Chapter 4 Summary

An agricultural officer who saw the forest at Githima dreamed of a Forestry Research Station there and fought for one until he was killed by a train at Githima. Later, a station was established, and every year someone is killed by a train. Dr. Henry Van Dyke is the most recent victim, a fat, drunken man who said he'd kill himself if Kenyatta ever went free. No one knows if he killed himself or died by accident. Karanja works at the Githima library and hated Van Dyke, who touched the black men's bottoms. Karaja is stenciling titles on books when Mwaura, a worker, enters his office. Karanja yells at him. Mwaura says Thompson, the white head of the station, wants to see Karanja. Thompson sends him with a message to Mrs. Thompson, a type of errand Karanja finds demeaning.

Margery Thompson asks Karanja...