smoke mounting lazily from two or three kraals could be counted. At
the back broken ground ran immediately up, in the shape of a dark kloof,
bushy and rock hung, cleaving the heart of a mountain range, whose crags
and krantzes soared skyward above. Below stood Ben Halse's trading
establishment, consisting of three or four native huts, a waggon shed,
and two quite unpicturesque buildings of corrugated iron. One of these
was used as a dwelling-house and store, the other as a stable, and in
the shade of the former the girl was working. And she was Ben Halse's
only daughter.

A lonely position this, for a girl, away in one of the wildest parts of
Zululand. But Verna Halse never felt lonely. She was always busy, for
she was her father's right hand, and no single detail of any branch of
his somewhat ramificatory business was unknown to her. Moreover, she
had interests, the nature of some of which we shall see into anon. And
she was healthy in mind and body, and utterly unspoiled. As for the
potentiality of danger attaching to the situation Verna would have
broken into one of her frank, winning laughs if anybody had suggested
such a thing. She knew abundantly how to take care of herself.

Now she called to a native servant, and bidding him go to the store and
fetch another pannikin of flour, her thoughts reverted to her absent
father.

"He'll enjoy this, all hot," she said to herself. "I'll make some of it
into _roster-koekjes_ on the gridiron, Ah, there he is!"

But with the clink of stones a little way off arose the sound of native
voices, deep-toned, sonorous. It was only some wandering Zulus, after
all. Yet it was time he was back.

Three Zulus came into sight, filing along the narrow path which led past
the store. Two saluted and passed on, while he who walked foremost came
leisurely up, and, halting, gave the girl greeting in a pleasant voice.
He was a magnificent sample of his race. Well over six feet, and built
in proportion, he stood erect as a palm-tree, with a perfectly natural,
because unconscious, dignity of mien and movement. Even from a European
standpoint the man was extremely handsome, the high, intellectual
forehead, and the lustrous clear eyes, with their frank, straight
glance, giving to the well-formed face an air of composure and
reliability. His skin was of a rich red copper colour, which rendered
his short, pointed beard and the ring which crowned his shaven head the
more jetty in