f."

"Never mind the snuff, Gaasha," I said in a voice half-choked with doubt
and anxiety, for the sight of Ralph's piteous face and the strangeness
of it all were fast overwhelming me, "but tell us what is the name of
this chieftainess whom you have heard is now the ruler of your tribe?"

"Her name, lady," he answered, much relieved, "why it is well known, for
though she is small, it is said that she is the best of doctoresses and
rain-makers."

Now Jan could no longer be restrained, for stretching out his great hand
he gripped Gaasha by the throat, saying:

"Accursed _swartzel_, if you do not tell us the name at once I will kill
you."

"Madman," I exclaimed, "how can the lad speak while you are choking
him?"

Then Jan shifted his grip and Gaasha began to cry for pity.

"The name, the name," said Jan.

"Why should I hide it? Have I not told it? Baas, it is _Sihamba
Ngenyanga_."

As the words passed his lips Jan let go of him so suddenly that Gaasha
fell to the ground and sat there staring at us, for without doubt he
thought that we had all gone mad.

Jan looked up to the skies and said, "Almighty, I thank Thee, Who canst
make dreams to fly to the heart of a man as a night-bird to its nest
through the darkness, and Who, because of what I saw in the eyes of
Sihamba, didst turn aside my gun when it was pointed at the breast of
this Kaffir."

Then he looked at Ralph, and was quiet, for Ralph had swooned away.

CHAPTER XXVII

SWART PIET SETS A SNARE

It was a strange life that Suzanne led among the Umpondwana during the
two years or more that, together with Sihamba, she ruled over them as
chieftainess. Upon the top of the mountain was a space of grass land
measuring about five hundred morgen, or a thousand acres in extent,
where were placed the chief's huts and those of the head men and
soldiers, surrounding a large cattle kraal, which, however, was only
used in times of danger. The rest of the people dwelt upon the slopes of
the mountain, and even on the rich plains at the foot of it, but if need
were they could all retreat to the tableland upon its crest. Here they
might have defied attack for ever, for beneath the cattle kraal grain
was stored in pits, only there was but one spring, which in dry seasons
was apt to fail. Therefore it was that the Umpondwana had built stone
schanzes or fortifications about the mouth of the river which gushed
from the mountain between the thumb and finger like ridges