n, and
edged with white fur, descending from her neck almost to her knees, and
covering the arms about half-way to the wrist. Her feet were protected
by sandals, the thongs of which were wound crosswise up her legs, and
secured by a leathern garter at the knees. Round her waist she wore a
girdle set with crimson beads and glittering stones. Her head had no
ornament, with the exception of some eagle's feathers fixed in the
coronet of dark brown hair which surmounted her forehead. Her
appearance, in fact, was neither that belonging to civilised nor to
savage life, but rather that of some high-born European lady, who had
assumed, for some masquerading purpose, the costume of the desert.

After resting for a few minutes on the sloping patch of turf where her
rescuers had placed her, she appeared to recover her strength and
self-possession, and to be anxious to bestow her thanks on the strangers
who had come so opportunely to her rescue, but was at a loss how to
express herself. Warley and the others felt equally embarrassed. At
last, after a long pause, the former called to the missionary, who had
remained behind in the arbour, too much occupied with the anxieties
which were pressing on him to take heed of what was passing outside.

"Will you be so good as to come here, Mr De Walden?" he cried. "Here
are some natives whom we cannot make understand us, but very likely they
may understand you."

A flash of intelligence passed over the girl's face as he spoke.

"I understand you myself," she said. "You are speaking English. Are
you Englishmen?"

Her accent and words were those of an English lady. Still more
bewildered, Warley answered--

"We are Englishmen, madam; and I need not say rejoiced to recognise a
countrywoman, as we cannot doubt you are. By what strange chance you
have been conveyed hither--"

"No," she interposed, "I am not an Englishwoman. I was born in this
land; but I am deeply interested in everything English. If it pleases
you to accompany me to our village, which is not very far distant from
this, my mother will be greatly pleased to welcome you as her guests."

The boys glanced at De Walden, who was standing by, regarding her
attentively. He now addressed her with much respect. "You are the
daughter, I presume," he said, "of the famous White Queen of the
Basutos, of whom I have heard so much. But I thought her dwelling was
considerably further to the east."

"Yes, I am the daughter