ee the mass of the trees about the stead. And now I dashed
into something, though until I was through it, I did not know that it
was a line of men, for the faint light gleamed upon the spear of one of
them who had been overthrown!

So it was no lie! The Kaffirs were there! As I thought it, a fresh
horror filled my heart; perhaps their murdering work was already done
and they were departing.

The minute of suspense--or was it but seconds?--seemed an eternity. But
it ended at last. Now I was at the door in the high wall that enclosed
the outbuildings at the back of the house, and there, by an inspiration,
pulled up the mare--glad enough she was to stop, poor thing--for it
occurred to me that if I rode to the front I should very probably be
assegaied and of no further use. I tried the door, which was made
of stout stinkwood planks. By design, or accident, it had been left
unbolted. As I thrust it open Hans arrived with a rush, clinging to the
roan with his face hidden in its mane. The beast pulled up by the side
of the mare which it had been pursuing, and in the faint light I saw
that an assegai was fixed in its flank.

Five seconds later we were in the yard and locking and barring the
door behind us. Then, snatching the saddle-bags of ammunition from the
horses, we left them standing there, and I ran for the back entrance
of the house, bidding Hans rouse the natives, who slept in the
outbuildings, and follow with them. If any one of them showed signs of
treachery he was to shoot him at once. I remember that as I went I tore
the spear out of the stallion's flank and brought it away with me.

Now I was hammering upon the back door of the house, which I could not
open. After a pause that seemed long, a window was thrown wide, and a
voice--it was Marie's--asked in frightened tones who was there.

"I, Allan Quatermain," I answered. "Open at once, Marie. You are in
great danger; the Red Kaffirs are going to attack the house."

She flew to the door in her nightdress, and at length I was in the
place.

"Thank God! you are still safe," I gasped. "Put on your clothes while I
call Leblanc. No, stay, do you call him; I must wait here for Hans and
your slaves."

Away she sped without a word, and presently Hans arrived, bringing with
him eight frightened men, who as yet scarcely knew whether they slept or
woke.

"Is that all?" I asked. "Then bar the door and follow me to the
'sitkammer', where the baas keeps his guns."

Ju