of some thorns in a gully that ran at right angles to the
main kloof not more than a few hundred yards from the house.
Following a path over which the stones had been dragged
originally, I came to the spot and discovered that a little
cavity had been quarried in what seemed to me to be a positive
mountain of pure white marble. I examined the place as
thoroughly as I could, climbing among some bushes that grew in
surface earth which had been washed down from the top, in order
to do so.

At the back of these bushes there was a hole large enough for a
man to creep through. I crept through with the object of
ascertaining whether the marble veins continued. To my surprise
I found a stout yellow-wood door within feet of the mouth of the
hole. Reflecting that no doubt it was here that the quarrymen
kept, or had kept tools and explosives, I gave it a push. I
suppose it had been left unfastened accidentally, or that
something had gone wrong with the lock; at any rate it swung
open. Pursuing my researches as to the depth of the marble I
advanced boldly and, the place being dark, struck a match.
Evidently the marble did continue, as I could see by the
glittering roof of a cavern, for such it was. But the floor
attracted my attention as well as the roof, for on it were
numerous cases not unlike coffins, bearing the stamp of a
well-known Birmingham firm, labelled "fencing iron" and
addressed to Messrs. Marnham & Rodd, Transvaal, _via_ Delagoa
Bay.

I knew at once what they were, having seen the like before, but
if any doubt remained in my mind it was easy to solve, for as it
chanced one of the cases was open and half emptied. I slipped my
hand into it. As I thought it contained the ordinary Kaffir gun
of commerce, cost delivered in Africa, say 35s.; cost delivered
to native chief in cash or cattle, say #10, which, when the
market is eager, allows for a decent profit. Contemplating those
cases, survivors probably of a much larger stock, I understood
how it came about that Sekukuni had dared to show fight against
the Government. Doubtless it was hence that the guns had come
which sent a bullet through Anscombe's foot and nearly polished
off both of us.

Moreover, as further matches showed me, that cave contained other
stores--item, kegs of gunpowder; item, casks of cheap spirit;
item, bars of lead, also a box marked "bullet moulds" and another
marked "Percussion caps." I think, too, there were some innocent
bags ful