Shethoughtaspace，whilethetwomenwatchedheranxiously。”Yes，”sheansweredatlength，inaquietvoice。”Iwillgoifyouwishtogo，notbecauseIwanttofindtreasure，butbecausethestoryandthecountrywhereithappenedinterestme。Indeed，Idon’tbelievemuchinthetreasure。Eveniftheyaresuperstitiousandafraidtolookforitthemselves，Idoubtwhethertheywouldallowyoutolookiftheythoughtitcouldbefound。Tomethejourneydoesnotseemagoodbusinessspeculation，alsotherearerisks。””Wethinkitgoodenough，”brokeinMeyerdecidedly。”Andonedoesnotexpecttogetmillionswithouttrouble。””Yes，yes，”saidherfather；”butsheisright——therearerisks，greatrisks——fever，wildbeasts，savages，andothersthatonecannotforesee。HaveIarighttoexposehertothem？Oughtwenottogoalone？””Itwouldbeuseless，”answeredMeyer。”Thosemessengershaveseenyourdaughter，andmixedherupwiththeirsuperstitiousstoryofaghost，ofwhichI，whoknowthattherearenosuchthings，believenothing。Withouthernowweshallcertainlyfail。””Asfortherisks，father，”saidBenita，”personallyItakenoaccountofthem，forIamsurethatwhatistohappenwillhappen，andifI
knewthatIwastodieupontheZambesi，itwouldmakenodifferencetomewhodonotcare。Butasitchances，Ithink——Icannottellyouwhy——thatyouandMr。MeyerareinmoredangerthanIam。Itisforyoutoconsiderwhetheryouwilltaketherisks。”
Mr。Cliffordsmiled。”Iamold，”hesaid；”thatismyanswer。””AndIamaccustomedtosuchthings，”saidMeyer，withashrugofhisshoulders。”Whowouldnotrunalittledangerforthesakeofsuchagloriouschance？Wealth，wealth，morewealththanwecandreamof，andwithit，power——powertoavenge，toreward，tobuyposition，andpleasure，andallbeautifulthingswhicharetheheritageoftheveryrichalone，”andhespreadouthishandsandlookedupwards，asthoughinadorationofthisgoldengod。”Exceptsuchtriflesashealthandhappiness，”commentedBenita，notwithoutsarcasm，forthismanandhismaterialdesiresdisgustedhersomewhat，especiallywhenshecontrastedhimwithanothermanwhowaslosttoher，thoughitwastruethat/his/pasthadbeenidleandunproductiveenough。Yettheyinterestedheralso，forBenitahadnevermetanyonelikeMr。Meyer，sotalented，soeager，andsosoulless。”ThenIunderstanditissettled？”shesaid。
Mr。Cliffordhesitated，butMeyeransweredatonce:”Yes，settledasfarasanythingcanbe。”
Shewaitedamomentforherfathertospeak，buthesaidnothing；hischancehadgoneby。”Verywell。Nowweshallnotneedtotroubleourselveswithfurtherdoubtsorargument。WearegoingtoBambatseontheZambesi，adistantplace，tolookforburiedgold，andIhope，Mr。Meyer，thatifyoufindit，theresultswillcomeuptoyourexpectations，andbringyouallsortsofgoodluck。Good-night，fatherdear，good-night。””Mydaughterthinksitwillbringusill-luck，”saidMr。Clifford，whenthedoorhadclosedbehindher。”Thatisherwayofsayingso。””Yes，”answeredMeyergloomily；”shethinksthat，andsheisoneofthosewhohavevision。Well，shemaybewrong。Also，thequestionis，shallweseizeouropportunityanditsdangers，orremainhereandbreedbadhorsesallourlives，whileshewhoisnotafraidlaughsatus？IamgoingtoBambatse。”