the shadow of death is in his eyes."

"Then how about Lord Ragnall?"

"I saw no shadow in his eyes; I think that he will live, Baas."

I tried to get some explanation of these dark sayings out of the
Hottentot, but he would add nothing to his words.

All the following night I lay awake filled with heavy fears which
deepened as the hours went on. Just before dawn we heard a knocking on
our door and Ragnall's voice whispering to us to open. Hans did so while
I lit a candle, of which we had a good supply. As it burned up Ragnall
entered, and from his face I saw at once that something terrible had
happened. He went to the jar where we kept our water and drank three
pannikin-fuls, one after the other. Then without waiting to be asked, he
said:

"Savage is dead," and paused a while as though some awful recollection
overcame him. "Listen," he went on presently. "We worked up the
hill-side without firing, although we saw plenty of partridges and one
buck, till just as twilight was closing in, we came to the cliff face.
Here we perceived a track that ran to the mouth of a narrow cave
or tunnel in the lava rock of the precipice, which looked quite
unclimbable. While we were wondering what to do, eight or ten
white-robed men appeared out of the shadows and seized us before we
could make any resistance. After talking together for a little they took
away our guns and pistols, with which some of them disappeared. Then
their leader, with many bows, indicated that we were at liberty to
proceed by pointing first to the mouth of the cave, and next to the top
of the precipice, saying something about '_ingane_,' which I believe
means a little child, does it not?"

I nodded, and he went on:

"After this they all departed down the hill, smiling in a fashion that
disturbed me. We stood for a while irresolute, until it became quite
dark. I asked Savage what he thought we had better do, expecting that he
would say 'Return to the town.' To my surprise, he answered:

"'Go on, of course, my lord. Don't let those brutes say that we white
men daren't walk a step without our guns. Indeed, in any case I mean to
go on, even if your lordship won't.'

"Whilst he spoke he took a bull's-eye lantern from his foodbag, which
had not been interfered with by the Kendah, and lit it. I stared at him
amazed, for the man seemed to be animated by some tremendous purpose.
Or rather it was as though a force from without had got hold of his will
and were pus