Leopard Hunts in Darkness - Smith Wilbur (книга бесплатный формат .TXT) 📗

"Did he not tell you where to drive? Did you not know where you were going?"

"He said "Go straight", "Turn left here,"

"Turn right here"," the driver muttered, "I did not know where we were going." Obviously Mr. Petal was not expecting this reply.

"Did Minister Zebiwe not order you to drive to Tuti Mission?"

"Oh ection, your lordship."

"Do not lead the witness, Mr. Petal." Mr. Joseph Petal was clearly thinking on his feet. He shuffled his papers, glanced at Tungata Zebiwe, who sat completely impassive, and then switched his line of questioning.

"Since the night of your arrest, where have you been?"

"In prison."

"Did you have any visitors?"

"MY wife came."

"No others?" "No. "The chauffeur ducked his head defensively.

"What are those marks on your head? Were you beaten?" For the first time Craig noticed the dark lumps on the chauffeur's shaven pate.

"Your lordship, I object most strenuously," Abel Khori cried plaintively.

"Mr. Petal, what is the purpose of this line of questioning?" Mr. justice Domashawa demanded ominously.

"My lord, I am trying to find why the witness's evidence conflicts with his previous statement to the police." Mr. Petal struggled to obtain a clear reply from the sulky and uncooperative witness, and finally gave up with a gesture of resignation.

"No further questions, your lordship." And Abel Khori rose smiling to cross-examine.

"So the truck flashed its lights at you?"

"Yes."

"And what happened then?" I do not understand."

"Did anybody in the Mercedes say or do anything when you saw the truck?"

"My lord-2 Mr. Petal began.

"I think that is a fair question the witness will answer." all, and The chauffeur frowned with the effort of rec "Comrade Minister Zebiwe said, "There it then mumbled, is pull over and stop.""

""There it is'T Abel Khori repeated slowly and clearly.

""Pull over and stop'I That is what the accused said when he saw the truck, is that correct?"

"Yes. He said it." No further questions, your lordship." all Sarah Tandiwe Nyoni." Mr. Joseph Petal introduced his surprise witness, and Abel Khori frowned and conferred agitatedly with his two assistant prosecutors. One of them rose, bowed to the bench and hurriedly left the court.

Sarah Tandiwe Nyoni entered the witness stand and took the oath in perfect English. Her voice was melodious and sweet, her manner as reserved and shy as the day that Craig and Sally-Anne had first met her at Tuti Mission.

She wore a lime-green cotton dress with a white collar and simple low-heeled white shoes. Her hair was elaborately braided in traditional style, and the moment she finished reading the oath, she turned her soft gaze onto Tungata Zebiwe in the dock. He neither smiled nor altered his expression, but his right hand, resting on the railing of the dock, moved slightly, and Craig realized that he was using the secret sign-language to the girl.

"Courage!" said that signal. "I am with you!" And the girl took visible strength and confidence from it. She lifted her chin and faced Mr. Petal squarely.

"Please state your name."

"I am Sarah Tandiwe Nyoni," she replied.

Tandiwe Nyoni, her Matabele name, meant' Beloved Bird'and Craig translated softly to Sally-Anne.

"It suits her perfectly," she whispered back.

"What is your profession?"

"I am the headmistress'bf Tuti State Primary School."

"Will you tell the c&lrt your qualifications." Joseph Petal established swiftly that she was an educated and responsible young woman. Then he went on: "Do you know the accused, Tungata Zebiwe?" She looked at Tungata again before answering, and her face seemed to glow. "I do, oh yes, I do, she whispered huskily.

"Please speak up, my dear." 11 know him."

"Did he ever visit you at Tuti Mission Station?"

"Yes" she nodded.

"How often?"

"The Comrade Minister is an important and busy man, I am a school-teacher-" Tungata made a small gesture of denial with his right hand. She saw it and a little smile formed on her perfectly sculptured lips.

"He came as often as he could, but not as often as I would have wished."

"Were you expecting him on the night in question?" I was." "Why?) "We had spoken together, on the telephone, the previous morning.

He promised me he would come. He said he would drive up, and arrive before midnight." The smile faded from her lips, and her eyes grew dark and desolate. "I waited until daylight but he did not come."