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then I should be given the opportunity of escape and instantly shot
down。 Or it might be pretended that I had tried to escape； with a like
result。 Who； they urged； was to know in that half…light whether I had
or had not actually attempted to run for my life； or to threaten their
lives； circumstances under which the law said it was justifiable to
shoot a prisoner already formally condemned to death？
To this black counsel they all agreed； being so terribly afraid of a
poor English lad whose existence； although most of them did not know
this； was to be taken from him upon false evidence。 But then arose
another question： By whose hand should the thing be done？ Not one of
them； it would seem； was anxious to fulfil this bloody office； indeed；
they one and all refused to do so。 A proposal was put forward that some
of their native servants should be forced to serve as executioners； but
when this had been vetoed by the general sense of the court； their
counsels came to a deadlock。
Then； after a whispered conference； the commandant spoke some dreadful
words。
〃Hernando Pereira and Henri Marais；〃 he said； 〃it is on your evidence
that this young man has been condemned。 We believe that evidence； but
if by one jot or one tittle it is false； then not justice； but a foul
murder will have been committed and his innocent blood will be upon your
heads for ever。 Hernando Pereira and Henri Marais； the court appoints
you to be the guards who will bring the prisoner out of his house
to…morrow morning just when the sky begins to lighten。 It is from _you_
that he will try to escape； and _you_ will prevent his escape by his
death。 Then you must join us where we shall be waiting for you and
report the execution。〃
When Henri Marais heard this he exclaimed：
〃I swear by God that I cannot do it。 Is it right or natural that a man
should be forced to kill his own son…in…law？〃
〃You could bear evidence against your own son…in…law； Henri Marais；〃
answered the stern…faced commandant。 〃Why then cannot you kill with
your rifle one whom you have already helped to kill with your tongue？〃
〃I will not； I cannot！〃 said Marais； tearing at his beard。 But the
commandant only answered coldly：
〃You have the orders of the court； and if you choose to disobey them we
shall begin to believe that you have sworn falsely。 Then you and your
nephew will also appear before the great council when the Englishman is
tried again。 Still； it matters nothing to us whether you or Hernando
Pereira shall fire the shot。 See you to it； as the Jews said to Judas
who had betrayed the innocent Lord。〃
Then he paused and went on； addressing Pereira：
〃Do you also refuse； Hernando Pereira？ Remember before you answer that
if you do refuse we shall draw our own conclusions。 Remember； too； that
the evidence which you have given； showing that this wicked Englishman
plotted and caused the deaths of our brothers and of our wives and
children； which we believe to be true evidence； shall be weighed and
investigated word by word before the great council。〃
〃To give evidence is one thing； and to shoot the traitor and murderer
another；〃 said Pereira。 Then he added with an oath； or so vowed Hans：
〃Yet why should I； who know all this villain's guilt； refuse to carry
out the sentence of the law on him？ Have no fear； commandant； the
accursed Allan Quatermain shall not succeed in his attempt to escape
to…morrow before the dawn。〃
〃So be it；〃 said the commandant。 〃Now； do all you who have heard those
words take note of them。〃
Then Hans； seeing that the council was about to break up； and fearing
lest he should be caught and killed； slipped away by the same road that
he had come。 His thought was to warn me； but this he could not do
because of the guards。 So he went to the Prinsloos； and finding the
vrouw alone with Marie； who had recovered her mind； told them everything
that he had heard。
As he said； Marie knelt down and prayed； or thought for a long while；
then rose and spoke。
〃Tante；〃 she said to the vrouw； 〃one thing is clear； that Allan will be
murdered at the dawn； now if he is hidden away he may escape。〃
〃But where and how can we hide him；〃 asked the vrouw； 〃seeing that the
place is guarded？〃
〃Tante；〃 said Marie again； 〃at the back of your house is an old cattle
kraal made by Kaffirs； and in that cattle kraal； as I have seen； there
are mealie…pits where those Kaffirs stored their grain。 Now I suggest
that we should put my husband into one of those mealie…pits and cover it
over。 There the Boers might not find him； however close they searched。〃
〃That is a good idea；〃 said the vrouw； 〃but how in the name of God are
we to get Allan out of a guarded house into a mealie…pit？〃
〃Tante； I have a right to go to my husband's house； and there I will go。
Afterwards； too； I shall have the right to leave his house before he is
taken away。 Well； he might leave it in my place； _as me_； and you and
Hans might help him。 Then in the morning the Boers would come to search
the house and find no one except me。〃
〃That is all very pretty；〃 answered the vrouw； 〃but do you think； my
niece； that those accursed vultures will go away until they have picked
Allan's bones？ Not they； for too much hangs on it。 They will know that
he cannot be far off； and slink about the place until they have found
him in his mealie…hole or until he comes out。 It is blood they are
after； thanks to your cousin Hernan； the liar； and blood they will have
for their own safety's sake。 Never will they go away from here until
they see Allan lying dead upon the ground。〃
Now； according to Hans； Marie thought again very deeply。 Then she
answered：
〃There is a great risk； tante； but we must take it。 Send your husband
to chat with those guards； and give him a bottle of spirits。 I will
talk with Hans here and see what can be arranged。〃
So Marie went aside with Hans； as he told me afterwards； and asked him
if he knew of any medicine that made people sleep for a long while
without waking。 He answered； Yes； all the coloured people had plenty of
such medicine。 Without doubt he could get some from the Kaffirs who
dwelt upon the place； or if not he could dig the roots of a plant that
he had seen growing near by which would serve the purpose。 So she sent
him to procure this stuff。 Afterwards she spoke to the Vrouw Prinsloo；
saying：
〃My plan is that Allan should escape from our house disguised as myself。
But as I know well that he will not run away while he has his senses；
seeing that to do so in his mind would be to confess his guilt； I
propose to take his senses from him by means of a drugged drink。 Then I
propose that you and Hans should carry him into the shadow of this
house； and when no one is looking； to the old grain…pit that lies but a
few yards away； covering the mouth of it with dead grass。 There he will
remain till the Boers grow