Chapters 5 - 9 Summary

The Shooting Accident Summary

On the evening of the nineteenth of December, Karen is standing outside her house when she hears a single gunshot. Though disturbed as to why there had been only a single shot and not more, she ignores it and takes a book with her to bed. Two minutes later however, a motorcycle comes speeding to a stop before the house. It is Belknap, an American and her mill-manager, who quickly relates the incident to her: his cook had been given the day off, and, in his absence, the seven-year-old kitchen-toto, Kabero, had held a party. Late in the evening, Kabero had brought out the master's shotgun (used to frighten away hawks and serval-cats), and believing it to be empty, aimed it among his guests and pulled the trigger. Three had been slightly wounded; two were badly hurt...