Chapter 13 Chapter Twelve

On a hot summer night in 1914, Kate McGregor was working alone in her office at the new headquarters of Kruger-Brent Ltd. in Johannesburg.Suddenly she heard the sound of a car approaching.She put down the document she was studying, walked to the window, and looked out.Two police cars and a prison van stopped in front of the building.Kate watched, frowning.Five or six policemen in uniform jumped out of the car and quickly blocked the two entrances and exits of the building.It was very late, and there was no one on the street.Kate saw herself moving in the window pane, a beautiful woman with pale gray eyes like her father's and a full figure like her mother's.

Someone knocked on the office door.Kate said loudly, "Come in." The door opened and two men in uniform entered, one of whom wore a sheriff's epaulet. "What the hell is going on?" Kate asked. "Sorry to bother you at this late hour, Miss McGregor. This is Sheriff Kominski." "What's the matter, Mr. Sheriff?" "We've had reports that a fugitive murderer was seen running into the building just now." A look of surprise appeared on Kate's face. "Running into this building?" "Yes, miss. He is armed and a dangerous fugitive."

Kate said nervously: "Mr. Sheriff, if you can find him and take him away, I will be very grateful." "That's exactly what we want to do, Miss McGregor. Did you see anything suspicious or hear any suspicious sounds?" "No, but I'm the only one here. There are plenty of hiding places here. I hope your men will search thoroughly." "We'll start now, miss." The sheriff turned to the officers in the corridor and said loudly, "Stand apart. Start in the basement and work your way up to the roof." Then he turned to Kate and said, "There's an office locked. ?"

"I don't think so," Kate said. "If it's locked, I'll open it for you." Sheriff Kominski could see how nervous she was, but he understood.She would be even more nervous if she knew that the man they were after was a desperado. "We'll find him," the sheriff assured Kate. Kate picked up the report she was studying just now.But she couldn't get her thoughts together.She could hear the police walking from office to office in the building.Will they find him?She couldn't help shivering. Slowly and methodically, the police searched from the basement to the roof, checking every possible hiding place.Forty-five minutes later, Sheriff Kominski returned to Kate's office.

She looked up and looked into his face. "You didn't find him?" "Not yet, miss. But take it easy—" "I'm worried, Mr. Sheriff. If there's a murderer at large in this building, I want you to find him." "We'll find it, Miss McGregor. We have dogs." There was the sound of a dog barking in the hallway.A few moments later, a dog handler entered the office with two German police dogs. "These two dogs have searched the whole building, Sheriff. Everywhere has been searched except this office." The sheriff turned to Kate. "Did you leave this office during the hour or so?"

"Yes, I went to the archives for a while to check the information. Do you think he will—?" She shuddered. "I want you to check out this office, please." The sheriff gave a signal, the handler let go of the leash, and ordered, "Chase!" The two wolfhounds were extremely excited. They rushed to a closed door, barking desperately. "Oh my God!" cried Kate, "here he is!" The sheriff drew his pistol. "Open it!" he ordered. Two police officers drew their pistols and made their way to the closet door.They flung the door open, but the closet was empty.A dog ran to another door and pawed at it excitedly.

"Where does that door lead to?" Sergeant Kominski asked. "Leads to a bathroom." Two policemen came to stand on both sides of the door, and then pulled the door open with lightning speed, but the inside was still empty. The dog trainer looked bewildered. "They've never been this crazy before." The dogs were still running wildly around the room. "They smell it," said the handler, "but where is he?" The two dogs ran to Kate's desk and kept barking at the drawers. "That's the answer for you." Kate wanted to laugh. "He's in the drawer."

Sergeant Kominski was embarrassed. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Miss McGregor." Turning to the handler, he said sharply, "Take the dog away." "Aren't you leaving?" Kate asked with concern. "Miss McGregor, I can assure you that you will be safe. My men have searched the building inside and out. I can assure you that the man is not here. I am afraid it is I am deeply sorry for the wrong information." Kate swallowed. "You really do give a woman some excitement at night." ※※※ Kate stood at the window watching the last police car drive away.When the car was out of sight, she opened a drawer in her office and took out a pair of canvas shoes splattered with blood.She took the shoes down the corridor to a door.There was a sign on the door: "Secret room, no entry without permission." She opened the door and walked in.The room was empty, except for a large vault in one wall.The door is locked, open the door and people can walk in.Kruger-Brent Ltd stores diamonds here for shipment.Kate quickly turned the combination dial on the vault door, and then opened the huge iron door.Inside the door opening, dozens of safes are built in the walls on both sides, and the boxes are filled with diamonds.In the middle of the vault, a half-conscious Banda lay on the ground.

Kate knelt beside him. "They're gone." Banda slowly opened his eyes and forced a smile.He looked very weak. "If I could get away from this vault, Kate, do you know how rich I'd be?" Kate carefully helped him to his feet.He flinched in pain when she touched his arm.She had wrapped him in gauze, but the blood was still oozing out. "Can you wear the shoes?" She had taken the shoes from him earlier because she knew the police dogs would be brought into the building.To disorient them, she walks around her office in the shoes and hides them in a drawer.

Kate said, "Come on. We gotta get you out of here." Banda shook his head, "I'll figure it out on my own. If you help me escape, once they catch you, you won't be able to afford it." "You don't have to worry about that." Banda took one last look at the vault. "Would you like to pick up some souvenirs?" Katie asked, "Just take it." Banda looked at her and saw that she was serious. "Your father expressed it to me long ago, too." Kate grimaced, "I know." "I don't need money, I just need to get out of town for a while."

"How do you think you could get out of Johannesburg?" "I'll figure it out." "Listen, the police have set up roadblocks and sentries at every exit from the city. You can't escape by yourself." He said stubbornly: "You are enough to help." He struggled to put on his shoes.He looked miserable as he stood there: a ragged shirt and coat stained with blood, his face was wrinkled, and his hair was graying.However, in Kate's eyes, he is still the same as the first time she saw him when she was a child-a tall and handsome image. "Banda, if they catch you, they'll kill you," Kate whispered. "Come with me." She knew that what had been said about the barricades was absolutely true.With patrolmen guarding every exit in Johannesburg, it was the overwhelming task of catching Benda.Authorities ordered that he be arrested, dead or alive.The railway station and every road are under police surveillance. "I hope your methods are better than your father's," Banda said.His voice was weak, and Kate guessed he must have bled a lot. "Stop talking, save some energy. Everything will be arranged by me." Kate's words sound confident, but she doesn't quite feel that way.Banda's life was in her hands, and if something happened to him, how could she bear it.For the hundredth time, she wished that David was by her side.But she had to deal with the problem alone. "I'm going to drive my car into the alley," Kate said. "You come outside the building in ten minutes. I'm going to open the back door of the car and you'll lie under it when you come in. There's a blanket there for to cover your body." "Kate, they're going to search all cars leaving town if—" "We don't travel by car. There's a train for Cape Town at eight o'clock in the morning. I've asked them to hang my private carriage on that train." "Are you going to take me out in your private compartment?" "Exactly." Banda smiled with difficulty, "You McGregor family really like excitement." ※※※ Thirty minutes later, Kate pulled the car into the train depot.Banda was lying under the back seat, covered with a blanket.Had no trouble getting through the roadblocks.But when Kate's car drove into the train parking lot, a bright light suddenly flashed ahead.Kate saw several police officers blocking her way, and then a familiar figure approaching her car. "Sheriff Kominski!" There was a look of surprise on his face. "Miss McGregor, what are you doing here?" Kate smiled at him and said worriedly, "Mr. Sheriff, you'd think I'm just a stupid and weak woman. But to be honest, what happened in the office building really scared me. I decided to go to the city. Go away. Come back when you catch that murderer. Oh, did you catch him?" "Not yet, miss. But we'll catch him. I have a hunch he's going to run off into the train yard. But we'll catch him wherever he goes." "I hope so." "Where are you going?" "My private carriage is parked at the turn-off ahead. I'll take it to Cape Town." "Do you want me to send one of my men to escort you to the car?" "Oh, thank you, Sheriff. There's no need for that. I'm much more at ease knowing you're here with your men. Take my word for it." Five minutes later, Kate and Banda were safely in the private compartment.It was pitch black inside. "Sorry, it's too dark in there," Kate said. "I don't want to turn on the light." She helped Banda onto a bed. "You can rest here until tomorrow morning, and when you drive, you hide in the bathroom." Banda nodded, "Thank you." Kate drew the curtains. "Will you be treated by a doctor when we get to Cape Town?" He looked into her eyes, "Us?" "You don't think I'll let you travel alone, do you? If so, I won't be able to enjoy the fun of the journey." Banda threw back her head and laughed.She was her father's daughter after all. ※※※ When dawn came, a locomotive pulled up to the private carriage, pulled it onto the main line, and pushed it behind the Cape Town-bound train.The car was dragged and bumped, rocked back and forth, and finally hung up. At 8 o'clock, the train left the station. Kate left a message in advance not to be disturbed by anyone. Banda's wound was bleeding again, and Kate was busy taking care of him.Yesterday evening, Banda stumbled into her office, half dead.After that, she never had a chance to have a proper talk with him.Now she could ask, "Banda, tell me, what happened?" ※※※ Banda looked at her and thought, where do I start?How was he going to explain to her that the Boers who had immigrated en masse were going to drive the Bantu people off the land they had inhabited for generations?Did it start there?Or did it start with that burly Governor of the Transvaal, Om Paul Kruger?In his speech to the South African Parliament, he said: "We must rule the black people, make them a slave people..." Or was it caused by that huge empire builder Cecil Rhodes?The man's motto is: "Caucasian Africa." Facing Kate, how could he sum up the history of his nation in one sentence?He finally figured out a way, "The police killed my son," Banda said. The story then came pouring out like a tidal wave.Banda's eldest son, Tom Bell, was attending a political rally when the police rushed in and tried to break it up.With a few gunshots, a riot began.Tombell was arrested and imprisoned.He was found hanged in his cell early the next morning. "They say it's suicide," Banda told Kate, "but I know my son, it's murder." "My God, how young he is." Kate gasped.She thought back to the happy times they used to play together.Tombell was a very handsome boy. "I'm sorry, Banda, it's a pity, but what are they after you for?" "After they killed him, I started organizing black people. I had to rise up, Kate. I couldn't sit around and do nothing. The police called me an enemy of the state. They made up charges, arrested me for robbery, and Sentenced me to 20 years in prison. Four of us escaped from prison. One guard was killed and they blamed me, but I never held a gun in my life." "I trust you," Kate said, "the first thing we need to do now is get you to a safe place." "I'm sorry to have involved you in this." "No, you're not implicating me in anything. You're my friend." He laughed, "You know which white guy first called me a friend? It was your father." He sighed, "When we got to Cape Town, how did you sneak me off the train? " "We're not going to Cape Town." "But you said—" "I'm a woman and I can change my mind." At midnight the train stopped at Worcester station.Kate arranged for her private carriage to be detached from the train and put on a branch line.When Kate woke up the next morning, she went over to check on Banda, but his bed was empty and Banda had already left.Kate regretted that he didn't want to hurt her any more.Yet she was sure nothing would happen to him.He has many friends who will take care of him.David would be proud of me, Kate thought. ※※※ When Kate returned to Johannesburg and broke the news to David, he yelled, "I can't believe you are so stupid! Not only is your safety at stake, but the company is at risk too. If the police find you here Banda, do you know what will happen to them?" Kate said stubbornly, "Yes, they'll kill him." David wiped his forehead angrily, "Are you that ignorant?" "You're right, I'm ignorant, but I know you're a ruthless man." Her eyes were burning with anger. "You're still a child." She raised her hand to hit him, but David grabbed her arms. "Kate, you have to control your temper." The words echoed in Kate's head. "Kate, you have to learn to control your temper..." That was a long time ago.When Kate was four, one day she got into a fight with a boy who was teasing her.When David arrived, the boy ran away and Kate tried to chase him, but David grabbed her. "Come on, Kate. You must learn to control your temper. Little girls don't fight." "I'm not a little girl," Kate snapped angrily. "Let me go." David let go. The pink coat she was wearing was torn and covered with mud.Her face was blue and blue. "You'd better get clean before your mother sees you," David told her. Kate looked regretfully at the fleeing boy and said, "I could have given him a good beating if you had left me alone." David looked at the excited little face and laughed. "You probably will." Kate was comforted, and then let him carry himself home.She liked David holding her, she liked everything about David.He is the only grown-up who can understand her.Every time he comes back to the city, he always plays with her.Jamie used to tell David stories of his adventures with Banda in his spare time, and now David told those stories to Kate.She never tires of hearing these stories. "Tell me about that raft they built." David spoke. "Tell me about the shark... tell me about the sea fog... tell me about the day..." Kate doesn't see her mother very often.Margaret was too busy, she was in charge of the whole Kruger-Brent Co., Ltd. business.She works for Jamie.Margaret had something to say to Jamie every night, just like the year before Jamie died. "David has been a great help, Jamie. Kate won't be able to do without him when she manages the company. I don't want to worry you, but I really don't know what to do with that kid..." Kate is stubborn, headstrong, and difficult to get along with.She refused to listen to her mother or Mrs. Tully.If they chose a dress for her, Kate would toss it aside and ask for another.She never eats well, eats whatever she wants, and eats whenever she wants.Threats or cajoling are of no use.When forced to attend a birthday party, she always finds ways to mess things up.She didn't have a girlfriend, didn't go to dance lessons, and instead played football with teenage boys.Kate was finally old enough to go to school, but her pranks were unheard of at school.Margaret had to see the principal at least once a month in order to beg her to forgive Kate and allow her to stay in the school. "I can't understand it, Mrs. McGregor," sighed the headmistress. "She's a very clever woman, but she's always going against her. I can't help her." Margaret was likewise helpless. ※※※ The only person who can keep Kate in check is David. "I heard you were invited to a birthday party this afternoon," David said. "I hate birthday parties." David squatted down so that his and her eyes were on level. "I know you don't like it, Kate. But the little birthday girl is my friend's child. It'll embarrass me very much if you don't go, and don't go to dinner like a lady." Kate stared at him and asked, "Is he a good friend of yours?" "yes." "Then I'll go." Her performance that afternoon was impeccable. "I don't know what method you're using," Margaret said to David. "It's incredible." "She just has a strong personality." David laughed. "It will be fine when she grows up. It's important to be careful not to kill her personality." "I'll tell you a secret." Margaret said with a straight face. "Half of the time I really wanted to choke her neck." ※※※ When Kate was ten, she said to David, "I want to see Banda." David looked at her in surprise. "I'm afraid that's impossible, Kate. Banda's farm is far from here." "Are you going to take me, David? Or do you want me to go by myself?" A week later, David took Kate to Banda's farm.The land is quite large, with two.Banda grew wheat and also raised sheep and ostriches.The houses are round huts, and the walls are built with blanks.Pillars supported the pheasant-shaped thatched roof, and Banda stood at the door watching Kate and David's car drive up.They got out of the car at the door, and Banda looked at the lanky, serious-faced girl next to David, and said, "I know you are Jamie McGregor's daughter." "Then I know you are Banda." Kate said seriously, "I came to thank you for saving my father's life." Banda smiled, "Someone must have told you a story. Come on, meet my family." Banda's wife was a beautiful Bantu woman named Taim.Banda has two sons, the eldest son Tombell is seven years older than Kate, and the second son Magina is six years older than Kate.Tombell looked exactly like his father.He has the same good-looking face, proud demeanor and inner dignity. Kate played with the two boys all afternoon.The farmhouse is small but neat.They have dinner in the kitchen.David didn't feel comfortable eating with a black family.He respected the Banda, but traditionally there was no social contact between the two races.In addition, David has some concerns about Banda's political activities.He is said to have admired John Tango Jebavu, who was agitating for drastic social change.Since the mine owners could not find enough locals to work for them, the government imposed a tax of ten shillings on the locals who did not work as miners, causing riots throughout South Africa. In the evening, David said, "Let's go home, Kate. We've got a long drive ahead." "It's not time to go yet." Kate turned to Banda again, "Tell me about the shark..." From then on, whenever David came into town, Kate always asked him to take her to see the Bandas. ※※※ David has said that Kate has a strong personality and will grow up to be fine, but there is no indication that she has changed.If anything, it can only be said that she has become increasingly surly and self-willed.She didn't go to any of the activities that girls her age attended, but she insisted on going down the mines with David, who often took her hunting, fishing, or camping, and Kate loved it.One day, when David and Kate were fishing together, Kate caught a trout bigger than any of David's, and she jumped and jumped happily.He looked at her and said, "You should be born a boy." Kate turned sullenly, turned to him and said, "Don't be stupid, David. In that case, I won't marry you." David laughed out loud. "We're getting married, you know." "I'm afraid not, Kate. I'm twenty-two years older than you and I could be your father. One day you'll meet a boy, a fine lad—" "I don't want a nice boy," she said savagely, "I want you." "If you mean it," said David, "then I'll show you how to win a man's heart." "Tell me!" Kate demanded impatiently. "Please his stomach, clean that fish, and then we'll make lunch." ※※※ There was no doubt in Kate's mind that she was going to marry David Blackwell.He is her only man in this world. Margaret invited David to the big house for a meal once a week.Kate usually eats with the servants in the kitchen so she doesn't have to pay attention to the rules.But on Friday nights, when David came to dinner, Kate would sit in the big dining room of her own accord.Usually David comes alone.But every now and then he would bring a lady, and Kate would have an immediate hatred for her. Kate would take David aside and ask, in innocently lovely tones, "I've never seen blonde hair that color," or "She's got a weird taste in clothes, hasn't she?" or "She used to Was it Lady Agnes's?" ※※※ When Kate was fourteen, her headmaster invited Margaret. "I head a school of good repute, Mrs. McGregor. I'm afraid your Kate will spoil the school." Margaret sighed and asked, "What did she do this time?" "She teaches children things they've never heard." Her face was stern. "Mrs. McGregor, I might add that there are things I've never heard. I can't think of one." Where did the kid learn it from?" Margaret is conceivable.Kate learned it from the friends she made on the street.Well, Margaret made up her mind that it was time to end this. The Headmaster went on: "I do hope you'll talk to her, we're going to give her another chance, but—" "No, I have a better way. I'm going to send her to school." ※※※ When Margaret shared her thoughts with David, he grinned. "She won't like it." "I had to. Now the principal is complaining about the language Kate uses again. She learned it from those prospectors. She was always following them around and my daughter started talking like them, dressing like them, Even smells like them. Frankly, David, I don't understand her, I don't know why she does that. She's beautiful, she's smart, she—" "Maybe she's too clever." "Hmph, whether she's too smart or not, she's going to be sent to school in other places anyway." When Kate came home that afternoon, Margaret broke the news to her. Kate flew into a rage, "You're going to send me away!" "Of course not, dear. I just thought it would be better for you—" "I'm better here, my friends are all here, and you want to separate me from my friends." "If you're talking about the punks, then you—" "They are not gangsters, they are not worse than others." "Kate, I don't want to quarrel with you. You go to a girls' boarding school at once. It's so decided." "Then I'll kill myself," Kate insisted. "Well then, dear. There are blades upstairs, and if you look for them, I'm sure you'll find all sorts of poisons in the house." Kate burst into tears. "Don't do that to me, Mom." Margaret put her arms around her and said: "This is for your own good, Kate. Soon you will be a big girl, ready to get married and have a family. There is no man in a girl's family who talks, dresses, and behaves like you will marry." "It's not like that," Kate sobbed. "David doesn't care." "What does David have to do with it?" "We're getting married." Margaret sighed. "I asked Mrs. Tully to pack your things." ※※※ There were half a dozen good English boarding schools for young girls, and Margaret decided that Cheltenham, in Gloucestershire, would be the best for Kate.It is known for its strict school discipline.The campus covers several acres and is surrounded by high walls.Judging from its charter, it was for the daughters of noble gentlemen.David had done business with the husband of Mrs. Keaton, the principal of the school, so he made arrangements for Kate to enroll smoothly. When Kate heard where she was going, she lost her temper again. "I've heard of that school! Terrible. I'm going to come back like one of those stuffed English dolls. Is that what you like?" "I want you to learn some manners," Margaret told her. "I don't need rules, I have brains." "But that's not the first requirement a man has for a woman." Margaret said flatly, "You're about to become a woman." "I don't want to be a woman," Kate screamed. "Why the hell can't you leave me alone?" "You are not allowed to speak such foul language." The bickering continued until the next morning, when it was time for Kate to hit the road.David happened to be going to London on business, so Margaret asked him, "Can you send Kate to her school? God knows where she's going if you let her go." "I'd love to take her there," said David. "You! You're as bad as my mother! You can't wait to dump me." David smiled, "You're wrong, I can wait." ※※※ They traveled from Cripdrift to Cape Town by private train.From there we took a boat to Southampton.The trip took four weeks.Kate was thrilled to be traveling with David.Although her self-esteem did not allow herself to show such feelings.It's like a honeymoon, she thought, except we're not married yet, at the moment. After boarding, David worked for a long time in his sleeping cabin.Kate curled up on the couch, watching him silently.She felt very satisfied to be close to him. Once she asked, "Don't you get tired of working with these numbers all day, David?" He put down his pen and looked at her. "Those aren't just numbers, Kate. They're stories, too." "What kind of story?" "If you know how to read, you know that's the story about us buying and selling companies, about the people who work for us. Thousands of people around the world make their living from the company your father created Woolen cloth." "Am I a bit like my father?" "In many ways. He's a stubborn, independent man." "Am I a stubborn, independent woman?" "You are a spoiled little guy, whoever marries you will be in bad luck forever." Kate laughed in fantasy, "Poor David." ※※※ On the last night of their sea trip, David asked Kate in the restaurant: "Why are you so difficult, Kate." "yes?" "You know very well that you do. You're driving your poor mother crazy." Kate put her hand on his, "Did I drive you crazy?" David blushed, "Come on, I really don't understand you." "No, you understand." "Why can't you be like other girls your age?" "Then I might as well be dead. I don't want to be like other people." "God knows, you are indeed different!" "You don't marry anyone else. Marry me when I'm a man, will you, David? I promise you I'll grow up fast. But please don't fall in love with someone else." Moved by her sincerity, he took her hand and said, "Kate, when I get married, I want my daughter to be just like you." Kate stood up. "Fuck you, David Blackwell!" Her voice filled the restaurant, and she rushed out.The guests in the restaurant stared at her back one by one dumbfounded. ※※※ They spent three days together in London and Kate enjoyed every minute of it. "I've got something to please you," said Davy to her. "I've got two opera tickets—"Mrs. Wiggles in the Vegetable Field." "Thank you, David. But I want to see Carnival." "You can't go, it's a kind of—a music hall satire. That's not what you watch." "I didn't see how I knew, did I?" she said stubbornly. They went to see "Carnival" anyway. ※※※ Kate likes the city of London.Here cars and carriages drive side by side.The ladies were ostentatiously dressed: they wore airy satin gowns, tulle and woven scarves, and sparkling jewellery.The men wore ball gowns with piqué vests and white lace bodice.Kate and David used to have dinner at the Ritz and supper at the Savoy.When it was time to go, Kate thought, we're still going to play here, and David and I will be back. ※※※ Immediately after their arrival at Cheltenham they were shown into Mrs Keaton's office. "Thank you for allowing Kate to enroll," David said. "I think she's here. We'll all be delighted. Besides, it's a pleasure to receive my husband's friends." At this time, Kate realized that she had been deceived. It turned out that David wanted to send her away, so he arranged her here. Angry and sad, she didn't say goodbye to David.

---

Notes: