The Summons

Garden

ens of Cairo and Khartum replenish their cages from Senga. But there are no cages at Senga, and only the honey-badger lives in a tub with a chain round his neck, like a bull-dog. The buffalo and the elepha

ey don't come along with the buns and sugar. Once within the zareba, once you have pushed your way between the giraffes and got their noses out of your jacket-pockets, you have really only to be wary of the ostrich. He, mincing

the zareba was the one spectacle in Senga. He kicked the honey-badger's tub in his little reed-house and

came in a week ago from just south of the Khor Galagu. You had something private to

stepped like a delicate lady in a muddy street. Hillyard found it a little difficult to concentrate his thoughts on Stella Croyle's message. But he w

Dark Tower,'" he began, and suddenly

ed the ostrich indifferently. "

e ostrich sidled away as if it really didn't

uttrell

-party given by Sir

O

s went watchfully to Hillyard's face, and he seem

duced me to a f

ell n

. Cr

es

was w

ealth

voice. "It would have troubled me if you had brought me any other news of her. Yes, that w

e is un

t he had an eye all the while for the movements of the animals in the zareba. At last he halted,

o-except the single

f I should chance to meet

ace hardened

hear it,

ews of her, and that from time to time she

was

es

was rolling in the grass like a dog, the giraffes crowded about the little door like beggars outside a restaurant. The two friends walked back towards the town in an air shimmeri

a man sweeping something behind him, "all that

as not a man exasperated by a woman's unseasonable import

with a smile. "Not all the king'

had Harry Luttrell in their keeping. Messages? Martin Hillyard might expect them, might indeed respond to and obey them, and with advantage, just becau

Governor's house Ha

with us. So I'll say now," and his face brightened with a smile, as though here at all events were a ma

her and the Cherwell under its overhanging branches. Then Luttrell looked o

, Martin," he said. "Half-past one at the l

" answered Hilly

but since it's no concern of yours, I would just as soon you were out of the way. I have f

. Of that he was sure and was glad, though Stella's tear-stained face would rise up between his eyes and the water of the Nile. Sooner or later Harry Luttrell would come home, bearing his

nkey and given the order for his caravan to march, he was hailed by Luttrell's voice.

the donkey's neck. "Good luck, old m

said Hi

ry Luttrell had risen, after wishing him

his hand on the li

e to our honorary

es

t for

won

her. So Hillyard still waited, an

lad to hear it. That Stella was well-quite wel

t's the

was a little afra

yard rode forward on the long and dreary stage to

his own affairs. The message delivered to him in the forest of the River Dinder! It might mean nothing. It was the part of prudence to make light of his hopes and conjectures. But the h