stood. This we left, and,
crossing the valley, ascended by a steep track to a high "neck" which
cleft the heights on the further side. We had by this time been riding
for nearly an hour.

Now, as we halted to breathe our horses, and sat in our saddles, gazing
forth upon the more open country beyond, before us the shadowy veldt,
stretching away into moonlit dimness, was lit up here and there in the
distance by twinkling points of light, over which hung a misty glow.
These were the fires in the Ndhlambe location, whence, ever and again,
in humming waves of sound, came a weird rhythmical chant, to a strange
stamping accompaniment, varied by the howling of dogs or the faint
shrill laughter of women. The savages were enjoying themselves in
uproarious merrymaking.

No word had Beryl uttered all this time, but now she spoke, and the
words which she did say fairly startled me, for they were of such import
that I knew the chances were as fifty to one against either or both of
us living to see the light of another day. She read off my thoughts as
in a flash.

"Do not let me take you into this, Kenrick. After all, there is a risk.
I can bring it off alone."

"Do be just to me, dear," I said gently, putting forth my hand till it
rested on hers. "Do you think the idea of deserting you ever crossed my
mind for the single fraction of an instant? It was of you I was
thinking. Now listen. Leave this to me. I will do exactly what you
have been planning--I alone. I will carry it out to the letter. Life
is nothing to me--forgive me for speaking selfishly at such a time. Go
back to--to them. I pledge you my word of honour and my life that I
will do all you would have done. But you?--you must not embark in such
an undertaking as this. Now--will you leave it to me?"

"No--a thousand times no. Kenrick, you are loyal and brave as few men
are. Pardon my doubting you, or seeming to, for I never did so really."

In spite of the grief and woe which had come upon us, of the desperate
undertaking to which we were pledged, a thrill of genuine exaltation set
my pulses tingling at her words, her tone. We were close together. Our
horses, glad of even this temporary rest, were standing still. I was
going into almost certain death--with her, and I would not have
exchanged the situation for any other on earth. A wild, well-nigh
uncontrollable impulse seized me. Her great eyes were turned full upon
mine, and the pallid hardness