reds of excited and now hostile savages
performing their weird and clamourous war rites but a few miles away.

"I'm afraid there's no mistake about it; they are holding a big
war-dance," was the reply. "But it's nothing new. This sort of fun has
been going on at the different kraals for the last month. It's only
because we are, so to say, next door to Nteya's location that we hear it
to-night at all."

"But Nteya is such a good old man," said Eanswyth. "Surely he wouldn't
harm us. Surely he wouldn't join in any rising."

"You are correct in your first idea, in the second, not. We are rapidly
making such a hash of affairs _in re_ Kreli and the Fingoes over in the
Transkei, that we are simply laying the train for a war with the whole
Amaxosa race. How can Nteya, or any other subordinate chief, refuse to
join when called upon by Kreli, the Chief Paramount. The trouble ought
to be settled before it goes any further, and my opinion is that it
could be."

"You are quite a politician," said Eanswyth, with a smile. "You ought
to put up for the Secretaryship for Native Affairs."

"Let us sit out here," he said, drawing up a couple of cane chairs which
were always on the _stoep_. "Here is a very out-of-the-way phenomenon--
one the like of which we might not witness again in a lifetime. We may
as well see it out."

If Eanswyth had been rather alarmed heretofore, the other's perfect
unconcern went far to reassure her. The wild, unearthly chorus echoing
through the darkness--the glare of the fires, the distant, but thundrous
clamour of the savage orgy, conveyed no terrors to this strong-nerved
and philosophical companion of hers. He only saw in them a strange and
deeply interesting experience. Seated there in the starlight, some of
that unconcern communicated itself to her. A restful calm came upon
her. This man beside her was as a very tower of strength. And then
came over her a consciousness--not for the first time, but stronger than
she had ever felt it--of how necessary his presence was to her. His
calm, strong judgment had kept matters straight for a long time past.
He had been the one to pour oil on the troubled waters; to allay or
avert the evils which her husband's ungovernable temper and ill-judged
violence had thickly gathered around them. Now, as he sat there beside
her calmly contemplating the sufficiently appalling manifestations of
that night--manifestations that would otherwise have driven her