant drum on the moist darkness; zu Pfeiffer, abnormally irritable, raised his head, scowled, and muttering that he would have to issue an order to have the drums stopped, bent again to the uncongenial task of finishing the report due for headquarters before he left. The drum ceased; began again and was answered by another drum seemingly nearer at hand.

Five or ten minutes elapsed. As zu Pfeiffer took up a fresh sheet of paper a shot rang out followed instantly by yells. Zu Pfeiffer with an oath sprang to his feet, s.n.a.t.c.hed at the revolver hanging above his camp bed and rushed out as a fusillade of shots mingled with wilder cries. The gruff coughs of the corporal in charge of the guard competed with the sharp barks of Sergeant Schultz. Zu Pfeiffer, bawling for a sergeant, ran to the great gate where the pom-pom was stationed. On the opposite hill red flashes of rifle fire darted downwards. Came another outburst of yelling. Forms of askaris scurrying to their places round the fence brushed by him on every side.

"Sergeant Schultz!" shouted zu Pfeiffer.

A figure in white appeared beside him in the darkness.

"Excellence!"

"Put the gun on them! Quick!"

At the bark of the sergeant the gun crew, already at their post, deftly manipulated the machine which coughed angry red bursts of flame into the darkness. The cries and howls ceased as suddenly as they had begun.

"Cease fire!" commanded zu Pfeiffer.

In the resulting stillness muttered shouts and cries from somewhere in the village below were punctuated by odd shots from the other hill.

"Sergeant Ludwig!" yelled zu Pfeiffer.

"Excellence!"

"Report!" snapped zu Pfeiffer.

"An unknown body of natives attacked and killed the sentry on the eastern gate, Excellence," came Sergeant Ludwig's voice from the gloom. "They entered and were repulsed according to instructions. That is all, Excellence."

"Losses?"

"None other, Excellence."

"What about the lower guards?"

"I do not know, Excellence."

"Take a platoon and investigate. We will cover you with the gun."

"Excellence."

The mutter of his orders was drowned in the excited jabber of the askaris.

"Didimalla!" came the dreaded voice of the Eater-of-Men. Instantly there was silence. "Report!" commanded zu Pfeiffer to Sergeant Schultz.

"A body of natives attacked upon the western gate, Excellence. They were repulsed."

"Losses?"