commenced his lonely watch. Strange thoughts
crossed his brain as he there sat for hours: one was the readiness with
which he surrendered a fair chance of life for the sake of two Dutch
girls whom he knew but slightly. "It is odd," he thought, "for were it
not for their slow feet, Hans and I could easily escape the whole body
of the Matabili, and in a race for life we could shoot down the
fleetest, and run from the slowest. It is a strange tie that binds a
strong man to a weak woman, for tie it is. I, who never yet loved a
woman, would sooner die in defending Katie than escape at her expense;
and yet, were she captured, her fate would only be to become one among a
hundred wives of Moselekatse. To-morrow's sun will not set, I expect,
without deciding her fate, and that of Hans and myself."

The night had half passed when Hans, having, as he termed it, "finished
all his sleep," came out of his cave and told Victor to take his rest.
"If I hear the slightest noise that indicates an enemy, I will signal to
you," said Hans; "for it may be that at daybreak we may have an attack.
Sleep whilst you can, though: our aim is always better after a good
rest."

The calm of the previous day had been succeeded by a fresh breeze, which
was blowing from the westward, and thus Hans could not depend so much on
discovering the approach of an enemy by the sound which he would make in
moving through the underwood in the ravines. He was thus particularly
anxious and watchful in order to guard against a surprise.

The darkness of night had been succeeded by the grey twilight of
morning, and Hans had neither seen nor heard any thing to cause him
fresh alarm. As the daylight increased he strained his eyes to examine
every suspicious-looking object, in his endeavour to discover an enemy.
The mist which for a time hung about the streams and in the kloofs,
prevented him from seeing distinctly over the surrounding plains, and
thus before the sun rose the view was not very distinct. Whilst he
examined the distant plains and rising-ground his eye was suddenly
attracted by what seemed an object moving near the edge of the rock
close to him. So momentary was the view he obtained that he was not
certain the waving of a branch in the wind might not be the cause. He
was, however, too keen a sportsman not to know that it is by paying
attention to these glimpses of objects that the best chances are
frequently obtained, and thus with his gun in read