to stare back, but in a feeble kind of way. Then Mimi came close
and held her hand. That braced her up, and--still, never ceasing her
return stare--she got colour again and seemed more like herself."

"Did he stare too?"

"More than ever. The weaker Lilla seemed, the stronger he became, just
as if he were feeding on her strength. All at once she turned round,
threw up her hands, and fell down in a faint. I could not see what else
happened just then, for Mimi had thrown herself on her knees beside her
and hid her from me. Then there was something like a black shadow
between us, and there was the nigger, looking more like a malignant devil
than ever. I am not usually a patient man, and the sight of that ugly
devil is enough to make one's blood boil. When he saw my face, he seemed
to realise danger--immediate danger--and slunk out of the room as
noiselessly as if he had been blown out. I learned one thing, however--he
is an enemy, if ever a man had one."

"That still leaves us three to two!" put in Sir Nathaniel.

"Then Caswall slunk out, much as the nigger had done. When he had gone,
Lilla recovered at once."

"Now," said Sir Nathaniel, anxious to restore peace, "have you found out
anything yet regarding the negro? I am anxious to be posted regarding
him. I fear there will be, or may be, grave trouble with him."

"Yes, sir, I've heard a good deal about him--of course it is not
official; but hearsay must guide us at first. You know my man
Davenport--private secretary, confidential man of business, and general
factotum. He is devoted to me, and has my full confidence. I asked him
to stay on board the _West African_ and have a good look round, and find
out what he could about Mr. Caswall. Naturally, he was struck with the
aboriginal savage. He found one of the ship's stewards, who had been on
the regular voyages to South Africa. He knew Oolanga and had made a
study of him. He is a man who gets on well with niggers, and they open
their hearts to him. It seems that this Oolanga is quite a great person
in the nigger world of the African West Coast. He has the two things
which men of his own colour respect: he can make them afraid, and he is
lavish with money. I don't know whose money--but that does not matter.
They are always ready to trumpet his greatness. Evil greatness it is--but
neither does that matter. Briefly, this is his history. He was
originally a witch-finder--about as low an occupation