y cousin Hernan only arrived at the camp two days
after the attack, and discovering or guessing our hiding-place--I know
not which--rode on hither. They say they came to warn the Boers to be
careful, for they did not trust Dingaan, but were too late. So they too
were out of the slaughter, for, Allan, many, many have been killed--they
say five or six hundred, most of them women and children. But thank God!
many more escaped, since the men came in from the other camps farther
off and from their shooting parties, and drove away the Zulus, killing
them by scores."

"Are your father and Pereira here now?" I asked.

"No, Allan. They learned of the massacre and that the Zulus were all
gone yesterday morning. Also they got the bad news that Retief and
everyone with him had been killed at Dingaan's town, it is said through
the treachery of the English, who arranged with Dingaan that he should
kill them."

"That is false," I said; "but go on."

"Then, Allan, they came and told me that I was a widow like many other
women--I who had never been a wife. Allan, Hernan said that I should not
grieve for you, as you deserved your fate, since you had been caught in
your own snare, being one of those who had betrayed the Boers. The Vrouw
Prinsloo answered to his face that he lied, and, Allan, I said that I
would never speak to him again until we met before the Judgment Seat of
God; nor will I do so."

"But I will speak to him," I muttered. "Well, where are they now?"

"They rode this morning back to the other Boers. I think they want to
bring a party of them here to settle, if they like this place, as it
is so easy to defend. They said they would return to-morrow, and that
meanwhile we were quite safe, as they had sure tidings that all the
Zulus were back over the Tugela, taking some of their wounded with them,
and also the Boer cattle as an offering to Dingaan. But come to the
house, Allan--our home that I had made ready for you as well as I could.
Oh! my God! our home on the threshold of which I believed you would
never set a foot. Yes, when the moon rose from that cloud I believed it,
and look, they are still quite close together. Hark, what is that?"

I listened, and caught the sound of a horse's hoofs stumbling among the
rocks.

"Don't be frightened," I answered; "it is only Hans with my horse.
He escaped also; I will tell you how afterwards." And as I spoke he
appeared, a woebegone and exhausted object.

"Good day, missie,