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！
the window。 I had been standing in the shadow； and as I stepped to the window to look out I saw a black face disappear below the palisade of the backyard。 The incident was trifling； but it put me on my guard。 The next night I looked； but saw nothing。 The third night I looked； and caught a glimpse of a face almost pressed to the pane。 Thereafter I put up the shutters after dark； and shifted my bed to a part of the room out of line with the window。
It was the same out of doors。 I would suddenly be conscious； as I walked on the road； that I was being watched。 If I made as if to walk into the roadside bush there would be a faint rustling； which told that the watcher had retired。 The stalking was brilliantly done； for I never caught a glimpse of one of the stalkers。 Wherever I went … on the road； on the meadows of the plateau； or on the rugged sides of the Berg … it was the same。 I had silent followers； who betrayed themselves now and then by the crackling of a branch； and eyes were always looking at me which I could not see。 Only when I went down to the plains did the espionage cease。 This thing annoyed Colin desperately； and his walks abroad were one continuous growl。 Once； in spite of my efforts； he dashed into the thicket； and a squeal of pain followed。 He had got somebody by the leg； and there was blood on the grass。
Since I came to Blaauwildebeestefontein I had forgotten the mystery I had set out to track in the excitement of a new life and my sordid contest with Japp。 But now this espionage brought back my old preoccupation。 I was being watched because some person or persons thought that I was dangerous。 My suspicions fastened on Japp； but I soon gave up that clue。 It was my presence in the store that was a danger to him； not my wanderings about the countryside。 It might be that he had engineered the espionage so as to drive me out of the place in sheer annoyance； but I flattered myself that Mr Japp knew me too well to imagine that such a game was likely to succeed。
The mischief was that I could not make out who the trackers were。 I had visited all the surrounding locations； and was on good enough terms with all the chiefs。 There was 'Mpefu； a dingy old fellow who had spent a good deal of his life in a Boer gaol before the war。 There was a mission station at his place； and his people seemed to me to be well behaved and prosperous。 Majinje was a chieftainess； a little girl whom nobody was allowed to see。 Her location was a miserable affair； and her tribe was yearly shrinking in numbers。 Then there was Magata farther north among the mountains。 He had no quarrel with me； for he used to give me a meal when I went out hunting in that direction； and once he turned out a hundred of his young men； and I had a great battue of wild dogs。 Sikitola； the biggest of all； lived some distance out in the flats。 I knew less about him； but if his men were the trackers； they must have spent most of their days a weary way from their kraal。 The Kaffirs in the huts at Blaauwildebeestefontein were mostly Christians； and quiet； decent fellows； who farmed their little gardens； and certainly preferred me to Japp。 I thought at one time of riding into Pietersdorp to consult the Native Commissioner。 But I discovered that the old man； who knew the country； was gone； and that his successor was a young fellow from Rhodesia； who knew nothing about anything。 Besides； the natives round Blaauwildebeestefontein were well conducted； and received few official visitations。 Now and then a couple of Zulu policemen passed in pursuit of some minor malefactor； and the collector came for the hut…tax； but we gave the Government little work； and they did not trouble their heads about us。
As I have said； the clues I had brought out with me to Blaauwildebeestefontein began to occupy my mind again； and the more I thought of the business the keener I grew。 I used to amuse myself with setting out my various bits of knowledge。 There was first of all the Rev。 John Laputa； his doings on the Kirkcaple shore； his talk with Henriques about Blaauwildebeestefontein； and his strange behaviour at Durban。 Then there was what Colles had told me about the place being queer； how nobody would stay long either in the store or the schoolhouse。 Then there was my talk with Aitken at Lourenco Marques； and his story of a great wizard in the neighbourhood to whom all Kaffirs made pilgrimages； and the suspicion of a diamond pipe。 Last and most important； there was this perpetual spying on myself。 It was as clear as daylight that the place held some secret； and I wondered if old Japp knew。 I was fool enough one day to ask him about diamonds。 He met me with contemptuous laughter。 'There's your ignorant Britisher；' he cried。 'If you had ever been to Kimberley you would know the look of a diamond country。 You're as likely to find diamonds here as ocean pearls。 But go out and scrape in the spruit if you like； you'll maybe find some garnets。'
I made cautious inquiries； too； chiefly through Mr Wardlaw； who was becoming a great expert at Kaffir； about the existence of Aitken's wizard； but he could get no news。 The most he found out was that there was a good cure for fever among Sikitola's men； and that Majinje； if she pleased； could bring rain。
The upshot of it all was that； after much brooding； I wrote a letter to Mr Colles； and； to make sure of its going； gave it to a missionary to post in Pietersdorp。 I told him frankly what Aitken had said； and I also told him about the espionage。 I said nothing about old Japp； for； beast as he was； I did not want him at his age to be without a livelihood。
CHAPTER IV MY JOURNEY TO THE WINTER…VELD
A reply came from Colles； addressed not to me but to Japp。 It seemed that the old fellow had once suggested the establishment of a branch store at a place out in the plains called Umvelos'； and the firm was now prepared to take up the scheme。 Japp was in high good humour； and showed me the letter。 Not a word was said of what I had written about； only the bare details about starting the branch。 I was to get a couple of masons； load up two wagons with bricks and timber； and go down to Umvelos' and see the store built。 The stocking of it and the appointment of a storekeeper would be matter for further correspondence。 Japp was delighted； for； besides getting rid of me for several weeks； it showed that his advice was respected by his superiors。 He went about bragging that the firm could not get on without him； and was inclined to be more insolent to me than usual in his new self…esteem。 He also got royally drunk over the head of it。
I confess I was hurt by the manager's silence on what seemed to me more vital matters。 But I soon reflected that if he wrote at all he would write direct to me； and I eagerly watched for the post…runner。 No letter came； however； and I was soon too busy with preparations to look for one。 I got the bricks and timber from Pietersdorp； and hired two Dutch masons to run the job。 The place was not very far from Sikitola's kraal； so there would be no difficulty about native helpers。 Having my eyes open for trade； I resolved to kill two birds with one stone。 It was the fashion a