About five miles away from the old fort, deep in the forest, there was
a large grassy glade, an unfrequented spot.
Within it now were encamped what looked to be a large party of Arab
merchants. There were about a hundred of them, and they had come early
that morning, with horses, and camels, and mules, and bales of
merchandise. And they outnumbered Barclay's party by nearly three to
one. His following were not more than forty, including thirty Hausa
soldiers.
Immediately on arriving in the glade, two of the Arabs, with curios,
had been dispatched to the English camp, outwardly to sell their goods,
but, in reality, as spies.
They had hardly gone, before the rest of the party put aside its
peaceful air. Out of their bales weapons were produced; guns of the
latest pattern and vicious-looking knives.
In his tent the Sultan Casim Ammeh sat, in white burnoose, awaiting the
return of his spies. With him was Edouard, his French doctor, who was
watching his royal master with an air of concern.
"I shall be glad when this thing is through and done with," he remarked
presently, his voice heavy with anxiety. "And all I hope is that the
English don't get hold of you. There'll be short shrift for you, if
you're caught meddling with their officials."
"They'd shoot me, as Barclay shot my father," the Sultan replied
grimly. "But I'm willing to risk that in order to get hold of him."
"I wish we were safely back in El-Ammeh," the doctor said.
"You've never experienced either a deep love or a deep hate, Edouard.
The surface of things has always satisfied you. You're to be envied."
"Well I hope that love will never run you into the dangers that this
revenge of yours is likely to," Edouard replied, getting up.
He went from the tent, leaving the Sultan alone, awaiting the return of
his spies.
It was nearly midday when they got back to the glade. At once they
were taken into the royal presence.
"What have you learnt?" the Sultan demanded.
The Arabs bowed low before their ruler.
"Your Highness, the English party has broken up," one replied. "The
chief and his officers, with half the soldiers, have gone to a village
that lies about half way between here and the fort. And the white
lady, his daughter, is left behind, with but fifteen men to guard her."
As Le Breton listened, the task he had set himself appeared even easier
than he had imagined.
At the head of his men he would waylay and capture the governor and his
party on their return from the village. When this was accomplished he
would send off a contingent to seize Pansy.
With this idea in view, he summoned a couple of native officers into
his presence.
When they appeared, he gave them various instructions about the matter
on hand, and, finally, his plans concerning Pansy.
"No shot must be fired in the presence of the English lady," he
finished. "At all costs she must be captured without injury."
With deference the Arab officers listened to his instructions, then
they bowed and left the royal presence.
Not long afterwards the glade was practically empty save for the tents
and camels and mules.
At the head of his men the Sultan Casim Ammeh had gone in quest of the
vengeance he had waited quite sixteen years for.