ection.
He was of fine stature, and unlike Tongwana and two or three of the
others, wore no article of European clothing; wherein he showed taste,
for the savage in his _mutya_ alone looks an immeasurably finer savage
than his brother clad in the same, with a super-added shirt, usually
none too clean. Him Thornhill set down as a Zulu from beyond the
border: but at the same time he was vaguely conscious of having seen him
somewhere before.

This man now, without a word of farewell greeting, detached himself from
the group, and began to walk leisurely away. Then it became noticeable
that he walked with a slight limp.

"Bullet in the war of '79 did that," decided Thornhill grimly, as he
looked after him. "Wonder if he'll compete for another distinguishing
mark of the same kind before long." Then aloud--

"Who is he?"

They looked at each other.

"He is a stranger, _Nkose_," answered Tongwana with a whimsical smile.
"From the other side?"

"_E-he_."

"Yet it seems I have seen him before. No matter. For the rest,
_amadoda_, the house is very near and contains that which is good to eat
and drink. The _Inkosazana_ [lit. Little Chieftainess] is there, and
will see to that. I return soon myself. _Hambani gahle_!"

They were delighted, and chorussed a sonorous farewell. Thornhill made
it a rule to treat his native neighbours on liberal and friendly terms,
consequently the relations between them were of the best. None of his
stock was ever missing nor did he ever lack farm servants.
Incidentally, some of his white neighbours disagreed with him on the
point. They said he was spoiling the natives. But, out of the
plenitude of his experience he had found it a policy that paid.

Now, when after a few minutes' ride along the bush track he overtook the
stranger, that worthy's demeanour towards himself constituted quite an
unusual experience. It was off-hand, to say the least of it, almost
offensive.

"May I not have first right to ride along the paths on my own farm?"
began Thornhill, banteringly. For the path here was exceedingly narrow
with high thick bush on either hand, and the other showed not the least
anxiety to make way for him, but strode on as though there was no one
within a hundred miles. It was all Thornhill could do to restrain
himself from bringing down the butt of his gun hard and violently
between the broad, shining shoulders. It was, if possible, more
difficult still, as the stranger repl