ike a lot of
overgrown schoolboys. It's undignified."

"Oh, I very much more than quite agree with you there. But then I
promised the chap. Now, how can I go back on a promise?"

More than ever now did her brother-in-law's insinuations with regard to
this man come back to Clare. And it struck her that he did not plead
that cowardice might be imputed to him if he failed--only that having
made a promise he ought to keep it. "He isn't a bad chap at bottom, Jim
Steele," went on Lamont, "except when he's squiffy, and then he gets
quarrelsome. Probably he'll have forgotten all about everything by the
time he wakes, or if not will recognise that he's made an ass of
himself."

"I should hope so, indeed. But we are getting away from the
witch-doctor. Why did you let him go?"

"Instinct, pure instinct. Natives are queer animals, and you don't
always know quite how to take them. If we had kept old Qubani, the
township might have been rushed this very night. By turning him loose,
full up with what I told him--well the move is justified by results, or
you and I would not be talking together up here comfortably at this
moment. Now this one has taken on a sort of respect for me--they do
that, you know. I asked him what he thought would happen if I gave away
for what purpose he was there. He wilted at that. Then I told him I
gave him his life, and he must not be less generous. He talked round
and round for a little, then said that I had better begin to move with
my things at a time of the moon I reckoned out at somewhere about a
fortnight hence. So now you see why I want you to get Fullerton to take
you in to Buluwayo."

"But, he won't do it. He might if you were to put it to him."

"That's just when he wouldn't. You know what they'd say, Miss Vidal
`Lamont's got 'em again'--meaning the funks."

This was said with little bitterness, rather with a sort of tolerant
contempt. Clare felt ashamed as she remembered all the remarks to which
she had listened, reflecting on this man's courage, and all because he
did not take kindly to some low, pothouse brawl. She kindled.

"How can anyone say such a thing--such a wicked thing--when you have
saved the whole settlement from massacre?"

"Oh, that wouldn't count. To begin with, they wouldn't believe what
I've just been telling you--would say I'd invented it. They'll believe
it fast enough in a week or two's time though. By the way, it was the
sight of old Qubani