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read。 I read it。 It was from a well…known firm of local lawyers and
said：
〃On behalf of Allan Quatermain； Esq。； we beg to enclose a draft for
the sum of ￡650； being the value of the interest in the Bona Fide
Gold Company； Limited （in liquidation）； which stands in your name
on the books of the company。 Please sign enclosed receipt and
return same to us。〃
Yes； and there was the draft for ￡650 sterling！
I explained the matter to Hans； or rather I translated the document；
adding：
〃You see you have got your money back again。 But Hans； I never sent
it； I don't know where it comes from。〃
〃Is it money； Baas？〃 asked Hans； surveying the draft with suspicion。
〃It looks very much like the other bit of paper for which I paid
money。〃
Again I explained； reiterating that I knew nothing of the transaction。
〃Well； Baas；〃 he said； 〃if you did not send it someone didperhaps
your father the reverend Predikant； who sees that you are in trouble
and wishes to wash your name white again。 Meanwhile； Baas； please put
that bit of paper in your pocket…book and keep it for me； for
otherwise I might be tempted to buy square…face with it。〃
〃No；〃 I answered； 〃you can now buy your land back； or some other land；
and there will be no need for you to come with me to the country of
the Kendah。〃
Hans thought a moment and then very deliberately began to tear up the
draft； indeed I was only just in time to save it from destruction。
〃If the Baas is going to turn me off because of this paper；〃 he said；
〃I will make it small and eat it。〃
〃You silly old fool；〃 I said as I possessed myself of the cheque。
Then the conversation was interrupted； for who should appear but
Sammy； my old cook； who began in his pompous language：
〃The perfect rectitude of your conduct； Mr。 Quatermain； moves me to
the deepest gratitude； though indeed I wish that I had put something
into the food of the knave Jacob who beguiled us all； that would have
caused him internal pangs of a severe if not of a dangerous order。 My
holding in the gold mine was not extensive； but the unpaid bill of the
said Jacob and his friends〃
Here I cut him short and fled； since I saw yet another shareholder
galloping to the gate； and behind him two more in a spider。 First I
took refuge in my room； my idea being to put away that pile of
letters。 In so doing I observed that there was one still unopened。
Half mechanically I took it from the envelope and glanced at its
contents。 They were word for word identical with those of that
addressed to 〃Mr。 Hans； Hottentot；〃 only my name was at the bottom of
it instead of that of Hans and the cheque was for ￡1；500； the amount I
had paid for the shares I held in the venture。
Feeling as though my brain were in a melting…pot； I departed from the
house into a patch of native bush that in those days still grew upon
the slope of the hill behind。 Here I sat myself down； as I had often
done before when there was a knotty point to be considered； aimlessly
watching a lovely emerald cuckoo flashing； a jewel of light； from tree
to tree； while I turned all this fairy…godmother business over in my
mind。
Of course it soon became clear to me。 Lord Ragnall in this case was
the little old lady with the wand； the touch of which could convert
worthless share certificates into bank…notes of their face value。 I
remembered now that his wealth was said to be phenomenal and after all
the cash capital of the company was quite small。 But the question was
could I accept his bounty？
I returned to the house where the first person whom I met was Lord
Ragnall himself； just arrived from some interview about the fifty
Snider rifles； which were still in bond。 I told him solemnly that I
wished to speak to him； whereon he remarked in a cheerful voice；
〃Advance； friend； and all's well！〃
I don't know that I need set out the details of the interview。 He
waited till I had got through my halting speech of mingled gratitude
and expostulation； then remarked：
〃My friend； if you will allow me to call you so； it is quite true that
I have done this because I wished to do it。 But it is equally true
that to me it is a small thingto be frank； scarcely a month's
income； what I have saved travelling on that ship to Natal would pay
for it all。 Also I have weighed my own interest in the matter； for I
am anxious that you should start upon this hazardous journey of ours
up country with a mind absolutely free from self…reproach or any money
care； for thus you will be able to do me better service。 Therefore I
beg that you will say no more of the episode。 I have only one thing to
add； namely that I have myself bought up at par value a few of the
debentures。 The price of them will pay the lawyers and the liquidation
fees； moreover they give me a status as a shareholder which will
enable me to sue Mr。 Jacob for his fraud； to which business I have
already issued instructions。 For please understand that I have not
paid off any shares still standing in his name or in those of his
friends。〃
Here I may add that nothing ever came of this action； for the lawyers
found themselves unable to serve any writ upon that elusive person；
Mr。 Jacob； who by then had probably adopted the name of some other
patriarch。
〃Please put it all down as a rich man's whim；〃 he concluded。
〃I can't call that a whim which has returned ￡1；500 odd to my pocket
that I had lost upon a gamble； Lord Ragnall。〃
〃Do you remember； Quatermain； how you won ￡250 upon a gamble at my
place and what you did with it； which sum probably represented to you
twenty or fifty times what it would to me？ Also if that argument does
not appeal to you； may I remark that I do not expect you to give me
your services as a professional hunter and guide for nothing。〃
〃Ah！〃 I answered； fixing on this point and ignoring the rest； 〃now we
come to business。 If I may look upon this amount as salary； a very
handsome salary by the way； paid in advance； you taking the risks of
my dying or becoming incapacitated before it is earned； I will say no
more of the matter。 If not I must refuse to accept what is an unearned
gift。〃
〃I confess； Quatermain； that I did not regard it in that light； though
I might have been willing to call it a retaining fee。 However； do not
let us wrangle about money any more。 We can always settle our accounts
when the bill is added up； if ever we reach so far。 Now let us come to
more important details。〃
So we fell to discussing the scheme； route and details of our proposed
journey。 Expenditure being practically no object； there were several
plans open to us。 We might sail up the coast and go by Kilwa； as I had
done on the search for the Holy Flower； or we might retrace the line
of our retreat from the Mazitu country which ran through Zululand。
Again； we might advance by whatever road we selected with a small army
of drilled and disciplined retainers；