mbling upon a white man. The
fact is I can't talk the lingo, and couldn't ask the way for one thing."

"Where are you bound for?"

The voice, dead, dull, expressionless, was peculiar. But it was a
refined voice.

"I wanted first to get to Ezulwini."

"You were going in exactly the contrary direction, that's all."

The other started. Had this mysterious personage been aware of his
progress all along? he wondered. The thought was rather disquieting
under all the circumstances. The man was a puzzle. He seemed to prefer
his unexpected guest's room to his company.

"My horse has gone dead lame," went on the latter. "He may be all right
in the morning. But, meanwhile, I shall have to throw myself upon your
hospitality, or camp outside in the veldt."

The other was silent for a moment. Then he said--

"You are welcome--on one condition."

"And that?"

"That you pledge me your word of honour--you are a gentleman, I see, and
will keep it--that you mention no word to any living soul, under any
circumstances whatever, that you have been here, or, in short, that you
have ever seen me in your life."

"Well, of course I will, if you wish it," answered the traveller, very
much mystified.

"But I do wish it," was the reply, given with some fierceness. "And you
will do it. Do you know that at a word from me you would never leave
this place alive? You would simply disappear."

Substantially the very words he had uttered to that other, who _had_
disappeared. There was a creepy suggestiveness about it all that made
him feel more than uncomfortable.

"You needn't threaten me," he rejoined, rather shortly. "If I pass you
my word, as you yourself have just said, I shall keep it."

"I know you will. And let me tell you that if you had been as some
others I know you would not be here at all. In fact, although you have
exactly seven bullets at your immediate disposal your friends would
never have seen or heard of you again."

The mystery deepened. The new arrival was conscious of a very uncanny,
not to say awe-inspiring effect in the piercing, unfriendly glance from
the other's eyes. The day had been a pretty eventful one and no
mistake.

"Look here," he answered, in a burst of frankness. "This world's a
devilish rum place, and I've lived long enough in it, and seen enough
devilish rum sides of it, to have learnt enough to respect other
people's secrets. So you may rely upon me when I give you the full