w, lady, I cannot doubt that as the first part of
the prophecy has come true, so the last part would come true also did
I tempt the spirits of my ancestors by disregarding it, and, therefore,
White Swallow, though all I have is yours, yet you cannot fly home with
us."

Now Suzanne pleaded with him long and earnestly, as did Sihamba, but
without avail, for he could not be moved. Indeed, had he consented the
captains and the army would have disobeyed his order in this matter,
for they believed, every man of them, that to take the Swallow with them
homewards would be to run to their own deaths. Nor was it safe that she
should attempt to follow in the path of the impi, since then in their
superstitious fear they might send back and kill her to avert the evil
fate.

"Now, Swallow," said Sihamba, "there is but one thing for us to do, and
it is to seek refuge among my people, the Umpondwana, whose mountain
stronghold lies at a distance of four days' journey from this place. But
to speak truth, I am not sure how they will receive me, seeing that I
parted from them in anger twelve years ago, having quarrelled with them,
first about a matter of policy, and secondly about a matter of marriage,
and that my half-brother, the son of my father by a slave, was promoted
to rule in my place. Still to them we must go, and with them we must
stay, if they will suffer it, until we find an opportunity of travelling
south in safety."

"If it must be so," answered Suzanne, sighing, "perhaps Sigwe will
escort us to the house of the Umpondwana before he turns homewards, for
they will think the more of us if they see us at the head of a great
army."

To this plan Sigwe and his captains assented with gladness, for they
loved and honoured the Swallow, and were sore at heart because their
fears forced them to leave her alone in the wilderness. But first they
made sure that the mountain Umpondwana lay to the west, and not to the
south, for not one step to the southward would they allow Suzanne to
travel with them.

On the morrow, then, they marched, and the evening of the third day
they set their camp in a mountain pass which led to a wide plain. Before
sunrise next morning Sihamba woke Suzanne.

"Dress yourself, Swallow," she said, "and come to see the light break on
the house of my people."

So they went out in the grey dawn, and climbing a koppie in the mouth of
the pass, looked before them. At first they could distinguish nothing,
for al