om a bushy valley not many miles in front were several threads
of blue smoke, and the faint sound of voices, with now and then the yelp
of a dog, was borne upon the silent morning air. He had travelled some
distance and now not far in front lay the outlying kraals of Nteya's
location.

A set, ruthless look came over his fine face. Here were tools enough
ready to his hand. Not a man among those clans of fierce and truculent
barbarians but hated his cousin with a hatred begotten of years of
friction. On the other hand he himself was on the best of terms with
them and their rulers. A little finessing--a lavish reward, and--well,
so far he shrank from deliberate and cold-blooded murder. And as though
to cast off temptation before it should become too strong for him, he
wrenched round his horse with a sudden jerk and rode down into a wild
and bushy kloof which ran round the spur of the hill.

"Never mind!" he exclaimed half aloud. "Never mind! We shall have a
big war on our hands directly. Hurrah for war, and its glorious
chances!--Pincher, you fool, what the deuce is the matter with you?"

For the horse had suddenly stopped short. With his ears cocked forward
he stood, snorting violently, trembling and backing. Then with a
frantic plunge he endeavoured to turn and bolt. But his master's hand
and his master's will were strong enough to defeat this effort. At the
same time his master's eye became alive to the cause of alarm.

Issuing from the shade of the mimosa trees, seeming to rise out of the
tangle of long, coarse herbage, were a number of red, sinuous forms.
The ochre-smeared bodies, the gleaming assegai blades, the brawny,
muscular limbs still bedecked with the barbarous and fantastic
adornments of the night's martial orgy, the savage and threatening
aspect of the grim, scowling countenances looked formidable enough, not
merely to scare the horse, but to strike dismay into the heart of the
rider, remembering the critical state of the times.

"Stop!" cried one of the Kafirs peremptorily. "Come no farther, white
man!"

With a rapid movement two of them advanced as if to seize his bridle.

"Stop yourselves!" cried Eustace decisively, covering the pair with a
revolver.

So determined was his mien, and withal so cool and commanding, that the
savages paused irresolute. A quick ejaculation rose from the whole
party. There was a flash and a glitter. A score of assegais were
poised ready for a fling. A