the tent flaps and peered into the waggon. Still she could see nothing
because of the mist, yet she heard something, a man breathing in his
sleep. Somehow she thought that it was a white man; a Kaffir did not
breathe like that. She did not know what to do, so remained kneeling
there. It seemed as though the man who was asleep began to feel her
presence, for he muttered to himself--surely the words were English!
Then quite suddenly he struck a match and lit a candle which stood in
a beer bottle by his side. She could not see his face while he lit the
match, for his arm hid it, and the candle burned up slowly. Then the
first thing she saw was the barrel of a revolver pointing straight at
her.

"Now, my black friend," said a pleasant voice, "down you go or I shoot.
One, two! Oh, my God!"

The candle burned up, its light fell upon the white, elfish face of
Benita, whose long dark hair streamed about her; it shone in her great
eyes. Still she could see nothing, for it dazzled her.

"Oh, my God!" said the voice again. "Benita! Benita! Have you come to
tell me that I must join you? Well, I am ready, my sweet, my sweet! Now
I shall hear your answer."

"Yes," she whispered, and crawling forward down the cartel Benita fell
upon his breast.

For she knew him at last--dead or living she cared not--she knew him,
and out of hell crept to him, her heaven and her home!

XXIII

BENITA GIVES HER ANSWER

"Your answer, Benita," Robert said dreamily, for to him this thing
seemed a dream.

"Have I not given it, months ago? Oh, I remember, it was only in my
heart, not on my lips, when that blow fell on me! Then afterwards I
heard what you had done and I nearly died. I wished that I might die
to be with you, but I could not. I was too strong; now I understand the
reason. Well, it seems that we are both living, and whatever happens,
here is my answer, if it is worth anything to you. Once and for all,
I love you. I am not ashamed to say it, because very soon we may be
separated for the last time. But I cannot talk now, I have come here to
save my father."

"Where is he, Benita?"

"Dying in a cave up at the top of that fortress. I got down by a secret
way. Are the Matabele still here?"

"Very much so," he answered. "But something has happened. My guard woke
me an hour ago to say that a messenger had arrived from their king,
Lobengula, and now they are talking over the message. That is how you
came to get through, otherwise