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inspector to send up two constables。 Tell him there are burglars in
the house。〃
〃One moment；〃 said I。 〃You must be aware； Mr。 Dodd； that Colonel
Emsworth is within his rights and that we have no legal status
within his house。 On the other hand； he should recognize that your
action is prompted entirely by solicitude for his son。 I venture to
hope that if I were allowed to have five minutes' conversation with
Colonel Emsworth I could certainly alter his view of the matter。〃
〃I am not so easily altered；〃 said the old soldier。 〃Ralph； do
what I have told you。 What the devil are you waiting for？ Ring up
the police！〃
〃Nothing of the sort；〃 I said； putting my back to the door。 〃Any
police interference would bring about the very catastrophe which you
dread。〃 I took out my notebook and scribbled one word upon a loose
sheet。 〃That；〃 said I as I handed it to Colonel Emsworth； 〃is what has
brought us here。〃
He stared at the writing with a face from which every expression
save amazement had vanished。
〃How do you know？〃 he gasped； sitting down heavily in his chair。
〃It is my business to know things。 That is my trade。〃
He sat in deep thought； his gaunt hand tugging at his straggling
beard。 Then he made a gesture of resignation。
〃Well； if you wish to see Godfrey； you shall。 It is no doing of
mine； but you have forced my hand。 Ralph； tell Mr。 Godfrey and Mr。
Kent that in five minutes we shall be with them。〃
At the end of that time we passed down the garden path and found
ourselves in front of the mystery house at the end。 A small bearded
man stood at the door with a look of considerable astonishment upon
his face。
〃This is very sudden； Colonel Emsworth；〃 said he。 〃This will
disarrange all our plans。〃
〃I can't help it； Mr。 Kent。 Our hands have been forced。 Can Mr。
Godfrey see us？〃
〃Yes； he is waiting inside。〃 He turned and led us into a large；
plainly furnished front room。 A man was standing with his back to
the fire； and at the sight of him my client sprang forward with
outstretched hand。
〃Why； Godfrey； old man； this is fine！〃
But the other waved him back。
〃Don't touch me； Jimmie。 Keep your distance。 Yes； you may well
stare！ I don't quite look the smart Lance…Corporal Emsworth； of B
Squadron； do I？〃
His appearance was certainly extraordinary。 One could see that he
had indeed been a handsome man with clear…cut features sunburned by an
African sun； but mottled in patches over this darker surface were
curious whitish patches which had bleached his skin。
〃That's why I don't court visitors；〃 said he。 〃I don't mind you；
Jimmie； but I could have done without your friend。 I suppose there
is some good reason for it； but you have me at a disadvantage。〃
〃I wanted to be sure that all was well with you； Godfrey。 I saw
you that night when you looked into my window； and I could not let the
matter rest till I had cleared things up。〃
〃Old Ralph told me you were there； and I couldn't help taking a peep
at you。 I hoped you would not have seen me； and I had to run to my
burrow when I heard the window go up。〃
〃But what in heaven's name is the matter？〃
〃Well； it's not a long story to tell；〃 said he； lighting a
cigarette。 〃You remember that morning fight at Buffelsspruit；
outside Pretoria； on the Eastern railway line？ You heard I was hit？〃
〃Yes； I heard that； but I never got particulars。〃
〃Three of us got separated from the others。 It was very broken
country； you may remember。 There was Simpson… the fellow we called
Baldy Simpson… and Anderson； and I。 We were clearing brother Boer； but
he lay low and got the three of us。 The other two were killed。 I got
an elephant bullet through my shoulder。 I stuck on to my horse；
however； and he galloped several miles before I fainted and rolled off
the saddle。
〃When I came to myself it was nightfall； and I raised myself up；
feeling very weak and ill。 To my surprise there was a house close
beside me； a fairly large house with a broad stoop and many windows。
It was deadly cold。 You remember the kind of numb cold which used to
come at evening； a deadly； sickening sort of cold； very different from
a crisp healthy frost。 Well I was chilled to the bone； and my only
hope seemed to lie in reaching that house。 I staggered to my feet
and dragged myself along； hardly conscious of what I did。 I have a dim
memory of slowly ascending the steps； entering a wide…opened door；
passing into a large room which contained several beds； and throwing
myself down with a gasp of satisfaction upon one of them。 It was
unmade； but that troubled me not at all。 I drew the clothes over my
shivering body and in a moment I was in a deep sleep。
〃It was morning when I wakened； and it seemed to me that instead
of coming out into a world of sanity I had emerged into some
extraordinary nightmare。 The out African sun flooded through the
big； curtainless windows； and every detail of the great； bare；
whitewashed dormitory stood out hard and clear。 In front of me was
standing a small； dwarf…like man with a huge； bulbous head； who was
jabbering excitedly in Dutch； waving two horrible hands which looked
to me like brown sponges。 Behind him stood a group of people who
seemed to be intensely amused by the situation； but a chill came
over me as I looked at them。 Not one of them was a normal human being。
Every one was twisted or swollen or disfigured in some strange way。
The laughter of these strange monstrosities was a dreadful thing to
hear。
〃It seemed that none of them could speak English； but the
situation wanted clearing up； for the creature with the big head was
growing furiously angry； and； uttering wild…beast cries； he had laid
his deformed hands upon me and was dragging me out of bed；
regardless of the fresh flow of blood from my wound。 The little
monster was as strong as a bull； and I don't know what he might have
done to me had not an elderly man who was clearly in authority been
attracted to the room by the hubbub。 He said a few stern words in
Dutch； and my persecutor shrank away。 Then he turned upon me； gazing
at me in the utmost amazement。
〃'How in the world did you come here？' he asked in amazement。
'Wait a bit！ I see that you are tired out and that wounded shoulder of
yours wants looking after。 I am a doctor； and I'll soon have you
tied up。 But； man alive！ you are in far greater danger here than
ever you were on the battlefield。 You are in the Leper Hospital； and
you have slept in a leper's bed。'
〃Need I tell you more； Jimmie？ It seems that in view of the
approaching battle all these poor creatures had been evacuated the day
before。 Then； as the British advanced； they had been brought back by
this； their medical superintendent； who assured me that； though he
believed he was immune to the disease； he would none the less never
have dared to do what I had done。 He put me in a private room； treated
me kindly； and within a week or so I was removed to the general
hospital at Pretoria。
〃So there you have my tragedy。 I hoped against hope； but it was
not until I had reached home that t