"The old gentleman had better be persuaded to go home," he said, with a pitying glance at the Major, who was sitting in a state of utter collapse. Kendrew volunteered to effect this. He could join us afterwards, he said. For the remaining hours of daylight we searched, leaving not a square yard of ground uninvestigated for a radius of miles. But--we found nothing--not even the remotest trace or clue. I suppose, if I lived to be a thousand I should never forget the agony of that day. Mile after mile of our patient and exhaustive search, and still--nothing. The sickening blank as we returned, obliged to give it up for that day, only to renew our efforts with the first glimmer of returning light! The moon rose, flooding down over the dim veldt. I recalled that last time when we two had wandered so happily over this very same ground. No presentiment had we then, no warning of mysterious danger hanging over us. How happy we had been--how secure in each other's love--and now! Oh God! it was too much. "Look here," I burst forth roughly. "What's the good of you people? Yes, what the devil's the good of you? What do you draw your pay for anyway? If you had unearthed the secret of Hensley's disappearance this one would never have come about. Your whole force isn't worth a tinker's twopenny damn and the sooner it's disbanded and sent about its silly business the better." The police inspector was a thoroughly good fellow, and a gentleman. He didn't take any offence at this, for he knew and respected the agony I was undergoing. We were riding a little ahead of the patrol, and therefore were alone together. "Look here, Glanton," he said. "Abuse us as much as ever you like and welcome if only it'll relieve your feelings. I don't resent it. You may be, in a measure, right as to Hensley. We all thought--and you thought yourself if you remember--that the old chap had got off the rails somehow, in an ordinarily natural if mysterious way. But now I'm certain there's some devilish foul play going on, and the thing is to get to the bottom of it. Now let's keep our heads, above all things, and get to the bottom of it. This is my idea. While we go on with our search to-morrow, you go and find Tyingoza and enlist his aid. He's a very influential chief, and has a good reputation, moreover you're on first-rate terms with him. I believe he could help us if anybody could. What do you think?" "I have thought of that already," I answered gloomily. "But an _isanusi_ of Ukozi's repute is more powerful than the most powerful chief--at any rate on this side of the river. Still it's a stone not to be left unturned. I'll ride up the first thing in the morning. No, I'll go before. I'll start to-night."