Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 243: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

234 Pan tried to evade an answer. “You have decided to have a raft built, I suppose,” he said. “Yes,” Bradshaw responded, look- ing curiously at his companion. “ Set the men to work, for no time should be lost, and then tell me what’s on your mind,” Pan summoned the carriers at once as if fearful that Bradshaw would change his intentions. He busied him- self in superintending operations more than was necessary, and at length Bradshaw told him to desist. “You are holding something back from me, Pan, old fellow,” he said, “and I won’t have it. Let the men work by themselves. They know well enough what to do. Tell me, Pan.” “Ah! Mr. Bradshaw,” exclaimed Pan, as if the words choked him, “ I have lost the opportunity to do you the greatest possible service. [I should have killed that man last night when to do so would have been justifiable in your eyes. Then you would not have been obliged to take him home.” “ Killed him last night?” repeated Bradshaw, slowly and in great amaze- ment; “ what do you mean?”’ Then Pan told him about Murdock’s attempt to murder Mtema. “Madman!” exclaimed Bradshaw. “JT think not,” Pan continued; “he may be mad on the subject of diamonds but there is reason enough in his other actions. I have wondered and won- dered whether I ought to tell you. It will put a new load of sorrow on your heart.” “ You must tell me, Pan,” said Brad- shaw, calmly, “ now that you have gone so far. I am sure nothing can make the man seem worse to me than he now does.”’ “ But harder.” “ Great Scott! can tt be harder than itis now?” “You shall say. The man is no lon- ger of your race. He has become a savage,” it makes your problem THE ARGOSY. ‘That has been painfully evident for some time.” “ You do not take in my full mean- ing, Mr. Bradshaw. Murdock has joined the tribe. He is a Marotse.” Bradshaw frowned dubiously. “That is not exactly surprising,” he said; “ Murdock himself told me how King Bangwe made him a sort of prime minister. That meant a pretty close alliance with the tribe.” “Yes, but did he tell you that it in- cluded a formal initiation to member- ship in the tribe? Mtema has told me about it. There was a great ceremony, lasting quite a day, in the course of which Murdock renounced his native country and ‘his religion, and adopted the pagan religion of the Marotses.” “You see, nothing surprises or shocks me now,” said Bradshaw, with asad smile. “ I did not know that Mur- dock had gone so far as that, but it is all in keeping with his desperate’ pur- pose to find this mine. “Tt is a consistent feature of his ma- nia. Having set his mind to the ac- complishment of this purpose, he halted at nothing that might promote his ends. He justifies his recent de- sertion of the tribe and his deception of the king by the fact that it was his original, deliberate intention to do so if the opportunity arose. Mind you, Pan, I’m not justifying him in the slightest degree. I am merely point- ing out that his apparent adoption of Marotse citizenship and the Marotse religion, were only apparent. “It was a false course, but it was deliberately chosen for the end that he thinks he has at last accomplished. That end, of course, involves his return to civilization as a rich man, and the critical question will be to convince him that he is now rich enough with the diamonds he found today to return with us and without further delay.” Pan’s grave face was drawn with anguish as he listened patiently to his employer’s argument. Noting the ex- pression, -Bradshaw added ; orn ElOOO© CO