g to be attacked by Sekukuni and did not wish to be here when
I and Anscombe were killed. How the news reached him he refused,
or could not, say; nor did he seem to know anything of the death
of Marnham. When I pressed him on the former point, he only
groaned and cried for water, for he was in pain and thirsty. I
asked him who had told Sekukuni's people to kill us, but he
refused to speak.

"Very well," I said, "then you shall lie here alone and die of
thirst," and again I turned towards the door.

At this he cried out--

"I will tell you. It was the white medicine-man who lives here;
he who cut me open. He arranged it all a few days ago because he
hates you. Last night he rode to tell the impi when to come."

"When is it to come?" I asked, holding the jug of water towards
him.

"To-night at the rising of the moon, so that it may get far away
before the dawn. My people are thirsty for your blood and for
that of the other white chief, because you killed so many of them
by the river. The others they will not harm."

"How did you learn all this?" I asked him again, but without
result, for he became incoherent and only muttered something
about being left alone because the others could not carry him.
So I gave him some water, after which he fell asleep, or
pretended to do so, and I left him, wondering whether he was
delirious, or spoke truth. As I passed the stables I saw that my
own horse was there, for in this district horses are always shut
up at night to keep them from catching sickness, but that the
four beasts that had brought Heda from Natal in the Cape cart
were gone, though it was evident that they had been kraaled here
till within an hour or two. I threw my horse a bundle of forage
and returned to the house by the back entrance. The kitchen was
empty, but crouched by the door of Marnham's room sat the boy who
had found him dead. He had been attached to his master and
seemed half dazed. I asked him where the other servants were, to
which he replied that they had all run away. Then I asked him
where the horses were. He answered that the Baas Rodd had
ordered them to be turned out before he rode off that morning. I
bade him accompany me to the stoep, as I dared not let him out of
my sight, which he did unwillingly enough.

There I found Anscombe and Heda. They were seated side by side
upon the couch. Tears were running down her face and he, looking
very troubled, held her by the hand. Som