In the Whirl of the Rising Part 14

It must be conceded that the racing was poor, but then, so for the most part were the horses, thanks to the protracted drought and the necessity of their training consisting of the process of earning their keep. But the day was lovely--cloudless and golden--and the heat rose in a s.h.i.+mmer from the mimosa-dotted veldt and the dark, bushy slope of Ehlatini lining up to the vivid depths of heaven's blue. A sort of impromptu grand stand had been effected by placing chairs and benches along a couple of empty waggons, and at the corner of one of these Clare sat-- still holding her court--while her fervid wors.h.i.+ppers talked up to her from the ground. The luncheon hour was over--so, too, were the races, but the afternoon would be devoted to tent-pegging and other sports.

"Hallo!" said one of the favoured group. "Blest if that isn't Lamont over there, and--he's got his coat on."

"Where else should he have it, Mr Wyndham?" said the girl mischievously.

"He shouldn't have it at all. You know, Miss Vidal, it's an unwritten rule up here that none of us wear coats."

"But I notice that you are all mighty particular about your collars and ties," laughed Clare.

"'M--yes. But wearing a coat stamps you as a new-comer. Even Ancram here has fallen into our way."

Ancram had, and moreover mightily fancied himself accordingly; and had turned on an additional swagger which he flattered himself still further marked him out as the complete pioneer. He had been introduced to Clare, but inwardly raged at the marked coldness in her demeanour towards himself. It was no imagination, he was satisfied, her frank sunniness of manner towards everybody else placed that beyond a doubt.

Others had remarked on it too.

"What have you been doing to Miss Vidal, old chap?" one of his newly-found friends inquired. "She seems to have a down on you." And Ancram had replied that he was hanged if he knew.

"Why, he's missed all the races," went on the first speaker, referring to Lamont. "He's looking a bit seedy too. And--no, he hasn't. He hasn't got on his revolver."

"That's rum, for he never moves without it," said another. "We chaff him a bit about that, Miss Vidal, but he says he prefers being on the safe side."

"Lamont would prefer that," said Ancram significantly.

"Haven't you just been stopping with him?" said Clare rather sharply, turning on the speaker. "He's a friend of yours, isn't he?"

"Um--ah--yes, yes. Of course," was the somewhat confused reply.

"I'm not sure Mr Lamont isn't right," she went on for the benefit of the rest. "This is a country full of savages, and savages are often treacherous. Aren't they, Mr Driffield?"

"Aren't who, and what, Miss Vidal?" replied the Native Commissioner, who was in the act of joining the group. She repeated her remark.

"Oh yes. You'll get Ancram to agree with you on that head," he added significantly.

"There!" she cried triumphantly.

"I say, though, Miss Vidal," objected another man, "you surely wouldn't have us all roll up at a peaceable gymkhana hung round with six-shooters, like the conventional cowboy? Eh?"

"Well, where should we be if a Matabele impi were to rush in on us now?"

she persisted. "Utterly at its mercy, of course. Imagine it charging out from there, for instance," pointing towards the dark line of bush on the slope of Ehlatini.

Some of the other occupants of the 'grand stand' here raised quite a flutter of protest. It was too bad of Miss Vidal to indulge in such horrible imaginings, they declared. It made them quite uncomfortable.

Many a true word was spoken in jest--and so forth. But the men laughed indulgently; utterly and sceptically scornful their mirth would have been but for the s.e.x and popularity of the speaker.

Many a true word spoken in jest! Yes, indeed. Here a lively holiday scene--the clatter of the horses, laughter and jollity and flirtation-- nearly a couple of hundred men, besides women and children, the former unarmed,--all save one. The wretched ryot returning at sunset to his jungle village is not more blissfully unconscious of the lurking presence of the dread man-eater, which in a moment more, will, with lightning-like pounce, sweep him out of existence, than are these, that yonder, upon the bushy slope almost overhanging their pleasure ground, a thousand armed savages are hungrily watching for the signal which shall change this sunny, light-hearted scene into a drama of carnage, and woe and horror unutterable. All--save one.

"You've got such a lively imagination, you ought to write a book about us, Miss Vidal," suggested Wyndham. "You could make some funny characters out of some of us, I'll bet."

"I don't doubt it for a moment. Shall I begin with yourself, Mr Wyndham?"

"Oh, I say though, I don't know about that. Here's Driffield, he'd make a much better character than I would. Or Lamont--here, Lamont," he called out, as the latter was pa.s.sing near. "Roll up, man, and hear your luck. Miss Vidal is going to write a book and make you the princ.i.p.al character."

"Really, Mr Wyndham, I wouldn't have believed it of you," laughed Clare. "To tell such shocking taradiddles. It's obviously a long time since you attended Sunday school. Now, go away. I won't talk to you any more--for--let me see, well, not for half an hour. Go away. Half an hour, mind."

He swept off his hat with comic ruefulness. Then over his shoulder--

"I resign--_vice_ Lamont promoted--for half an hour."

"That means a whole hour, now," called out Clare after him, whereat a great laugh went up from her hearers.

From all but one, that is; and to this one all this chaff and light-hearted merriment was too awful, too ghastly--he, who _knew_ what none of these even so much as suspected.

"And the flood came and destroyed them all," he quoted to himself. And as he contemplated all these women occupying the 'grand stand'--cool and dainty and elegant in their light summer attire--and this beautiful girl queening it over her little court of admirers, it seemed to him that the responsibility resting upon his own shoulders was too great, too awful, too superhuman: and the thought flitted through his brain that perhaps he ought never to have a.s.sumed it. A warning to the authorities to postpone the race meeting and put the towns.h.i.+p into a state of defence-- would not such have been his plain duty? But then they would only have laughed at him for a scare-monger and have done nothing. Moreover, even had he decided on such a plan, the Fates had already decided against it, for the lame horse on which he had started for Gandela had gone lamer still, with the result that he had been obliged to abandon the animal, and cover nearly half the distance on foot. He had further been forced to make a considerable _detour_, in order to avoid the mustering impi, portions of which he had seen, and all heading for the point arranged upon--consequently it was not until the early afternoon that he gained the towns.h.i.+p at all.

There was yet time. The prize-giving was the crucial moment, and that would not take place for at least three hours. He made a good meal at the hotel--an absolute necessity--and sent it down with a bottle of the best champagne the house had got. Even then, when he arrived on the course, he drew the remark that he was 'looking rather seedy,' as we have heard.

"Why, Mr Lamont, you are quiet," said Clare brightly. "Shall I offer you the regulation penny?"

He smiled queerly.

"Am I? Oh, Driffield's making such a row one couldn't have heard oneself speak in any case."

"I like that," exclaimed the implicated one. "By Jove, old chap, you do look chippy! And--you've got a coat on."

"Yes. Premonitory touch of fever. No good taking risks. That you, Ancram? I say, why the d.i.c.kens didn't you send back my gee again? I've been wanting him more than enough, I can tell you."

Ancram explained that he thought a day or two more or less didn't matter, and he was awfully sorry, and so on, the while he was thinking what a beastly disagreeable chap Lamont could be if he liked, and what rotten form it was kicking up a row in public about his old bag of bones, which he probably hadn't really been in want of at all.

"I'm tired of sitting here," p.r.o.nounced Clare. "I want to walk about a bit. Help me down, someone!"

Half a dozen hands were extended, but it was on Lamont's that hers rested as she tripped down the cranky, wobbly steps, knocked up out of old boxes.

"You coming, Lucy? No? Too hot? Oh well."

Lamont was obviously the favoured one to-day, decided the others, observing how decidedly, though without appearing to do so, she took possession of him; wherefore they refrained from making an escort, except Ancram, whom she promptly cold-shouldered in such wise that even he was not proof against it, and finally dropped off, wondering what on earth any girl could see in a dull disagreeable dog like Lamont, who hadn't three words to say for himself.

"Will you do something for me if I ask you, Mr Lamont?" said Clare, as they found themselves a little apart from the rest, who were watching some high jumping.

"Certainly I will, Miss Vidal--er, that is--if I can."

Really he was in good sooth doing his best to deserve Ancram's verdict.

That sweet bright face, looking up at him in a way that most of those present would have given something to occupy his shoes, surely deserved an answer less frigid, less halting. Clare herself felt something of this, and she replied--

"Oh, it's nothing very great. I only want you to enter for the tent-pegging."

He was relieved. He had contemplated the possibility of her requiring some service that would necessitate him leaving his post--hence the hesitation.

"Of course I will. But isn't it too late to enter?"

"No. If it is they'll have to waive the rule. I'm going to put money on you."