Miss Mary's Lion

After Pop left I had to see The Informer. He was a tall dignified man who wore full-length trousers, a clean dark blue sport shirt with thin white lateral stripes, a shawl around his shoulders and a porkpie hat. All of these articles of clothing looked as though they had been gifts. The shawl I had recognized as being made from trade goods sold in one of the Hindu general stores at Loitokitok. His dark brown face was distinguished and must once have been handsome. He spoke accurate English slowly and with a mixture of accents.

"Good morning, my brother," he said and removed his hat. "Good morning, my lady."

"Good morning, Reginald," I said. Miss Mary got up from the chair where she had been sitting and left the mess tent. She did not care for The Informer.

"Is the Memsahib displeased with me?" Reginald asked.

"No more than usual."

"I must bring her a suitable present," Reginald said. "I have important news. The man who calls himself Michael is an agent of the Mau Mau."

"Really," I said. "How did you obtain this information?"

"I overheard a conversation outside the Masai stores. It was an important conversation. Two chiefs agreed."

"A very rare thing," I said. "What else?"

"There is drunkenness at the three shamba."