ell, we'll make believe--
but, at midnight I'm off, no matter what happens."

"That's right, Glanton," said Kendrew, who had entered with an
opportuneness that under other and less interested circumstances I
should have regarded as suspicious. "Edith and I will take care of the
old birds, never fear."

Utterly heartsick, and though unconsciously so, physically weary by
reason of the awful strain of the last twelve hours, I only sought to be
alone. I went into the room I always occupied and shut myself in.
Sleep? Yes, I would welcome it, if only as a respite. I don't know
whether it came or not.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

WHAT JAN BOOM TOLD.

It seemed as though I had slept five minutes when I started wide awake,
listening. There was a faint sound of scratching upon the window pane.
Then it ceased, to be followed by a succession of gentle taps.

Noiselessly I got out of bed, and drawing my revolver from its holster,
stood listening once more. There was no mistake about it. Somebody was
trying to attract my attention.

Even then--in that tense moment, the drear anguish of yesterday surged
like a wave through my mind; but, upon it a gleam of hope. What was
this fresh mystery, for, of course, it was in some way connected with
the suggestion of tragedy--with the mysterious disappearance of my love?

There were no curtains, only blinds. Softly, noiselessly, I slipped to
the window and displaced one of these, just sufficiently to leave a
crack to be able to see through. The moon was shining, bright and
clear, and all in the front of the house was illuminated almost as
though by daylight I made out a dark figure crouching under the window,
and held the revolver clenched and ready as I put up the sash.

"Who?" I said, in the Zulu.

"_Nkose_! It is I--Jan Boom."

"Yes. And what do you want?"

"_Nkose_! Try and slip out of the house, unseen I want to talk. But
others may be waking too. Do it. It concerns her whom you seek."

I knew the ways of a native in such a matter, wherefore without
hesitation, I put up the window as noiselessly as I could, and was out
in a moment. Bearing in mind the strange and mysterious times upon
which we had fallen I didn't leave the weapon behind me in the room
either.

"You are alone?" I said.

"I am alone, _Nkose_. Come round behind the waggon shed--or, better
still, into the openness of the bush itself. There can we hold our
_indaba_."

"Good. Now--lead o