lled on sadly, wondering what was that plan of escape of
which Sihamba had spoken, and why it was that she stood there by the
corpse and did not put it into practice, wondering also when they should
meet again and where. A third time she turned, and now the dead woman
on the rock was but as a tiny point of white, and now it had altogether
vanished away.

After this Suzanne halted no more, but pressed on steadily towards the
saw-edged spur, which she reached about twelve o'clock, for the grass
was so tall, the untrodden veldt so rough, and the sun so hot that, weak
as she felt with grief and the effects of thirst, and laden with a heavy
child, her progress was very slow. At length, however, she stood gasping
in its shadow, gazing dismayed at the huge range of mountains before her
and the steep rough cliffs up which she must climb.

"Never shall I cross them without foot and weighted with this child, so
the end of it will be that I must die after all," thought Suzanne as she
sank down by the banks of a little rivulet, resting her swollen feet in
its cool stream, for then, and indeed for weeks after, it seemed to
her that she could never have enough of the taste and smell and feel of
water.

As she sat thus, striving to still the wailing of the hungry boy,
suddenly the shadow of a man fell upon her. With a cry she sprang to her
feet to find herself face to face with Zinti.

"Oh! I thought that they had taken you," she exclaimed.

"No, lady, I escaped, but I crossed the plain far to your left, for it
seemed better that we should not be seen travelling together from the
mountain. Now let us eat who have eaten little for so many days, lacking
water to wash down the food," and from the large skin wallet which he
bore Zinti drew out dried flesh and roasted corn.

Suzanne looked at the food with longing, but before she touched any
she took some corn, and having pounded it into a pulp with a stone, she
mixed it with water and fed the child, who devoured the stuff greedily
and presently fell asleep. Then they ate as much as they wanted, since
Zinti carried enough for three such meals, and never did Suzanne take
meat with a greater relish. Afterwards, though she yearned to sleep,
they pressed on again, for Zinti said it was not safe to stay, since
long before this Van Vooren would be seeking her far and wide, and if he
chanced to discover the secret of her flight he would travel further
in one hour on horseback than they coul