the same groups. Quite a number of them too, carried assegais, and, not
a few, shields. Clearly something was in the wind.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The horseman, pacing along the dusty track of road, was not in a good
humour. We regret to have to record that more than once he swore--swore
right heartily too. Nothing is more conducive to such behaviour than
the discovery, in the course of a hot and tedious journey, that one's
mount has gone lame. This one had just made such a discovery--
wherefore--he swore.

Dismounting, he looked again at the defaulting hoof, felt the pastern.
Seen thus, he was a tall, broad shouldered young fellow, light-haired,
blue-eyed, straight as a dart. He was puzzled. There was nothing to
account for this sudden lameness. The steed was not of the best, but it
was the best he could hire when he got off the train at Telani, at an
early hour that morning, in his impatience to get home. And now it was
out of the question that he should reach home that night. The horse was
not very lame, certainly; but it was likely to go lamer still with every
mile or so.

"It's just possible I might borrow a horse at old Ndabakosi's place," he
said to himself, "and that can't be more than a mile further on. Yes
there it is," as, topping a rise, he could discern a ring of domed huts
crowning a _kopje_ a little way off the road in front. "These nigger
gees are beastly screws as a rule, but `needs must, etc.,' and it may
get me as far as Kwabulazi to-night at any rate. He's a decent old chap
is Ndabakosi, and a long cool pull of _tywala_ won't come in badly just
now. Gee up, you brute!"

Hyland Thornhill's visions of home-coming were pleasant in spite of the
above-detailed _contretemps_. It would be no end jolly to see the old
man again--he and his father had always been more like chums than
anything else, and the confidence between them was perfect. And little
Edala--she was wrong-headed on certain points, but still--what times
they would have. And the strange visitor? He wondered what she would
be like. Well, the more the merrier--anyway, he was going to have a
ripping time of it now he had broken loose at last. He had put up a
surprise visit on them, and it would all be great fun.

But between himself and Sipazi there lay--Ndabakosi's kraal.

The latter, for a moment had been unwontedly lively; then it was as
dead. When Hyland Thornhil