I mean about the plot to kill you."

"Perhaps, commandant. I don't know, and I don't much care. But I am sure
that he was not lying when he said he meant to steal away my wife either
for himself or for Pereira."

"What, then, do you intend to do, Allan?"

"I intend, commandant, with your permission to send Hans, my
after-rider, back to the camp with a letter for Marie, telling her to
remove herself quietly to the farm I have chosen down on the river, of
which I told you, and there to lie hid till I come back."

"I think it needless, Allan. Still, if it will ease your mind, do so,
since I cannot spare you to go yourself. Only you must not send this
Hottentot, who would talk and frighten the people. I am despatching
a messenger to the camp to tell them of our safe arrival and good
reception by Dingaan. He can take your letter, in which I order you to
say to your wife that if she and the Prinsloos and the Meyers go to
this farm of yours, they are to go without talking, just as though they
wanted a change, that is all. Have the letter ready by dawn to-morrow
morning, as I trust mine may be," he added with a groan.

"It shall be ready, commandant; but what about Hernan Pereira and his
tricks?"

"This about the accursed Hernan Pereira," exclaimed Retief, striking
the writing-board with his fist. "On the first opportunity I will myself
take the evidence of Dingaan and of the English lad, Halstead. If I find
they tell me the same story they have told you, I will put Pereira on
his trial, as I threatened to do before; and should he be found guilty,
by God! I will have him shot. But for the present it is best to do
nothing, except keep an eye on him, lest we should cause fear and
scandal in the camp, and, after all, not prove the case. Now go and
write your letter, and leave me to write mine."

So I went and wrote, telling Marie something, but by no means all of
that I have set down. I bade her, and the Prinsloos and the Meyers, if
they would accompany her, as I was sure they would, move themselves
off at once to the farm I had beaconed out thirty miles away from the
Bushman's River, under pretence of seeing how the houses that were being
built there were getting on. Or if they would not go, I bade her go
alone with a few Hottentot servants, or any other companions she could
find.

This letter I took to Retief, and read it to him. At my request, also,
he scrawled at the foot of it:

"I have seen the above and approve