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Spanish Jew？〃
〃I am a Jew of Palestine。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Peter； 〃I haven't seen many from that part yet。 I came out with
a lot on board ship； and I've seen Barnato and Beit； but they're not very
much like you。 I suppose it's coming from Palestine makes the difference。〃
All fear of the stranger had now left Peter Halket。 〃Come a little nearer
the fire；〃 he said； 〃you must be cold； you haven't too much wraps。 I'm
chill in this big coat。〃 Peter Halket pushed his gun a little further away
from him； and threw another large log on the fire。 〃I'm sorry I haven't
anything to eat to offer you； but I haven't had anything myself since last
night。 It's beastly sickening； being out like this with nothing to eat。
Wouldn't have thought a fellow'd feel so bad after only a day of it。 Have
you ever been out without grub？〃 said Peter cheerfully； warming his hands
at the blaze。
〃Forty days and nights；〃 said the stranger。
〃Forty days！ Pheew！〃 said Peter。 〃You must have have had a lot to
drink； or you wouldn't have stood it。 I was feeling blue enough when you
turned up； but I'm better now； warmer。〃
Peter Halket re…arranged the logs on the fire。
〃In the employ of the Chartered Company； I suppose？〃 said Peter； looking
into the fire he had made。
〃No；〃 said the stranger； 〃I have nothing to do with the Chartered Company。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Peter； 〃I don't wonder； then； that things aren't looking very
smart with you！ There's not too much cakes and ale up here for those that
do belong to it； if they're not big…wigs； and none at all for those who
don't。 I tried it when I first came up here。 I was with a prospector who
was hooked on to the Company somehow； but I worked on my own account for
the prospector by the day。 I tell you what； it's not the men who work up
here who make the money； it's the big…wigs who get the concessions！〃
Peter felt exhilarated by the presence of the stranger。 That one unarmed
man had robbed him of all fear。
Seeing that the stranger did not take up the thread of conversation； he
went on after a time： 〃It wasn't such a bad life； though。 I only wish I
was back there again。 I had two huts to myself； and a couple of nigger
girls。 It's better fun；〃 said Peter； after a while； 〃having these black
women than whites。 The whites you've got to support； but the niggers
support you！ And when you've done with them you can just get rid of them。
I'm all for the nigger gals。〃 Peter laughed。 But the stranger sat
motionless with his arms about his knees。
〃You got any girls？〃 said Peter。 〃Care for niggers？〃
〃I love all women；〃 said the stranger； refolding his arms about his knees。
〃Oh； you do； do you？〃 said Peter。 〃Well； I'm pretty sick of them。 I had
bother enough with mine；〃 he said genially； warming his hands by the fire；
and then interlocking the fingers and turning the palms towards the blaze
as one who prepares to enjoy a good talk。 〃One girl was only fifteen； I
got her cheap from a policeman who was living with her； and she wasn't
much。 But the other； by Gad！ I never saw another nigger like her； well
set up； I tell you； and as straight as that〃 said Peter； holding up his
finger in the firelight。 〃She was thirty if she was a day。 Fellows don't
generally fancy women that age； they like slips of girls。 But I set my
heart on her the day I saw her。 She belonged to the chap I was with。 He
got her up north。 There was a devil of a row about his getting her； too；
she'd got a nigger husband and two children； didn't want to leave them； or
some nonsense of that sort： you know what these niggers are？ Well； I tried
to get the other fellow to let me have her； but the devil a bit he would。
I'd only got the other girl； and I didn't much fancy her； she was only a
child。 Well； I went down Umtali way and got a lot of liquor and stuff； and
when I got back to camp I found them clean dried out。 They hadn't had a
drop of liquor in camp for ten days； and the rainy season coming on and no
knowing when they'd get any。 Well； I'd a vatje of Old Dop as high as that…
…；〃 indicating with his hand an object about two feet high； 〃and the other
fellow wanted to buy it from me。 I knew two of that。 I said I wanted it
for myself。 He offered me this； and he offered me that。 At last I said；
'Well； just to oblige you； I give you the vatje and you give me the girl！'
And so he did。 Most people wouldn't have fancied a nigger girl who'd had
two nigger children； but I didn't mind； it's all the same to me。 And I
tell you she worked。 She made a garden； and she and the other girl worked
in it； I tell you I didn't need to buy a sixpence of food for them in six
months； and I used to sell green mealies and pumpkins to all the fellows
about。 There weren't many flies on her； I tell you。 She picked up English
quicker than I picked up her lingo； and took to wearing a dress and shawl。〃
The stranger still sat motionless； looking into the fire。
Peter Halket reseated himself more comfortably before the fire。 〃Well； I
came home to the huts one day； rather suddenly； you know； to fetch
something； and what did I find？ She； talking at the hut door with a nigger
man。 Now it was my strict orders they were neither to speak a word to a
nigger man at all； so I asked what it was。 And she answers； as cool as can
be； that he was a stranger going past on the road； and asked her to give
him a drink of water。 Well； I just ordered him off。 I didn't think
anything more about it。 But I remember now。 I saw him hanging about the
camp the day after。 Well； she came to me the next day and asked me for a
lot of cartridges。 She'd never asked me for anything before。 I asked her
what the devil a woman wanted with cartridges； and she said the old nigger
woman who helped carry in water to the garden said she couldn't stay and
help her any more unless she got some cartridges to give her son who was
going up north hunting elephants。 The woman got over me to give her the
cartridges because she was going to have a kid； and she said she couldn't
do the watering without help。 So I gave them her。 I never put two and two
together。
〃Well； when I heard that the Company was going to have a row with the
Matabele； I thought I'd volunteer。 They said there was lots of loot to be
got； and land to be given out； and that sort of thing； and I thought I'd
only be gone about three months。 So I went。 I left those women there； and
a lot of stuff in the garden and some sugar and rice； and I told them not
to leave till I came back； and I asked the other man to keep an eye on
them。 Both those women were Mashonas。 They always said the Mashonas
didn't love the Matabele； but； by God； it turned out that they loved them
better than they loved us。 They've got the damned impertinence to say；
that the Matabele oppressed them sometimes； but the white man oppresses
them all the time！
〃Well； I left those women there；〃 said Peter； dropping his hands