Page:The further side of silence (IA furthersideofsil00clifiala).pdf/351

 To' Kaya did not pursue him, but continued to stand gazing at the leaping flames.

The next person to arrive on the scene was a Trengganu man named Pa' Pek, who with his wife, Ma' Pek, had tended To' Kâya when he was little.

"Wo'," he said, for he addressed To' Kâya as though the latter were his son, "Wo', what caused this fire?"

"I do not know," said To' Kaya.

"Where are the children?" inquired Pa' Pek.

"They are still within the house," replied To' Kaya.

"Then suffer me to save them," said Pa' Pek. "Do so, Pa' Pek," said To' Kaya; and as the old man began to climb into the house he stabbed him in the ribs.

Pa' Pek fell, gathered himself together, anul ran away in the direction of the mosque till he tripped over the body of Abdul Rahman tumbled in a heap, and eventually died where he lay.

Presently Ma' Pek came to look for her husband, and finding To' Kaya standing near the burning house, asked him about the fire and inquired after the safety of his children.

"They are still in the house," said To Kaya, "but I cannot be at the pains of getting them out.”

"Then suffer me to fetch them," said the old woman.

"Do so, by all means," said To' Kaya; and as she began to scramble up the stair-ladder, he stabbed her just as he had stabbed her husband and she running