as well as many kindly offers of assistance both
monetary and official. Declining the former, I sailed for Cape Town as
soon as ever I could possibly get away, and finally worked round to
Durban, where, in a lucky moment for all of us, I tumbled up against
Leigh's advertisement, and, recognising in Driffield an old friend of
mine, professional instinct prompted me to call and pump him with regard
to Grenville the missing; but it was only after the lawyer had made me a
most generous offer with the object of inducing me to lead a search
party into the Interior, and had given me the history of the adventures
of you two in East Utah, that a sudden inspiration gave me the clue to
Monckton Bassett's whereabouts.

"Zero, I said to myself, means just nothing at all: why then has this
man--who, by the way, thinks no small beer of himself--adopted such an
extraordinary name?

"Next, is there any place or district in Africa bearing the name of
Zero. No! Stop! then like a living ray of light upon my mental
darkness was flashed the answer--the Line--the Equatorial Line--Number
Nought--_that is Zero_. I wired New York at once, obtained the latest
particulars of his known movements, and then, with complete faith in my
good angel, I shut up my notebook, went right off to Driffield and
engaged myself in the search both body and soul. And now, my friends, I
am here, and you, Grenville, are free, and all I ask is that you will
both wait long enough for me to settle my little account with this
infernal scoundrel, and then Westward Ho! for all of us."

"One moment, Kenyon," interjected Leigh; "I claim this fiend from hell
as my personal property. Think, man, you have but lost one who, it is
true, was almost your wife; but I, ah! God, he owes me everything--
wife, child, my love, my life--my very trust in Heaven, and for this I
hold my right to prove upon his vile body to be before the right of any
living man;" and, strung to the highest pitch, by the very worst and
strongest passions of human nature, these two firm friends fairly glared
at one another in the thoughtless anger of this intense moment.

"Peace! gentlemen," said the attentive Grenville, "peace! Remember I
too have a right to act in this matter, if aught of wrong received upon
this earth can give the right of revenge upon a fellow-man. Nay, Alf, I
am not seeking to enforce my claim. God's hand rests upon this curse of
Central Africa, as I told him to his face, and w