out of the way, their
dark, gnome-like shapes glancing through the long grass as they sought
refuge among the granite crags, there to bark loud and excited defiance
after the disturbers.

These, however, took no notice, intent only on getting forward. They
were safe here from the one great object of their apprehension, their
fellow-man--as yet: the point was to cover all the ground possible while
such immunity was still theirs. The Matabele led the way in long wiry
strides--the horseman following. As a matter of precaution, the horse's
shoes had been removed; for the clink of a shod hoof travels far, at
night, in uninhabited solitudes, or, for the matter of that, even by
day.

During the long night march, Blachland's thoughts were busy, and they
were mainly concerned with the events of the three or four days during
which he had been making up his mind to this undertaking; with the
parting with Hermia, and with the future. She had not accepted the
position quietly, and, a rare thing with her, had treated him to rather
a stormy scene.

He had only just returned after a long absence, she declared, and now
was anxious to start off again. Assuredly he was tired of her--or was
it that her suspicions were correct, and that he had a kraal of his own
in Matabeleland, like that horrid old Pemberton and other traders? Ah
well, if he was tired of her, there might be other people who were not
perhaps. If he did not appreciate her, there might be other people who
did.

"Meaning, for present purposes, Spence," he had rejoined, but without
heat. "Well, you are old enough and experienced enough to know where
your own interests lie, and so it is superfluous for me to remind you,"
he had added. And so they had parted with but scant affection; and it
might well be, remembering the perilous nature of his present
undertaking, never to behold each other again.

A short off-saddle, about midnight, relieved the march. At length, in
the black hour succeeding the setting of the moon, Hlangulu called a
halt.

"We must leave the horse here," he said. "We can hide him in yonder
cleft until to-morrow night. It will not be safe to ride him any
further, Isipau. Look!"

The other had already beheld that to which his attention was now
directed. For a dull glow arose upon the night, and that at no great
distance ahead: a glow as of fires. And, in fact, such it was; for it
was the glow of the watch-fires of one of the armed picket