.

"What is troubling you? You heaved no end of a sigh."

"Did I, dear? I suppose it was one of contentment. I'm a little tired
and I'm resting. That may account for it. Getting old."

Evelyn laughed pleasantly.

"Don't fish, Inqoto. I've witnessed your prowess at shooting, but never
at fishing. I suspect you'd prove as poor a hand at that as you are
good at the other."

"Well, well, if you women won't take a man seriously, I suppose you
won't. By the way, I fell in with one of Elvesdon's boys with a
_brievje_ for me. I took it from him to save him the trouble of coming
any further. Elvesdon's down at Tongwana's collecting. He'll have
finished to-morrow, and wants us to go down there in the afternoon. Old
Tongwana's going to turn out a lot of his people and give a war-dance in
our honour. What do you say?"

"Say? Why yes--of course," said Edala decisively. "It'll be no end of
fun."

"Rather," said Evelyn.

"Well, I thought that would be the verdict, so I sent back a verbal
answer on the chance of it."

"It's awfully kind of Mr Elvesdon," went on Evelyn. "What a fine
looking man he is, by the way."

"Rather; and he's a smart all round chap as well with no nonsense about
him. I took to him from the very first," answered Thornhill. But Edala
said nothing, though it may be that she _thought_.

So they chatted on, seated there in the secure peace of the golden
morning, little recking that the hours of that peace might be already
numbered; that this might be the last of such days for a long and
terrible time to come--if not for ever.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

THE WAR-DANCE AT TONGWANA'S.

Elvesdon was seated at a table within an open tent, together with his
clerk--a table littered with official books and documents. He rose
quickly at the sound of horse-hoofs and went forth to welcome the party.

"Thornhill--how are you? Miss Carden--you are taking on a fine healthy
sunburn--and as for _Diane chasseresse_--why words fail."

He had taken to so nicknaming Edala since the bushbuck hunt and she
seemed rather to like it. They laughed, and after a little more banter
Thornhill said:

"Had any bother with the people, Elvesdon?"

"Not a grain. They've all paid up right willingly. It's when we get to
Babatyana's place that we may find trouble."

"Where is the dance to be held, Mr Elvesdon?" said Evelyn. "Here?"

"Why not? It's as good a place as any. I'll ask Tongwana."

He called to