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them all the time！
〃Well； I left those women there；〃 said Peter； dropping his hands on his
knees。 〃Mind you； I'd treated those women really well。 I'd never given
either of them one touch all the time I had them。 I was the talk of all
the fellows round； the way I treated them。 Well； I hadn't been gone a
month； when I got a letter from the man I worked with； the one who had the
woman firsthe's dead now； poor fellow； they found him at his hut door
with his throat cutand what do you think he said to me？ Why； I hadn't
been gone six hours when those two women skooted！ It was all the big one。
What do you think she did？ She took every ounce of ball and cartridge she
could find in that hut； and my old Martini…Henry； and even the lid off the
tea…box to melt into bullets for the old muzzle…loaders they have； and off
she went； and took the young one too。 The fellow wrote me they didn't
touch another thing： they left the shawls and dresses I gave them kicking
about the huts； and went off naked with only their blankets and the
ammunition on their heads。 A nigger man met them twenty miles off； and he
said they were skooting up for Lo Magundi's country as fast as they could
go。
〃And do you know；〃 said Peter； striking his knee； and looking impressively
across the fire at the stranger； 〃what I'm as sure of as that I'm sitting
here？ It's that that nigger I caught at my hut； that day； was her nigger
husband！ He'd come to fetch her that time； and when she saw she couldn't
get away without our catching her； she got the cartridges for him！〃 Peter
paused impressively between the words。 〃And now she's gone back to him。
It's for him she's taken that ammunition！〃
Peter looked across the fire at the stranger； to see what impression his
story was making。
〃I tell you what；〃 said Peter； 〃if I'd had any idea that day who that
bloody nigger was； the day I saw him standing at my door； I'd have given
him one cartridge in the back of his head more than ever he reckoned for！〃
Peter looked triumphantly at the stranger。 This was his only story； and he
had told it a score of times round the camp fire for the benefit of some
new…comer。 When this point was reached； a low murmur of applause and
sympathy always ran round the group： tonight there was quiet； the
stranger's large dark eyes watched the fire almost as though he heard
nothing。
〃I shouldn't have minded so much；〃 said Peter after a while； 〃though no man
likes to have his woman taken away from him； but she was going to have a
kid in a month or twoand so was the little one for anything I know； she
looked like it！ I expect they did away with it before it came； they've no
hearts； these niggers； they'd think nothing of doing that with a white
man's child。 They've no hearts； they'd rather go back to a black man；
however well you've treated them。 It's all right if you get them quite
young and keep them away from their own people； but if once a nigger
woman's had a nigger man and had children by him； you might as well try to
hold a she…devil！ they'll always go back。 If ever I'm shot； it's as likely
as not it'll be by my own gun； with my own cartridges。 And she'd stand by
and watch it； and cheer them on； though I never gave her a blow all the
time she was with me。 But I tell you whatif ever I come across that
bloody nigger； I'll take it out of him。 He won't count many days to his
year； after I've spotted him！〃 Peter Halket paused。 It seemed to him that
the eyes under their heavy； curled lashes； were looking at something beyond
him with an infinite sadness； almost as of eyes that wept。
〃You look awfully tired；〃 said Peter； 〃wouldn't you like to lie down and
sleep？ You could put your head down on that stone； and I'd keep watch。〃
〃I have no need of sleep；〃 the stranger said； 〃I will watch with you。〃
〃You've been in the wars； too； I see；〃 said Peter； bending forward a
little； and looking at the stranger's feet。 〃By God！ Both of them！And
right through！ You must have had a bad time of it？〃
〃It was very long ago；〃 said the stranger。
Peter Halket threw two more logs on the fire。 〃Do you know；〃 he said；
〃I've been wondering ever since you came； who it was you reminded me of。
It's my mother！ You're not like her in the face； but when your eyes look
at me it seems to me as if it was she looking at me。 Curious； isn't it？ I
don't know you from Adam； and you've hardly spoken a word since you came；
and yet I seem as if I'd known you all my life。〃 Peter moved a little
nearer him。 〃I was awfully afraid of you when you first came； even when I
first saw you；you aren't dressed as most of us dress； you know。 But the
minute the fire shone on your face I said； 'It's all right。' Curious；
isn't it？〃 said Peter。 〃I don't know you from Adam； but if you were to
take up my gun and point it at me； I wouldn't move！ I'd lie down here and
go to sleep with my head at your feet； curious； isn't it； when I don't know
you from Adam？ My name's Peter Halket。 What's yours？〃
But the stranger was arranging the logs on the fire。 The flames shot up
bright and high； and almost hid him from Peter Halket's view。
〃By gad！ how they burn when you arrange them！〃 said Peter。
They sat quiet in the blaze for a while。
Then Peter said； 〃Did you see any niggers about yesterday？ I haven't come
across any in this part。〃
〃There is；〃 said the stranger； raising himself； 〃an old woman in a cave
over yonder； and there is one man in the bush； ten miles from this spot。
He has lived there six weeks； since you destroyed the kraal； living on
roots or herbs。 He was wounded in the thigh； and left for dead。 He is
waiting till you have all left this part of the country that he may set out
to follow his own people。 His leg is not yet so strong that he may walk
fast。〃
〃Did you speak to him？〃 said Peter。
〃I took him down to the water where a large pool was。 The bank was too
high for the man to descend alone。〃
〃It's a lucky thing for you our fellows didn't catch you；〃 said Peter。
〃Our captain's a regular little martinet。 He'd shoot you as soon as look
at you； if he saw you fooling round with a wounded nigger。 It's lucky you
kept out of his way。〃
〃The young ravens have meat given to them；〃 said the stranger； lifting
himself up； 〃and the lions go down to the streams to drink。〃
〃Ahyes〃 said Peter； 〃but that's because we can't help it！〃
They were silent again for a little while。 Then Peter； seeing that the
stranger showed no inclination to speak； said； 〃Did you hear of the spree
they had up Bulawayo way； hanging those three niggers for spies？ I wasn't
there myself； but a fellow who was told me they made the niggers jump down
from the tree and hang themselves； one fellow wouldn't bally jump； till
they gave him a charge of buckshot in the back： and then he caught hold of
a branch with his hands and they had to shoot 'em loose。 He didn't like
hanging。 I don't kn