If you
stuck a knife into him here Leith would shoot you."
Kaipi nodded his head and trudged forward as Soma came sidling toward
us. The Fijian's desire to get revenge for his "all same brother's
death" was something that might be to our advantage later on, and I
looked upon Kaipi as a staunch ally in the event of trouble.
We ate our midday meal in the sombre silence and again plunged forward.
The appearance of gayety which Barbara Herndon had tried to assume after
we had left the Vermilion Pit had passed away, and once again there was
the look of pathetic helplessness upon the faces of the two girls.
During the luncheon Holman and I endeavoured to make conversation, but
the thoughts of both were upon their surroundings, and they answered
questions with an effort. The prison-like appearance of the valley, and
the utter absence of sound, both of bird and insect life, had a
depressing effect upon their nerves.
Holman's face showed that the mental sufferings of the two sisters had
worked him into a decidedly unfriendly state of mind toward the
Professor and the big brute who was leading the old scientist on the mad
hunt, and another quarrel was barely averted during the early afternoon.
Pages:
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132