"I mean, without a pistol!"
I saw the point. The rest-camp was not far away, but as far as I could
judge we were quite out of sight from it, and unless there should
happen to be some one hiding among the rocks at the foot of the hill
behind me we were quite alone, unless, as was probable, he had placed
one or two of his own hangers-on in hiding within call.
"This grave should be a lesson to you!" he grinned.
"It has been," I answered.
"An illustration," he suggested.
"A period," said I.
"To your youth?" he asked maliciously. "To the age of folly?"
"To the time," I said, "when any man could blackmail me. I would go
into that grave ten times rather than tell you what you want to know!"
"There are worse places than the grave!" he said, beginning to leer
savagely. His eyes glittered. He could scarcely find patience for
argument. The thin veneer of his first mock-friendliness was gone
utterly.
"I imagine that German colonial life is far worse than death," said I.
"German will be the only rule in Africa," he answered. "You fools of
English have set your hopes on the Christian missionary. No
weaker-backed camel could exist! The German Michael is wiser! Islam
is the key to the native mind--Islam and the lash--they understand
that! In a few years there will be nothing in Africa that is not
German from core to epidermis! As to whether you shall live to see
that day or not depends on yourself, my young friend!"
Being quite sure that he had a plan in mind that nothing would prevent
him from unfolding, I did not waste effort or words on prompting him,
but sat still. My silence and apparent lack of curiosity disturbed
him; there is nothing your bully likes better than to force his victim
into a war of words.
"I will be short and blunt with you!" he began again. "I know your
history! You were in Portuguese Africa with Lord Montdidier. There he
came in possession of the secret of Tippoo Tib's ivory; how, I do not
yet know, but you shall tell me that presently! You and your friends
came with him to Zanzibar, where you made certain inquiries--sufficient
to set the Sultan of Zanzibar by the ears. You left Zanzibar for
Mombasa, and for some reason that you shall also tell me presently,
Lord Montdidier did not leave the ship at Mombasa but continued the
voyage toward London. Certain individuals decided that it would be
better not to permit Lord Montdidier to reach Europe alive. There were
agents charged with the duty of attending to that. It was considered
safest to throw him overboard into the Mediterranean; men were ordered
by cable to board the ship at Suez. Yet when the ship reached Suez
nobody knew anything about him! Tell me where he left the ship, and
why!"
He glared with eyes accustomed to extorting facts from savages,
depending on physical weakness so to undermine my will that I would
give my secret away, perhaps without knowing it.
I lowered my eyes, not being minded to match the strength of my
eye-muscles against his. The news that Monty had not reached Suez as a
matter of fact made me feel physically sick. If it were true, it meant
most likely that he had been the victim of foul play, for that steamer
was not scheduled to stop anywhere before reaching the Suez Canal. As
for the people on the ship knowing nothing about him they no doubt
preferred not to talk to strangers. That sort of news is easily kept
under cover for a while. Schillingschen grew angry at my silence, and
changed his tactics.
"Where did he leave the ship?" he shouted--suddenly--savagely.
I did not answer. He came round to my side of the grave, and laid a
heavy clenched fist on my shoulder. It seemed to weigh like lead in
the weak condition I was in.
"You shall tell me what Lord Montdidier is doing now, or that grave
shall resemble in your imagination a bed of roses!"
He seized my neck in a grasp like iron, and squeezed it. I rose
suddenly and struck him in the stomach with my elbow. Strength had
returned more swiftly than I had guessed, or perhaps it was indignation
at the touch of his fingers. At any rate he staggered clear of me, and
I thought he would assault me now in real earnest; but perhaps he
suspected me of having weapons concealed somewhere. Instead of rushing
at me like an angry bull he calmed himself and laughed.
"You are strong for a man they thought of burying!"' he said. "Never
mind! You shall see reason presently! It is well understood that you
and your friends know where Tippoo Tib's ivory is hidden. You imagine
you can keep the secret. If you keep it, you shall never make use of
it, my young friend! If you choose to tell, you shall be suitably
rewarded! Come now--I thought you were going to look for it down in
these parts. I admit you fooled me. You simply made a false move to
draw attention off from Lord Montdidier. Tell me where he is and what
he does--and--or--"
"And what? Or what?" I demanded, as insolently as I knew how. I saw
no sense in answering him gently.
"I will show you!"
I had begun to feel weak again, but he offered me an arm, and since he
seemed in no hurry I was able to struggle along beside him. We took to
the main road and when we reached the D.O.A.G. he called for a hammock
and some porters. Being carried in that way was sheer luxury after the
walk in my weak state, and I lay back feeling like a tripper on
vacation. I saw Fred and Will climbing down from their observation
post on top of the Bismarck monument, but he did not notice them.
Every German sergeant, and every askari we passed saluted us with about
twice as much respect as I had ever seen them show the commandant; and
Schillingschen returned salutes much less carefully than he, merely by
a curt nod, or one raised finger. Apparently the military feared him,
for when we passed the commandant, who was personally superintending
the flogging of two natives in the market-place for not saluting
himself, he took several paces forward to make sure Schillingschen
should see his act of homage. The professor merely nodded in return,
and I began to I wonder whether there was a rift in the lute of
Muanza's official good relations. Surely I hoped so. Anything
calculated to set the Germans' garrison life at odds looked to me like
the gift of heaven!
Schillingschen, striding beside the hammock, directed our course along
the shore-front under palm-trees, planted in stately rows with
meticulous precision. He kept far enough to one side to avoid the
charge of being seen walking with me, but from time to time tossed me
remarks calculated to keep my nerves on edge.
"What I shall show you is by way of warning!" was a remark he repeated
two or three times. Then: "A native can always be made to talk by
flogging him. Some white men need sterner measures!"
We left the commandant's house on the hill far behind and followed the
curve of the lake shore, toward a rocky promontory with a clump of
thick jungle behind it. Fear began to get its work in, until the
thought came that what he most desired was to make me afraid; then I
managed to summon sufficient contempt for him and his tribe to regain
my nerve and once more almost enjoy the promenade.
He halted the hammock bearers at a spot about three hundred yards away
from the promontory and, leaving them standing there, turned inland
with a hand on my arm to give me support and direction. We followed a
path that was fairly well marked out and trodden, but rough, and
several times I should have fallen but for his help. My legs still
refused any sort of strenuous duty.
"The staff surgeon at this station is a man of ideas," he announced as
we rounded a big rock and passed down a narrow glade in the jungle.
"He is original. He is not like some of our official fools. He
studies."