d bright, and he saw it
was scarcely midnight.

"He lay for a while, and then got up and drew on his
clothes--doing everything slowly, hoping she would return.
But when he was done she was not yet come, and he went out
in the dark to the kitchen, and there he found the outer
door unlocked and heard the dog whining in the yard.

"He took his gun from the beam where it hung and went
forth. The dog barked and sprang to him, and together they
went out to the veld, seeking Katrina Ruiter.

"The dog seemed to know what was wanted, and led Stoffel
straight out towards the Kafir stad by the Blesbok Spruit.
They did not go fast, and on the way Stoffel knelt down and
prayed to God, and drew the cartridges from the gun. Then
they went on.

"When they got to the spruit they could see there was a big
fire in the stad and hear the Kafirs crying out and beating
the drums. The dog ran straight to the edge of the water,
and then turned and whined, for there was no more scent.
But Stoffel walked straight in, over his knees and up to
his waist, and climbed the bank to the wall of the stad.

"Inside the Kafirs were dancing. Some were tricked out with
ornaments and skins and feathers; some were mother-naked
and painted all over their bodies. And there was one, a
gaunt figure of horror, with his face streaked to the
likeness of a skull, and bones hanging clattering all about
him. They capered and danced round the fire like devils in
hell, and behind them the men with the drums kept up their
noise and seemed to drive the dancers to madness.

"And suddenly the figures round the fire gave way, save the
one with the painted face and the bones; for from the
shadow of a hut at the back of the fire came another, who
rushed into the light and swayed wildly to the barbarous
music. The newcomer was naked as a babe new born; wild as a
beast of the field; lithe as a serpent; and crazy to
savageness with the fire and the drums.

"Madly she danced, bending forwards and backwards, casting
her bare arms above her, while the horror who danced with
her writhed and screamed like a soul in pain.

"Stoffel, behind the wall, stood stunned and bound--for here
he saw his wife. He thought nothing, said nothing; but
without an effort his hand ran a cartridge into the gun,
and leveled it across the wall. He fired, and the lissome
body dropped limp across the fire."

Frikkie Viljoen rose in great wrath.

"This is how you talk of my sweetheart, is it?"