share of nerve. He would, if the worst came to
the worst, have chanced the moral effect of a display of the confidence
of authority and absolute fearlessness. But now, with these two women
dependent on them for protection, why it was dreadful. He reproached
himself bitterly for having brought them into this peril; for, in the
disturbed and simmering state of the native locations, who could be
trusted? More bitterly still, perhaps, did he reproach himself for his
neglect to open the communication handed to him by the old man. Then
there would have been time for them to have acted upon the warning
conveyed therein, and to have withdrawn while the attention of the
savages was engaged by the mimic surprise of the kraal. Now it was in
all probability too late.

Now he began to revolve in his mind what should be done in the event of
Parry being unable to fulfil his instructions in time. He had a fight
revolver in his pocket, and he suspected Thornhill was not unarmed. But
of what use were they against an overwhelming crowd, all heavily armed,
and right out in the open? They might shoot down a few, but would not
this exasperate the savages into murdering the girls as well? Of course
it would.

The wide landscape slept in the golden sunshine, the rolling plains
unfolding out into misty dimness, on the one hand; on the other the
outlines of distant heights softened against the clear blue. From
Tongwana's kraal, crowning the adjacent eminence, a smoke reek rose
lazily upon the still air. An idea suggested itself to Elvesdon. Why
not take the bull by the horns and go straight to Tongwana's kraal?
Surely there, under, figuratively speaking, the roof of the old chief,
they would be safe. But just then he could see his emissary in the act
of faithfully fulfilling the duty laid upon him. Down at the camp the
horses were being led in. They might find safety at Tongwana's kraal,
but the Police trooper, caught alone, would certainly be murdered, if
things were as desperate as the warning embodied in the letter seemed to
convey. But--if only Parry would hurry up!

Now some inkling of danger seemed to have come over the weaker side of
the party. Elvesdon's silence had told--it was impossible for him to
keep up his attempts at manufactured conversation under the weight of
responsibility which lay upon him. They, too, were reduced to silence,
and, he became aware, were looking at him curiously and furtively.

"I don't