to escape from
the fleet-footed Zulus, and in less than two minutes every man was on
the ground with his life-blood welling from the awful gashes inflicted
by the broad-bladed spears of the savage conquerors, who stood chanting
a rude note of victory.

Grenville reloaded all his weapons, and after indulging in a nip of
brandy, felt more like himself again, though considerably knocked about,
and a perfect mass of bruises upon the arms and shoulders. Amaxosa now
approached, and saluting him gravely and deferentially, delivered
himself as follows:--

"The Inkoos, my father, is indeed a great and very mighty warrior. In
one short hour he has slain in fair fight more men than Amaxosa has
killed in his whole lifetime; but my father is wounded and very weary
after so great a fight, and it is meet that he should now follow on the
track of the Lily of the Valley and the Inkoosis to the great black rock
and the spring of sweet water; and when these evil men, my old masters,
the wicked witch-finders, seek to follow on the road, then it shall come
to pass that my father's faithful war-dogs, the sons of Undi, shall slay
them, and if perchance they should by force of numbers overcome the
children of my race, then in the evening of his life will my father, the
lion-hearted chief, sometime remember Myzukulwa and Amaxosa, the sons of
Isanusi, who fought and died for him on the narrow bridge which spans
the River of Death. Let my father's ears receive the words of the voice
of his son, for they are good words."

Grenville, who was deeply touched by the devotion of the Zulus, shook
hands warmly with them and thanked them for their timely aid, which had
undoubtedly saved his life, but steadfastly declined to desert them or
to yield the post of honour.

"Unless my rifle is here to keep the rascals out of range," he said to
Amaxosa, "you would soon fall to their guns; a brave man, my friend, is
no more proof against a bullet than is a coward."

"Fear not their bullets, Inkoos," was the quick reply; "the
witch-finders will shoot no more to-night, the rain will stop them."
And even as the Zulu spoke, the clouds over their heads, which had
gradually grown denser and more threatening, were rent asunder by a
vivid flame of fire which for one brief instant revealed the whole
countryside in a dazzling, blinding glare of lurid light and then
vanished into darkness which might be felt, and which was rendered still
more awful by the terrific