"Not so," said Fahni; "go, my children, that I may live. Go and gather
the tribe, all the thousands of them who are men and can fight, and
bring them up to attack Asiki-land, to rescue me if I still live, or to
avenge me if I am dead. As for these bearers, do them no harm, but send
them on to the coast with the white man's goods."
So in the end the Ogula said that they would go, and when Alan woke
up on the following morning, he was informed that they and the Asiki
porters had already departed upon their journey. Then he dismissed the
matter from his mind, for to tell the truth he never expected to hear of
them any more.
CHAPTER XV
ALAN FALLS ILL
After the departure of the messengers a deep melancholy fell upon Alan,
who was sure that he had now no further hope of communicating with the
outside world. Bitterly did he reproach himself for his folly in having
ever journeyed to this hateful place in order to secure--what? About
L100,000 worth of gold which of course he never could secure, as it
would certainly vanish or be stolen on its way to the coast. For this
gold he had become involved in a dreadful complication which must cost
him much misery, and sooner or later life itself, since he could not
marry that beautiful savage Asika, and if he refused her she would
certainly kill him in her outraged pride and fury.
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