e nest of the Swallow shall be my nest, and
in the fangs of the lizard, Sihamba, there is poison and woe to the hawk
of the air or the snake of the grass that would rob this nest wherein
you dwell. Listen now to my oath--you whom she loves. Cold shall this
heart be and stiff this hand, empty shall this head be of thoughts and
these eyes of sight, before shame or death shall touch the swift wings
of yonder Swallow who stained her breast for me. Remember this always,
you whom she loves, that while I live, I, Sihamba Ngenyanga, Sihamba the
walker by moonlight, she shall live, and if she dies I will die also."

Then once more she saluted and went, leaving us wondering, for we saw
that this woman was not altogether as other Kaffirs are, and it came
into our minds that in the time of need she would be as is a sharp spear
in the hand of one who is beset with foes.

That night as we lay abed I talked with Jan, saying:

"Husband, I think there are clouds upon our sky, which for many years
has been so blue. Trouble gathers round us because of the beauty of
Suzanne, and I fear Swart Piet, for he is not a man to be stopped by a
trifle. Now, Ralph loves Suzanne and Suzanne loves Ralph, and, though
they are young, they are man and woman full grown, able to keep a house
and bear its burdens. Why then should they not marry with as little
delay as may be, for when once they are wed Van Vooren will cease from
troubling them, knowing his suit to be hopeless?"

"As you will, wife, as you will," Jan answered, somewhat sharply, "but I
doubt if we shall get rid of our danger thus, for with you I think that
the tide of our lives has turned, and that it sets towards sorrow. Ay,"
he went on, sitting up in the bed, "and I will tell you when it turned;
it turned upon the day that you lied to the Englishmen."

CHAPTER XI

A FIGHT AND A SHOT

Early the next morning I sought for Ralph to speak to him on the
matter of his marriage, which, to tell truth, I longed to see safely
accomplished. But I could not find him anywhere, or learn where he had
gone, though one of the slaves told me that they had seen him mount his
horse at the stable.

I went down to the cattle kraal to look if he were there, and as I
returned, I saw Sihamba seated by the door of her hut engaged in combing
her hair and powdering it with the shining blue dust.

"Greeting, Mother of Swallow," she said. "Whom do you seek?"

"You know well," I answered.

"Yes, I know we