y have taken the Swallow somewhere else,
and if we do not follow his spoor how shall we know where he has hidden
her?"

"Fool, I have thought of that," she answered angrily, "else should I
have spent all this time looking for hoof-marks in the dark? We must
risk it, I say. To his house he has not taken her, for other white folk
are living in it, and it is not likely he would have a second, or a
better hiding-place than that you saw. I say that we must be bold and
risk it since we have no time to lose."

"As you will, mistress," answered Zinti. "Who am I that I should
question your wisdom?" and, turning his horse's head, he rode forward
across the gloomy veldt as certainly as a homing rock-dove wings its
flight.

So they travelled till the sun rose behind a range of distant hills.
Then Zinti halted and pointed to them.

"Look, lady," he said. "Do you see that peak among the mountains which
has a point like a spear, the one that seems as though it were on fire?
Well, behind it lies Bull-Head's kraal."

"It is far, Zinti, but we must be there by night."

"That may be done, lady, but if so we must spare our horses."

"Good," she answered. "Here is a spring; let us off-saddle a while."

So they off-saddled and ate of the food which they had brought, while
the horses filled themselves with the sweet green grass, the _schimmel_
being tied to the grey mare, for he would not bear a knee-halter.

All that day they rode, not so very fast but steadily, till towards
sunset they off-saddled again beneath the shadow of the spear-pointed
peak. There was no water at this spot, but seeing a green place upon
the slope of a hill close by, Zinti walked to it, leading the thirsty
beasts. Presently he threw up his hand and whistled, whereon Sihamba set
out to join him, knowing that he had found a spring. So it proved to be,
and now they learned that Sihamba had been wise in heading straight for
Swart Piet's hiding-place, since round about this spring was the spoor
of many horses and of men. Among these was the print of a foot that she
knew well, the little foot of Suzanne.

"How long is it since they left here?" asked Sihamba, not as one who
does not know, but rather as though she desired to be certified in her
judgment.

"When the sun stood there," answered Zinti, pointing to a certain height
in the heavens.

"Yes," she answered, "three hours. Bull-Head has travelled quicker than
I thought."

"No," said Zinti, "but I think t