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ed to me to be flinging up the game prematurely； and I resolved to wait a day or two before acting。
Next day nothing happened； save that my sense of loneliness increased。 I felt that I was being hemmed in by barbarism； and cut off in a ghoulish land from the succour of my own kind。 I only kept my courage up by the necessity of presenting a brave face to Mr Wardlaw； who was by this time in a very broken condition of nerves。 I had often thought that it was my duty to advise him to leave； and to see him safely off； but I shrank from severing myself from my only friend。 I thought； too； of the few Dutch farmers within riding distance； and had half a mind to visit them； but they were far off over the plateau and could know little of my anxieties。
The third day events moved faster。 Japp was sober and wonderfully quiet。 He gave me good…morning quite in a friendly tone； and set to posting up the books as if he had never misbehaved in his days。 I was so busy with my thoughts that I； too； must have been gentler than usual； and the morning passed like a honeymoon； till I went across to dinner。
I was just sitting down when I remembered that I had left my watch in my waistcoat behind the counter； and started to go back for it。 But at the door I stopped short。 For two horsemen had drawn up before the store。
One was a native with what I took to be saddle…bags； the other was a small slim man with a sun helmet； who was slowly dismounting。 Something in the cut of his jib struck me as familiar。 I slipped into the empty schoolroom and stared hard。 Then； as he half…turned in handing his bridle to the Kaffir； I got a sight of his face。 It was my former shipmate； Henriques。 He said something to his companion； and entered the store。
You may imagine that my curiosity ran to fever…heat。 My first impulse was to march over for my waistcoat； and make a third with Japp at the interview。 Happily I reflected in time that Henriques knew my face； for I had grown no beard； having a great dislike to needless hair。 If he was one of the villains in the drama； he would mark me down for his vengeance once he knew I was here； whereas at present he had probably forgotten all about me。 Besides； if I walked in boldly I would get no news。 If japp and he had a secret； they would not blab it in my presence。
My next idea was to slip in by the back to the room I had once lived in。 But how was I to cross the road？ It ran white and dry some distance each way in full view of the Kaffir with the horses。 Further； the store stood on a bare patch； and it would be a hard job to get in by the back； assuming； as I believed； that the neighbourhood was thick with spies。
The upshot was that I got my glasses and turned them on the store。 The door was open； and so was the window。 In the gloom of the interior I made out Henriques' legs。 He was standing by the counter； and apparently talking to Japp。 He moved to shut the door； and came back inside my focus opposite the window。 There he stayed for maybe ten minutes； while I hugged my impatience。 I would have given a hundred pounds to be snug in my old room with japp thinking me out of the store。
Suddenly the legs twitched up； and his boots appeared above the counter。 Japp had invited him to his bedroom； and the game was now to be played beyond my ken。 This was more than I could stand； so I stole out at the back door and took to the thickest bush on the hillside。 My notion was to cross the road half a mile down； when it had dropped into the defile of the stream； and then to come swiftly up the edge of the water so as to effect a back entrance into the store。
As fast as I dared I tore through the bush； and in about a quarter of an hour had reached the point I was making for。 Then I bore down to the road； and was in the scrub about ten yards off it； when the clatter of horses pulled me up again。 Peeping out I saw that it was my friend and his Kaffir follower； who were riding at a very good pace for the plains。 Toilfully and crossly I returned on my tracks to my long…delayed dinner。 Whatever the purport of their talk； Japp and the Portuguese had not taken long over it。
In the store that afternoon I said casually to Japp that I had noticed visitors at the door during my dinner hour。 The old man looked me frankly enough in the face。 'Yes； it was Mr Hendricks；' he said； and explained that the man was a Portuguese trader from Delagoa way； who had a lot of Kaffir stores east of the Lebombo Hills。 I asked his business； and was told that he always gave Japp a call in when he was passing。
'Do you take every man that calls into your bedroom； and shut the door？' I asked。
Japp lost colour and his lip trembled。 'I swear to God； Mr Crawfurd； I've been doing nothing wrong。 I've kept the promise I gave you like an oath to my mother。 I see you suspect me； and maybe you've cause； but I'll be quite honest with you。 I have dealt in diamonds before this with Hendricks。 But to…day； when he asked me； I told him that that business
was off。 I only took him to my room to give him a drink。 He likes brandy； and there's no supply in the shop。'
I distrusted Japp wholeheartedly enough； but I was convinced that in this case he spoke the truth。 'Had the man any news？' I asked。
'He had and he hadn't；' said Japp。 'He was always a sullen beggar； and never spoke much。 But he said one queer thing。 He asked me if I was going to retire； and when I told him 〃yes；〃 he said I had put it off rather long。 I told him I was as healthy as I ever was； and he laughed in his dirty Portugoose way。 〃Yes； Mr Japp；〃 he says； 〃but the country is not so healthy。〃 I wonder what the chap meant。 He'll be dead of blackwater before many months； to judge by his eyes。'
This talk satisfied me about Japp； who was clearly in desperate fear of offending me； and disinclined to return for the present to his old ways。 But I think the rest of the afternoon was the most wretched time in my existence。 It was as plain as daylight that we were in for some grave trouble； trouble to which I believed that I alone held any kind of clue。 I had a pile of evidence … the visit of Henriques was the last bit … which pointed to some great secret approaching its disclosure。 I thought that that disclosure meant blood and ruin。 But I knew nothing definite。 If the commander of a British army had come to me then and there and offered help； I could have done nothing； only asked him to wait like me。 The peril； whatever it was； did not threaten me only； though I and Wardlaw and Japp might be the first to suffer； but I had a terrible feeling that I alone could do something to ward it off； and just what that something was I could not tell。 I was horribly afraid； not only of unknown death； but of my impotence to play any manly part。 I was alone； knowing too much and yet too little； and there was no chance of help under the broad sky。 I cursed myself for not writing to Aitken at Lourenco Marques weeks before。 He had promised to come up； and he was the kind of man who kept his word。
In the late afternoon I dragged Wardlaw out for a walk。 In his presence I had to keep up a forced cheerfulness； and I believe the pretence did me good。 We took a p