shone upon the spear-torn canvas of the waggons
and upon the stained and trampled veldt. Even the bodies of the Kaffirs
looked red as they lay in every shape and attitude; some as though they
slept; some with outstretched arms and spears gripped tight; some with
open mouths as they had died shouting their way-cry. Ralph looked at
them and was thankful that it was not we white people who lay thus,
as it might well have been. Then, just as he was turning towards the
laager, he thought that he saw something move in a tussock of thick
grass, and rode towards it. Behind the tussock lay the body of a young
Kaffir, not an uncommon sight just there, but Ralph was so sure that he
had seen it move that, stirred by an idle curiosity, he dismounted from
his horse to examine it. This he did carefully, but the only hurt that
he could see was a flesh wound caused by a slug upon the foot, not
serious in any way, but such as might very well prevent a man from
running.

"This fellow is shamming dead," he thought to himself, and lifted his
gun, for in those times we could not afford to nurse sick Kaffirs.

Then of a sudden the young man who had seemed to be a corpse rose to
his knees, and, clasping his hands, began to beg for mercy. Instead
of shooting him at once, as most Boers would have done, Ralph, who
was tender-hearted, hesitated and listened while the Kaffir, a
pleasant-faced lad and young, besought him for his life.

"Why should I spare you," asked Ralph, who understood his talk well,
"seeing that, like all the rest of these, you set upon my people to
murder them?"

"Nay, chief," answered the young man, "it is not so. I am no Zulu. I
belong to another tribe, and was but a slave and a carrier in the army
of Kalipi, for I was taken prisoner and forced to carry mats and food
and water," and he pointed to a bundle and some gourds that lay beside
him.

"It may be so," answered Ralph, "but the dog shares his master's fate."

"Chief," pleaded the man, "spare me. Although it prevented me from
running away with the others, my wound is very slight and will be healed
in a day or two, and then I will serve you as your slave and be faithful
to you all my life. Spare me and I shall bring you good luck."

"I need that enough," said Ralph, "and I am sure that you are no Zulu,
for a Zulu would not stoop to beg for his life thus," and he stood
thinking.

While he thought, Jan, who had seen him from the laager, came up behind.

"What are