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`Hencefortheventsmovefastwithoutacheck，flowingfromtheveryheartsofmenlikeastreamfromadarksource，andweseeJimamongstthem，mostlythroughTamb’Itam’seyes。Thegirl’seyeshadwatchedhimtoo，butherlifeistoomuchentwinedwithhis：thereisherpassion，herwonder，heranger，and，aboveall，herfearandherunforgivinglove。
Ofthefaithfulservant，uncomprehendingastherestofthem，itisthefidelityalonethatcomesintoplay；afidelityandabeliefinhislordsostrongthatevenamazementissubduedtoasortofsaddenedacceptanceofamysteriousfailure。Hehaseyesonlyforonefigure，andthroughallthemazesofbewildermenthepreserveshisairofguardianship，ofobedience，ofcare。
`Hismastercamebackfromhistalkwiththewhitemen，walkingslowlytowardsthestockadeinthestreet。Everybodywasrejoicedtoseehimreturn，forwhilehewasawayeverymanhadbeenafraidnotonlyofhimbeingkilled，butalsoofwhatwouldcomeafter。Jimwentintooneofthehouses，whereoldDoraminhadretired，andremainedaloneforalongtimewiththeheadoftheBugissettlers。Nodoubthediscussedthecoursetofollowwithhimthen，butnomanwaspresentattheconversation。OnlyTamb’Itam，keepingasclosetothedoorashecould，heardhismastersay：“Yes。I
shallletallthepeopleknowthatsuchismywish；butIspoketoyou，ODoramin，beforealltheothers，andalone；foryouknowmyheartaswellasIknowyoursanditsgreatestdesire。AndyouknowwellalsothatI
havenothoughtbutforthepeople’sgood。“Thenhismaster，liftingthesheetinginthedoorway，wentout，andhe，Tamb’Itam，hadaglimpseofoldDoraminwithin，sittinginthechairwithhishandsonhisknees，andlookingbetweenhisfeet。Afterwardshefollowedhismastertothefort，wherealltheprincipalBugisandPatusaninhabitantshadbeensummonedforatalk。Tamb’Itamhimselfhopedtherewouldbesomefighting。“Whatwasitbutthetakingofanotherhill？“heexclaimedregretfully。However，inthetownmanyhopedthattherapaciousstrangerswouldbeinduced，bythesightofsomanybravemenreadytofight，togoaway。Itwouldbeagoodthingiftheywentaway。SinceJim’sarrivalhadbeenmadeknownbeforedaylightbythegunfiredfromthefortandthebeatingofabigdrumthere，thefearthathadhungoverPatusanhadbrokenandsubsidedlikeawaveonarock，leavingtheseethingfoamofexcitement，curiosity，andendlessspeculation。Halfofthepopulationhadbeenoustedoutoftheirhomesforpurposesofdefence，andwerelivinginthestreetontheleftsideoftheriver，crowdingroundthefort，andinmomentaryexpectationofseeingtheirabandoneddwellingsonthethreatenedbankburstintoflames。
Thegeneralanxietywastoseethemattersettledquickly。Food，throughJewel’scare，hadbeenservedouttotherefugees。Nobodyknewwhattheirwhitemanwoulddo。SomeremarkedthatitwasworsethaninSherifAli’swar。Thenmanypeopledidnotcare；noweverybodyhadsomethingtolose。
Themovementsofcanoespassingtoandfrobetweenthetwopartsofthetownwerewatchedwithinterest。AcoupleofBugiswar-boatslayanchoredinthemiddleofthestreamtoprotecttheriver，andathreadofsmokestoodatthebowofeach；themeninthemwerecookingtheirmiddayricewhenJim，afterhisinterviewswithBrownandDoramin，crossedtheriverandenteredbythewater-gateofhisfort。Thepeopleinsidecrowdedroundhimsothathecouldhardlymakehiswaytothehouse。Theyhadnotseenhimbefore，becauseonhisarrivalduringthenighthehadonlyexchangedafewwordswiththegirl，whohadcomedowntothelanding-stageforthepurpose，andhadthengoneonatoncetojointhechiefsandthefightingmenontheotherbank。Peopleshoutedgreetingsafterhim。Oneoldwomanraisedalaughbypushingherwaytothefrontmadlyandenjoininghiminascoldingvoicetoseetoitthathertwosons，whowerewithDoramin，didnotcometoharmatthehandsoftherobbers。Severalofthebystanderstriedtopullheraway，butshestruggledandcried：“Letmego。Whatisthis，OMoslems？Thislaughterisunseemly。Aretheynotcruel，bloodthirstyrobbersbentonkilling？““Letherbe，“saidJim，andasasilencefellsuddenly，hesaidslowly，“Everybodyshallbesafe。“Heenteredthehousebeforethegreatsigh，andtheloudmurmursofsatisfaction，haddiedout。
`There’snodoubthismindwasmadeupthatBrownshouldhavehiswayclearbacktothesea。Hisfate，revolted，wasforcinghishand。Hehadforthefirsttimetoaffirmhiswillinthefa
