thought without interest. He made no effort to hasten his horse but let it amble down towards the town. Now he could smell the smoke from the coal mine, tarry and thick in the back of his throat. They entered the main street. The town seemed deserted in the cold. Sean did not intend stopping, he would camp on the far side; but when he reached the hotel he hesitated.
There was warmth in there and laughter and the sound of men's voices and he was suddenly aware that his fingers were stiff with cold.
Mbejane, take my horse. Find a place to camp beyond the town and make a fire so I won't miss you in the dark. Sean climbed down and walked into the bar. The room was full, miners most of them, he could see the grey coal dust etched into their skins. They looked at him incuriously as he crossed to the counter and ordered a brandy. He drank it slowly, making no attempt to join the loud talk around him.
The drunk was a short man but built like Table Mountain, low, square and solid. He had to stand on tiptoe to put his arm around Sean's neck. Have a drink with me, Boetie. His breath smelt sour and old.
No thanks. Sean was in no mood for drunks. Come on, come on, the drunk insisted; he staggered and Sean's drink slopped onto the counter.
Leave me alone. Sean shrugged the arm away. You've got something against me? No. I just feel like drinking alone. You don't like my face, maybe? The drunk held it close to Sean's. Sean didn't like it. Push off, there's a good fellow.
The drunk slapped the counter. Charlie, give this big ape a drink. Make it a double. If he don't drink it, I ram it down his throat. Sean ignored the proffered glass. He swallowed what remained in his own and turned for the door. The drunk threw the brandy in his face. The spirit burned his eyes and he hit the man in the stomach. As his head came down Sean hit him again, in the face. The drunk spun sideways, fell and lay bleeding from his nose. What you hit him for? Another miner was helping the drunk into a sitting position. It wouldn't cost you nothing to have a drink with him.
Sean felt the hostility in the room; he was the outsider. This boy is looking for troubleIgoHe's a tough monkey. We know how to handle tough monkeysCome on, let's sort this bastard out Sean had hit the man as a reflex action. He was sorry now, but his guilt evaporated as he saw them gathering against him. Gone too was his mood of depression and in its place was a sense of relief. This was what he needed.
There were six of them moving in on him in a pack.
Six was a fairly well-rounded number. One of them had a bottle in his hand and Sean started to smile. They were talking loudly, spreading courage and waiting for one of their fellows to start it.
Sean saw movement out of the side of his eye and jumped back to cover it with his hands ready. Steady on there, a very English voice soothed him. I have come to offer my services. It seems to me you have adversaries and to spare. The speaker had stood up from one of the tables behind Sean. He was tall, with a gauntly ravage d face and an immaculate grey suit.
I want them all, said Sean.
Damned unsporting. The newcomer shook his head.
I'll buy the three gentlemen on the left if your price is reasonable. Take two as a gift and consider yourself lucky. Sean grinned at him and the man grinned back. They had almost forgotten the impending action in the pleasure of meeting'Very decent of you. May I introduce myself, Dufford Charleywood. He shifted the light cane into his left hand and extended his right to Sean.
Sean Courtney. Sean accepted the hand. Are you bastards going to fight or what! protested one of the miners impatiently.
rWe are, dear boy, we are, said Duff and moved lightly as a dancer towards him, swinging the cane. Thin as it was it made a noise like a well-hit baseball along the man's head.
Then there were five, said Duff. He flicked the cane and, weighted with lead, it made a most satisfactory swish. Like a swordsman he lunged into the throat of the second miner. The man lay on the floor and made a strangling noise.
,The rest are yours, Mr Courtney, said Duff regretfully.
Sean dived in low, spreading his arms to scoop up all n the pile of bodies four pairs of legs at once. He sat up i and started punching and kicking.
Messy, very messy, murmured Duff disapprovingly.
The yelps and thuds gradually petered into silence and Sean stood up. His lip was bleeding and the lapel was torn off his jacket.
Drink? asked Duff.
Brandy, please. Sean smiled at the elegant figure against the bar. I won't refuse another drink this evening. They took the glasses to Duff's table, stepping over the bodies as they went.
Mud in your eye!
Down the old red lane!
Then they studied each other with frank interest, ignoring the clearing up operations being conducted around them.
,You are travelling? asked Duff.
Yes, are you? No such luck. I am in the permanent employ of Dundee Collieries Ltd. You work here! Sean looked incredulous for Duff was a peacock among pigeons.
Assistant Engineer, nodded Duff. But not for long; the taste of coal-dust sticks in my craw. May I suggest something to wash it outV
A splendid idea, agreed Duff.
Sean brought the drinks to the table.
Where are you headed? asked Duff.
I was facing north when I started, shrugged Sean, I just kept going that way. Where did you start from? South. Sean answered abruptly.
Sorry, I didn't mean to pry. Duff smiled. Yours is brandy, isn't it? The Barman came round from behind the counter and crossed to their table.
Hello, Charlie, Duff greeted him. I take it you require compensation for the damage to your fittings and furniture?
Don't worry about it, Mr Charleywood. Not often we have a good barney like that. We don't mind the odd table and chair as long as it's worth watching. Have it on the house. That's extremely good of you. That's not what I came across for, Mr Charleywood.
I've got something I'd like you to take a look at, you being a mining chap and all. Could you spare a minute, sir? Come on, Sean.
Let's see what Charlie's got for us. My guess is it's a beautiful woman. It's not actually, sir, said Charlie seriously and led the way through into the back room. Charlie reached up and took a lump of rock down from one of the shelves. He held it out to Duff. What do you make of that?
Duff took it and weighed it in his hand, then peered closely at it. It was glassy grey, blotched with white and dark-red and divided by a broad black stripe.
Some sort of conglomerate. Duff spoke without enthusiasm. What's the mystery? Friend of mine brought it down from Kruger's Republic on the other side of the mountains. He says it's gold bearing.
They've made a big strike at a place called Witwatersrand just outside Pretoria. Of course, I don't put much store by these rumours cos you hear them all the time: diamonds and gold, gold and diamonds Charlie laughed and wiped his hands on his apron.
Anyway my friend says the Boers are selling licences to them as want to dig for the stuff. Thought I'd just get you to have a look. I'll take this with me, Charlie, and pan it in the inoming. Right now my friend and I are drinking. Sean opened his eyes the next morning to find the sun burning in through the window above his bed. He closed them again hurriedly and tried to remember where he was. There was a pain in his head that distracted him and a noise. The noise was a regular croaking rattle; it sounded as though someone was dying. Sean opened his eyes and turned his head slowly. Someone was in the bed across the room. Sean groped for a boot and threw it; there was a snort and Duff's head came up. For a second he regarded Sean through eyes as red as a winter sunset and then he subsided gently back into the blankets. Keep it down to a bellow, whispered Sean. You are in the presence of grave illness.
A long time later a servant brought coffee.
'Send word to my office that I am sick, commanded Duff. I have done so. The servant clearly understood his master. He went on, There is one outside who seeks the other Nkosi! He glanced at Sean. He is greatly worried IMbejane. Tell him to wait, said Sean.
They drank coffee in silence, sitting on the edge of their beds.
How did I get here? asked Sean. Laddie, if you don't know, then nobody does Duff stood up and crossed the room to find fresh clothing. He was naked and Sean saw that although he was slim as a boy his body was finely muscled.
My God, what does Charlie put in his liquor? complained Duff as he picked up his jacket.
He found the lump of rock in the pocket, brought it out and tossed it onto the packing-case that served as a table.
He regarded it sourly as he finished dressing then he went to the great pile of bachelor debris that filled one corner of the room. He scratched around and came out with a steel pestle-and-mortar and a battered black gold pan. I feel very old this morning, he said as he started to crush the rock to powder in the mortar. He poured the powder into the pan, carried it out to the corrugated iron water tank beside the front door and filled the pan from the tap.
Sean followed him and they sat together on the front step. Duff worked the pan, using a
