led the animal away, wondering. Lamont was fidgety about his
horses beyond the ordinary, and yet here he was proposing to ride one of
them that was lame, and just off a fair journey into the bargain, a
distance that would take him the best part of the night to cover. Yet
he was totally unsuspicious as to the real motive for such insane
behaviour. He concluded his master must be in love with some girl, and
would go to any trouble, and make any sacrifice to get to her; as he had
seen others do before him. These Amakiwa were an extraordinary race, so
clever and so sensible about most things, and yet such very complete
fools where their women were concerned; making themselves their
servants, and carrying loads for them, and indeed doing _konza_ to them
in the most abject way. _Whau_! he had seen it, he, Ujojo, many times,
else had he refused to believe a tale so incredible. And now his
master, whom he had reckoned quite above that sort of madness, and had
respected accordingly, was going to prove himself after all just as
foolish as the rest. Ujojo clicked disgustedly, and spat.

His said master the while had opened the gun-chest--a strong and solid
structure, secured in addition by a patent lock--and was loading a
magazine rifle to its fullest carrying capacity, slipping several
additional cartridges into a coat pocket. Peters was away at Buluwayo,
and he had the place to himself. Then, having refreshed the inner man,
he lay down for an hour's snooze--and in truth he needed it, for he had
got but little sleep last night, and would get none at all this.

And--the night after?

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

THE RACE MEETING.

The race-course at Gandela lay just outside the township, and between it
and the bushy ridge Ehlatini.

It was a large, circular space, surrounded by a not particularly strong
bush-fence, and now on the day of the race meeting and gymkhana it
presented a very lively scene indeed; for not only was practically the
whole population of Gandela there gathered, but that of the surrounding
district. Settlers from outlying farms, prospectors from remote camps,
storekeepers and others, had all come in to see or join in the fun. And
in contrast to the swarm of bronzed and belted men--coatless, and
wearing for the most part the broad-brimmed American hat--a flutter of
bright colour here and there of blouse and sunshade showed that the
ornamental sex, as represented in fa-away Matabeleland, was quite as
am