“Eva . . . where are you going? You had better stay here for a moment.”
“There is no time for waiting,” said M‘Crae. “I’ve told you . . .”
James waved his arms. “That is for me to decide,” he said. “The matter must be considered. It is possible, sir, that your story is true . . .”
“James!” she cried.
“Eva, I must ask you to hear me. . . . I say that this man’s story may be true. But how can we know? We have no particular reason to believe him. Think a moment. How do we know that this is not some new deviltry of that dreadful man? After all, it is not unreasonable to suspect a messenger who comes from that house. We know nothing of him . . . nothing at all.”
“Oh, but we do . . .” she said.
“Nothing. This isn’t a matter in which a woman is competent to judge. It’s a matter for a man. I’m your brother. There’s no one else to stand between you and the world. You know nothing of the world’s wickedness. No doubt, in your inexperience, you would trust the first man you met with your honour. Thank God I am here, and ready to do my duty.”
“It’s your duty that I am showing to you,” said M‘Crae. “Evidently you haven’t taken in what I’ve been telling you. Godovius’s natives have got out of hand. They’re armed. If you stay here we shall all be butchered, all three of us. Of course I should stay with you. And I should rather kill your sister with my own hands than let her be taken by the Waluguru. We have to try and get away in five minutes at the most, and make for the Central Railway, where we shall be taken prisoners by the Germans. Perhaps we will not get there. That is in God’s hands. But we must have a try. ‘God helps them that help themselves’ may not be Scripture, but it’s common-sense. You’ll admit that I’m reasonable.”
“You may be reasonable, sir,” said James, “but I’m not going to be ordered about in my own house.”
“The alternative is being killed in it. For God’s sake, man, don’t trifle.”