[_Taking from his pocket an exploded cartridge._] This was found about two yards from the body. As you see, it's a revolver cartridge. It was brought to me this evening. GEORGE. I don't know what that proves. ALEC. You know just as well as I do that none of our natives has a revolver. Besides ourselves only two or three of the servants have them. [GEORGE _becomes white with fear, he takes out his handkerchief and wipes his face_. ALEC. [_Quietly._] Will you give me your revolver? GEORGE. I haven't got it. I lost it in the skirmish this afternoon. I didn't tell you as I thought you'd be annoyed. ALEC. I saw you cleaning it less than an hour ago. GEORGE. [_With a shrug of the shoulders._] Perhaps it's in my tent, I'll go and see. ALEC. [_Sharply._] Stop here. GEORGE. [_Angrily._] You've no right to talk to me like that. I'm sick to death of being ordered about. You seem to think I'm a dog. I came out here of my own free will, and I won't let you treat me as if I were a servant. ALEC. If you put your hand to your hip pocket, I think you'll find your revolver there. GEORGE. I'm not going to give it to you. ALEC. [_Quietly._] D'you want me to come and take it from you myself? [_The two men stare at one another for a moment. Then_ GEORGE _slowly puts his hand to his pocket. He lakes out the revolver and suddenly aims at_ ALEC. DICK _beats up his arm as he fires, and the_ DOCTOR, _springing forward, seizes him round the waist_. ALEC _remains still_. DICK. [_During the struggle._] You young blackguard! GEORGE. Let me go, damn you! ALEC. You need not hold him. [_They leave go of_ GEORGE, _who sinks cowering into a chair_. DICK _hands the revolver to_ ALEC. _He silently fits into a chamber the cartridge that had been brought to him._ ALEC. You see that it fits. Hadn't you better make a clean breast of it? GEORGE. [_Cowed._] Yes, I shot her. She made a row, and the devil got into me. I didn't know I'd done anything till she screamed and I saw the blood.... What a fool I was to throw the cartridge away! I wanted to have all the chambers charged. ALEC. Do you remember that two months ago I hanged a man to the nearest tree because he'd outraged a native woman? GEORGE. [_Springing up in terror._] You wouldn't do that to me, Alec. Oh, God, no, Alec, have mercy on me. You wouldn't hang me. Oh, why did I ever come to this damned place? ALEC. You need not be afraid. I'm not going to do that. In any case I must preserve the native respect for the white man. GEORGE. I was half drunk when I saw that woman. I wasn't responsible for my actions. ALEC.