at the base
of the great _dwala_.

From this his thoughts would wander to the mysterious rock-dwelling, and
to him who inhabited it. Why, and with what object to serve, had the
Umlimo spared and tended him? That he might deliver his message to the
outside world? Well, he had done that. And then--and the very thought
sent a thrill as of needles and pins throughout his whole system. He
had delivered the one message, but what of the other enclosure, the one
which in some mysterious way concerned himself, the packet marked "B"?
He got it out and eyed it. The Umlimo's words were vividly imprinted in
his memory. "The time may come when you will see everything dark around
you, and there is no outlook, and life hardly worth prolonging. Then,
and then only, open it."

Solemn and weighty now did those words seem. Great Heaven! had not just
such a time come? Was not everything dark enough in all conscience, and
what outlook did life afford? Yes, he would do it. His heart beat fast
as he undid the sealed oilskin wrappings of the packet. What would it
contain, and how could such contents in any way conduce to his own
welfare? The last wrapping was off, revealing an enclosure. Only a
sealed letter, directed to the same names and address as that in the
packet marked "A"--a firm in Cape Town--of solicitors or agents, he
conjectured. One word of instructions accompanied this, one single
word--

"Forward."

"And that is all?" he said to himself, perhaps a trifle disappointedly,
turning the enclosure round and round. "Well, that's no trouble. I'll
go and do it."

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

THE FIGHT OUTSIDE.

MacFurdon's troop, about two hundred strong, was sweeping up the long
slope which ran northward from the township of Bulawayo, and the line it
was taking would bring it out a little to the right of Government House
and the site of the old kraal.

It was bitterly cold, for the dawn had not yet risen. The insurgents
had waxed bolder and yet more bold. They were holding the ridge, and
were in calm possession of Government House itself, and now the idea was
to teach them that the time had come when they could no longer have
everything their own way. To this end it had been decided to get well
within striking distance of them at break of day.

MacFurdon's troop was rather a scratch concern, got together in a hurry,
but consisting of good material. With it went many volunteers. It was,
however, in this i