t beat fiercely under the
terrible temptation thus thrown in his way. Yet so fleeting was it as
scarcely to constitute a temptation at all. Now that it was put nakedly
to him he could not do this thing. He could not consent to a murder--a
cold-blooded, treacherous murder.

"I cannot talk with you apart, Hlangani," he answered. "I cannot leave
the _Inkosikazi_ standing here alone even for a few minutes."

The piercing glance of the shrewd savage had been scrutinising his
face--had been reading it like a book. Upon him the terrible struggle
within had not been lost.

"Consider, Ixeshane," he pursued. "What is the gift of a few dozen
cows, of _two hundred cows_, when compared with the happiness of a man's
lifetime? Nothing. _Is it to be? Say the word. Is it to be_?"

The barbarian's fiery eyes were fixed upon his with deep and terrible
meaning. To Eustace it seemed as if the blasting glare of the Arch
fiend himself shone forth from their cruel depths.

"It is _not_ to be. The `word' is No! Unmistakably and distinctly No.
You understand, Hlangani?"

"_Au_! As you will, Ixeshane," replied the Kafir, with an expressive
shrug of his shoulders. "See. You wear a `charm'," referring to a
curious coin which Eustace wore hanging from his watch-chain. "If you
change your mind send over the `charm' to me at Nteya's kraal this
night--it shall be returned. But after to-night it may be too late.
Farewell."

And flinging his blanket over his shoulder the savage turned and strode
away into the _veldt_--Eustace purposely omitting to offer him a little
tobacco, lest this ordinary token of good will should be construed into
a sort of earnest of the dark and terrible bargain which Hlangani had
proposed to him--by mere hints it is true--but still had none the less
surely proposed.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

"...AND THE WORLD IS CHANGED."

They stood for some moments watching the receding figure of the Kafir in
silence. Eanswyth was the first to break it.

"What have you been talking about all this time, Eustace? Is it any new
danger that threatens us?"

"N-no. Rather the reverse if anything," and his features cleared up as
if to bear out the truth of his words. "I don't see, though, why you
shouldn't know it. That's the man we fell foul of in the _veldt_
yesterday--you remember the affair of the white dog?"

"Oh!" and Eanswyth turned very pale.

"Now don't be alarmed, dearest. I believe he only loafed rou