It would have seemed better to let David go, and destroy his work afterwards, but he had been moved by other considerations, and his design was deep.

His own emissaries were in the Soudan, announcing David's determination to abolish slavery, secretly stirring up feeling against him, preparing for the final blow to be delivered, when he went again among the southern tribes.

He had waited and waited, and now the time was come.

Had he, Nahoum, not agreed with David that the time had come for the slave-trade to go?
Had he not encouraged him to take this bold step, in the sure belief that it would overwhelm him, and bring him an ignominious death, embittered by total failure of all he had tried to do?
For years he had secretly loosened the foundations of David's work, and the triumph of Oriental duplicity over Western civilisation and integrity was sweet in his mouth.

And now there was reason to believe that, at last, Kaid was turning against the Inglesi.