"Certainly not," said Driffield. "You've given him every chance." A murmur of assent went up from those in the room, with one or two exceptions. These, charitably opined, though they did not say so, that it was `slim' of Lamont putting off the affair, knowing what sort of state the other man would be in for the next three days at least. Lamont went on-- "He can take it on any time he likes. For the matter of that he can come out to my place and have it there. I'll put him up for the occasion. Peters 'll see fair play. What more can I do!" It was agreed that the speaker stood vindicated. CHAPTER SIXTEEN. FIRST BLOOD. Peters was fossicking away at his shaft sinking, rather as if nothing had happened, yet all the while he was thinking out the situation from every side. For a good deal had happened, and that since the averted tragedy of the race meeting. True to his word Lamont had made another visit to Zwabeka's kraal, and had persisted in making it alone. This Peters would not hear of, and after considerable altercation they had gone together. But for all they elicited--anything definite, that is--they might just as well have stayed at home; yet there was a something in the demeanour of the savages that seemed to make up for this. They were altogether too cordial, too effusive--in short, over-acted their part. From this, also true to his word, Lamont had duly sent in to Orwell the deductions he had drawn. It had been a risky venture, knowing what they did. They had avoided spending a night there, and all the while, not seeming to be, were keenly on the alert, outwardly chaffing at ease with their doubtful entertainers. Qubani was away; where, nobody knew. _Au_! an _isanusi_ was not an ordinary mortal, they said. His goings and comings were perforce mysterious at times. However, they had returned in safety and had experienced no overt manifestation of hostility. On these things was Peters pondering as he kept his boys tolerably hard at their job. The new development of affairs was particularly vexatious to him, in that he had of late detected signs that this time he was not toiling in vain. Any day, any moment, might disclose a rich field, and then what fun it would be to go to Lamont and say--"What have I always told you? We've `struck ile' at last, and now you can get away home-- and clear off all the encumbrances on your family place, and then--where the devil do _I_ come in?" Yes, he had often rehearsed the revelation, and doing so had come to the conclusion that even luck had its seamy side. What on earth would he do when Lamont had gone for good? Lamont would probably marry and take up his position, and then he, Peters, with all the wealth he was going to take out of this hole in front of him--why, he was far happier as things were. You see, he was rather an out-of-the-way character was Peters. Now a murmur among his boys attracted his attention, and Lamont himself appeared on the scene.