leasant to know. But, speaking personally, I like the life.
I am strong, and it does me no harm."

They chatted of other things and everything. The priest was a cultured
man, and as they covered mile after mile of hot, steamy Matabeleland,
both he and his companion hardly noticed it, for they were back in the
various centres of artistic Europe, discussing its treasures with
eagerness and appreciation. They off-saddled for half an hour, then on
again.

"I think we are getting near where my road turns off," said Father
Mathias at last. "But, Mr Lamont, I am so glad we have been able to
travel together. I have not noticed the distance at all."

Lamont cordially replied that the same held good of himself. Then,
looking quickly up--

"We are going to have a change, and if it means rain--why then, hooray!
Otherwise I don't like the look of it ahead--no, not at all."

In their conversation as they rode along they had, as we have said, lost
sight of outside features. Now a deep, low growl of thunder recalled
such. Over the range of hills they were skirting peered a ridge of
black cloud, mounting higher and higher to the zenith in a huge solid
pillar, spreading in black masses, lighted fitfully with the gleam of
quickly successive flashes. The sun had already gone down.

"We are in for it," said Lamont, looking up. "We shall get an exemplary
ducking, unless--but then you might not care about that--we were to take
shelter in Zwabeka's kraal. It's only just the other side of that bend
in front."

"Let us do that," said the priest. "Zwabeka is a considerable chief, is
he not? I would like to see him."

"This is going to be no fool of a storm," went on Lamont, again looking
upward. "The sooner we get under cover the better."

The booming growl had changed into a well-nigh unintermittent roar, as
the huge cloud, towering pillar-like, now spread its black wings in a
dark canopy in every direction. The horses pricked up their ears and
snorted with alarm at each blinding flash. So far no rain had fallen,
and there was a smell of burning in the very air.

Now a barking of dogs sounded between the rolls of thunder, and rounding
a spur they came in sight of a large kraal, lying at the mouth of a
lateral kloof, densely bushed and extending far up into the range of
hills. The conical huts stood within the strong encircling stockade,
and among them dark forms stood about in groups, gazing skyward, and
indulging in