I was a fool for not detaining him by force,” said Dr Koomadhi, in
telling the Commissioner, a few hours later, that his son-in-law had
paid a visit to his (the Doctor’s) house. “But there really is nothing
to be alarmed about. He has a whim, but he’ll soon tire of it.”
“I hope to heavens he’ll return by to-morrow evening,” said the
Commander. “The _Penguin_ will be here in the morning, and we must get
him aboard by some means. What a pity you didn’t lock him in.”
“To tell you the truth, I was afraid to do so--if he had made a row in
the morning on feeling himself a prisoner the thing would be over the
town before noon. Oh, you may be certain that he’ll turn up again either
to-day or tomorrow.”
That night one of the officers of the Houssas gave Dr Koomadhi a
circumstantial account of a strange chimpanzee which one of the men had
seen on the outskirts of the jungle at daybreak. If the thing wasn’t a
chimpanzee it certainly was a gorilla, the officer said, and he meant to
have a shot at it. Would the Doctor join him in the hunt? he inquired.
The Doctor said he would be delighted to do so, but not before the next
evening, he had so much on hand.
The _Penguin’s_ gun was heard early in the morning, and Dr Koomadhi had
the privilege of reading his ‘Saturday Review’ at breakfast.
He went to the Residency before noon. The Commissioner was not there.
He had gone aboard the _Penguin_, Mr Letts, the Secretary, said, without
looking up from his paper.
“I wonder if you know anything about Minton, Mr Letts,” whispered
Koomadhi.
“I wonder if you know anything about him, Dr Koomadhi,” said Mr Letts.
“He has not been near me since the night before last,” said the Doctor.
“Has he been here?”
Before the Secretary could reply a servant knocked at the office door
conveying Mrs Minton’s compliments to Dr Koomadhi, and to inquire if
he would be good enough to step into the breakfast-room until the
Commissioner returned from the mail steamer.
Dr Koomadhi said he would be pleased to do so, and he left the office
and followed the servant into the breakfast-room--an apartment which
occupied one end of the Residency, and had windows opening upon the
verandah, and affording a view of that portion of the jungle which was
nearest Picotee.
He scarcely recognised Gertrude Minton. The deadly pale, worn woman who
greeted him silently, had nothing in common with the brilliant daughter
of the Commissioner who, a few months before, had been as exquisite as a
lily in the midst of a jungle.
“What are we to do--what are we to do?” she whispered. “You have seen
him since we saw him. What did he say? Will he return in time to be put
aboard the steamer? Oh, for God’s sake, give me a word of hope--one word
to keep me from going mad too!”
“Mrs Minton,” said Dr Koomadhi, “you have asked me a great many
questions. May I remind you that I never asked but one question of you?”
“One question? What do you mean?”
“I asked you if you thought you could marry me. What was your answer?”
“Why do you come here to remind me of that? If you are thinking of that
fault of mine--it was cruel, I know, but I did not mean it--if you are
thinking of that rather than of the best way to help us, you had much
better have stayed away.”
“You said you would as soon marry a baboon as marry me.”
“I checked myself.”
“When you had practically said it.”
“Well, what then?”
“Nothing; you did not marry me, and the alternative was your own
choice.”
“The alternative?”
“Yes; you married a baboon. You know it. Is there any doubt on your
mind? Come to this window.”
He had suddenly crossed the room to a window facing the jungle. She
staggered to his side. He threw open the shutter and pointed out.
What Mrs Minton saw was a huge ape running on all fours across the
cleared space just outside the jungle. The creature ran on for some
distance, then stopped and turned round gibbering. Then from the jungle
there came another ape, only in a more upright posture. With a yell he
caught the hand of the first, and the creature stood upright. Then, hand
in hand, in a horribly grotesque dance, they advanced together until
they were within a hundred yards of the Residency.
“You see--you see,” laughed Dr Koomadhi. “You may still be able to
recognise some of his features in spite of the transformation. You have
had your choice. A baboon is your husband, and your child----”
The shriek that the woman gave before falling to the floor frightened
even Dr Koomadhi.
In a second the room door was opened. Mr Letts appeared. He rushed at Dr
Koomadhi, and had his hands on his throat before the Doctor could raise
Mrs Minton. He forced the negro backward into the porch, and flung
him out almost upon the Commissioner and Mr Ross, the surgeon of the
_Penguin_, who were in the act of entering.
“For heaven’s sake, Letts!” cried the Commissioner.
“You infernal nigger!” shouted Letts, as Dr Koomadhi picked himself up.
“You infernal nigger! if ever you show your face here again, I’ll break
every bone in your body!”
“What the blazes is the matter?” asked. Ross.
“I believe that that devil has killed Mrs Minton,” said the Secretary.
“If he has, by God! I’ll kill him.”