he coarse sawlike grass had cut her
scantily protected ankles, and her skirt was ripped in several places by
numerous thorns, and by the time she had travelled for three hours, she
became sadly alive to the certainty that she had effected very little
progress indeed.

Worse still. She was beginning to feel utterly exhausted. Even a fair
amount of bicycle training, and that in an equable climate, was
inadequate training for a twenty mile across-country walk through the
burning enervating heat of sub-tropical Matabeleland, and, moreover, she
was tormented by a raging thirst; for no water had she found since first
starting, and now she had walked for three hours.

The river-bed here made a bend. Despairingly poor Nidia sent a glance
at the sun, to discover that the amount of daylight left to her was
diminishing to an alarming degree. Then she climbed up the bank to
ascertain whether a short cut might not effect a considerable saving of
time.

She discovered it would. The country was dangerously open, though, and
there were cultivated lands she would have to pass. Summoning up all
her strength and courage, she stole rapidly along, keeping within the
shelter of a line of thorn-bushes. These came abruptly to an end, and
away, about a quarter of a mile off, stood three or four huts.

Quickly she drew back. Too late. She had been seen. Two natives were
crossing the patch of cultivated land--a big man and a small one--and
both were armed with guns. She turned instinctively to flee, but in
loud and threatening tones they called on her to stop. At the same time
a rush of gaunt curs, from the neighbourhood of the huts, howling and
yelping, decided the situation. Poor Nidia, panting with exhaustion and
fear, turned again, and, trying to summon all her courage, stood
awaiting the approach of the two barbarians, who were advancing towards
her with rapid strides.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

MEPHISTO--IN BLACK.

The aspect of the two natives into whose power she had fallen was not
such as to inspire Nidia with any great degree of reassurance. They
formed an evil-looking pair; the tall one, heavy, sullen, scowling; the
short one, lithe, lean, very black, with hawk-like features and sunken
cruel eyes. One circumstance, however, she did not fail to note, and it
inspired her with a momentary gleam of hope. The big man was clad in
the uniform of the Native Police, very much soiled and worn, and hardly
looking identical wi