Aida looked none the worse for her adventures as she came forth into the
clear freshness of the morning. The lethargic effect of the drug seemed
to have left her entirely, and she was quite her old self, bright,
sunny, fascinating as ever. But scarcely had we begun to talk than we
saw three persons approaching on horseback.
"They haven't lost much time coming for you," I said, as I made out the
rest of the family. "And I wanted you all to myself a little longer."
"You mustn't say that, dear," she answered, with a return pressure from
the hand I was holding. "They are perhaps just a little bit fond of me
too."
"Hallo, Glanton," sung out the Major, breathless with excitement, as he
rode up. "What the dickens is this cock and bull yarn your fellow has
been spinning us. I can't make head or tail of it and I didn't stop to
try. Anyhow, there's my little girl again all safe and sound. She is
safe and sound? Eh?"
"Absolutely, father," answered Aida, for herself. And then there was a
good deal of bugging and kissing all round, and some crying; by the way,
it seems that the women, dear creatures, can't be brought to consider
any ceremony complete unless they turn on the hose; for they turn it on
when they're happy, just as readily as when they're not. For instance--
there we were, all jolly together again--what the deuce was there to cry
about? Yet cry they did.
I had breakfast set out in the open on the shady side of the store, with
the broad view of the Zulu country lying beneath in the distance, and
they declared it reminded them of that memorable time when the _contre
temps_ as to Tyingoza's head-ring had befallen. And then when Aida had
given her adventures once more in detail, through sheer reaction we were
all intensely happy after the dreadful suspense and gloom of the last
three days. At length it was I who proposed we should make a move down,
for it would be as well to be on hand when the others returned with the
police and the prisoners.
"By Jove, Glanton, but you were right when you advised me to have
nothing to do with that rascally witch doctor," said the Major, as we
rode along. "One consolation. I suppose he's bound to be hung. Eh?"
"That depends on how we work the case," I said. "And it'll take a great
deal of working."
Hardly had we returned than the others arrived, bringing the three
prisoners, and two more in the shape of the women of whom Aida had told
us. These however were kept entirely separate from Ukozi and his
companions. No conversation between them was allowed.
Ukozi was sullen and impassive, but the younger prisoners glared around
with a savage scowl which deepened as it rested on Falkner. He for
response only grinned.
"All right my bucks," he said. "There's a rope and a long drop sticking
out for you. By George, but this has been a ripping bit of fun for one
night."
"That's all right," I said rather shortly. "But you might remember that
the reason for it hasn't been fun by any means."
"No, not for you, that's understood," he sneered, turning away, for he
was still more than a little sore over my success.
"Glanton, I've something devilish rum to tell you."
The speaker was Kendrew. "Come out of the crowd," he went on. "Yes, it
just is rum, and it gave me a turn, I can tell you. First of all, that
nest of murderers we tumbled into, is bang on the edge of--if not
within--my own place. Yes, it is my own place now--beyond a shadow of
doubt. For we've unearthed something there."
"You don't mean--" I began, beginning to get an inkling.
He nodded.
"Yes, I do. The furthest of those two poor devils stuck up there
against the rock--ugh!--was poor old Hensley--my old uncle."
"Good lord!"
"Yes indeed. I was able to identify him by several things--ugh, but it
wasn't a nice job, you understand. But the mystery is not how he
couldn't be found at the time, but how the deuce such a neat little
devil hole could exist on the place at all, unknown to any of us. Why,
you can't get in--or out of it--at all from the top, only through the
hole we slipped in by. It's like a false bottom to a box by Jove.
Yes--it's rum how such a place could exist."
I thought so too. So now poor old Hensley's disappearance stood
explained; and the explanation was pitiable. He had been beguiled--or
forcibly brought--to the hell pit of cruelty where these demons
performed the dark rites of some secret superstition, and there horribly
done to death by the water torture. When I thought of the one who had
been destined to succeed him, and who by the mercy of Providence had
been snatched from their fiendish hands just in the nick of time, a sort
of "seeing red" feeling came over me, and had they been in my power, I
could have massacred all four of the prisoners with my own hand.
"Let's see if we can get anything out of them, Kendrew," I said.
"Manvers won't mind."
But Inspector Manvers did mind--at first. Then he agreed. They would
be started off for the Police Camp that night; however, as they were
here we could talk to them.
We might just as well have saved ourselves the trouble. Ivondwe, who
had been kept apart from the others, smiled sweetly and wondered what
all the bother was about. He could not imagine why he had been seized
and tied up. However that would soon come right. Government was his
father, but it had made a mistake. However he, as its child, could not
complain even if his father had made a mistake. It would all come
right.
The witch doctor simply refused to speak at all, but the young men
jeered. One of these I seemed to recognise.
"Surely I have seen thee before?" I said. "Where?"
"_Kwa 'Sipanga_?"
"I remember. Atyisayo is thy name. `Hot water.' And I warned thee not
to get into any more hot water--as the whites say."
He laughed at this--but evilly, and no further word could I get out of
either of them.
But if they would reveal nothing there was another who would, and that
was Jan Boom. Him I had refrained from questioning until we should be
all quiet again.
The police, with the exception of three men, who had been detailed to
remain on the spot and keep their eyes and ears open, started off that
same evening with their prisoners. Later, Jan Boom came to the house
and gave me to understand he had something to tell me. The family had
just gone to bed, and Kendrew and I were sitting out on the stoep
smoking a last pipe.
"_Nkose_, the time has now come," he said, "to tell you what will sound
strange to your ears. I would not tell it before, no, not till the
_Amapolise_ had gone. The _Amapolise_ are too fond of asking many
questions--foolish questions--asking them, too, as if they thought you
were trying to throw sand in their eyes when all the time you are trying
to help them. Now is that encouraging to one who would help them?"