The Ghost Kings

to have quite recovered from,

closed behind her. "Of course it is contrary to experienc

-twenty years now, and I have heard this sort of thing again and again, but although we have lived in wild places where any

, sometimes. Thus I know that she is right about me; no harm will happen to me, at lea

else,

, Richard Darrien?" she

t on the island? Yes, I remember him, alt

that I shall s

hat all?" he said. "If

very wonderful if you d

l one day when we all ce

on, "there are enough

ich comes from living am

ning to think that I sh

t will break my heart

rts are being cro

u, father, that I don'

o be considered. Her hea

what it matters. We've got to die some time, and if necessary I prefer that it should be while doing my duty. 'Take no thought for the m

that she was not in the house. This disturbed her very much, although it occurred to her that she might possibly be with f

she met a solitary Zulu, a dignified middle-aged man, whom she thought she recognised as one of the embassy, although of this she could not be sure, as she had only seen these people in the moonlight. Th

," she

y with me, I am Tamboosa, one of the King's in

aw y

r of the King. She also should have been slain, but we have learned that you called down lightning from Heaven, and that with it you slew the sol

, showing none of the s

her as we were commanded, and hid her away, awaiting your answer to our message. Had you consented to visit the Kin

d. What mor

, and her servant Noie shall go free and unharmed, for is she not a

osa?" asked Rachel, controlling herself w

that grew at a distance of about tw

tle maid of about fourteen, whom Rachel knew well as a girl th

Noie and deliver the message that

d been kept hidden till in the night the embassy returned. Then they had spoken with Noie, who in the end called her and gave her a message. This was the message: "Say to the Inkosazana that the Zulus have caught me, and are taking me to Dingaan the King. Say that they declare that if she is pleased to come and speak the word,

ng her in the charge of the man Tamboosa, who at the first break

thought a while, then bade Tamboosa and the child to follow her to the mission-house. On the stoep s

Mr. Dove, looking

ressing Rachel alone, for of her father and mother he would

thout," said Rachel,

tly. If you are not across the Tugela by sunset this night, word will be passed to the King, and she dies at on

three of them were left alon

superstitions, cruelties, customs, and everything that was theirs, and ended by declaring that it was of course

understand that you are pronouncing Noie's death s

ropose to do so as it is. No do

. Did you not hear what that man Tam

t not go, for you would never come back again. Also, how

abandon that poor girl to h

s in my power to save her?" asked Rachel. "If I let those hor

he horrible Zu

father; mother knows the

s madness into their hea

n impi here to kill eve

g of Noie is only a fir

sit Zululand, save Noie,

desert Noie, and all le

But then, as I told yo

I am not in the leas

protect you as much in

inning to weaken in f

rnat

land I want you and mother to trek to D

hel? It i

se to believe that I am in some way in bondage to you; you remember all their talk about the heavens and the cloud. Of co

n such cases, not of too satisfactory an order. Rachel was to be allowed to undertake her mission on behalf of Noie, and her parents were to remain at Ramah. On her return, which they hoped would be within a week or eight days, the q

and could rely on in every way. The white riding-ox that Dingaan had sent as a present was also to accompany her, to carry her spare garments and other articles packed in skin bags, such as

nd to claim my servant. Lead the bea

e her titles of praise, but she cut him short with

o the saddling of the ho

ugela, Rachel went to bi

f in the sitting-room,

out sadly to

," she said in a cheerf

back again in a

ink that you and Noie will come

hat, m

is heavy in me. I hate parting with you, Rachel. Remem

her, and was filled wit

d if you wish I will give up this business and stop with you. It is very terrible, but it can't be helped; N

your own. If your father would leave here to-day or to-morrow, as you suggested, it might b

wish,

I know you won't forget me, or that there is another where we shall. I did not want to frighten you with my fancies

the room whence her mother watched her go, also in silence. In another minute she was mounted

m, whereon he stopped, and

ers are that none should ac

l, proudly. "He rides with

r mother's mood, that of her father was fairly cheerful. Indeed, his mind was so oc

they could see a number of Kaffirs watching, who on catching sight of Rachel, ran down to the river and entered it, sho

loth to part with his daughter, and again suggested to Tam

an," answered the induna grimly, "you shall die

ing swiftly in ordered companies, now appeared a Zulu regiment who carrie

mong so many? And do you think, if you dare to disobey the words of Dingaan, that you

r in farewell. Indeed, Rachel was glad that there was no time for words, for this parting was more terrible to her than she cared to own, an

mare while Tamboosa led the white ox at her side. Presently she l

ked Tamboosa, uneasily.

d, "he prays to th

er bank, two thousand men or more, brought hither to do honour to this white girl in whom they chose to consider that the guardian spirit of their people was incarnate. Contemplating them, Rachel wondered how it came

sitting very proud and upright on her horse, without a sign of doubt or fear. As she approache

Elephant, of Dingaan the King, hail to thee, Princess

the two thousand soldiers, who were watching, as it seemed to her, with wonder and awe, began to beat his ox-hide shield with the handle of his spear. They beat very softly at first, producing a sound like the distant murmur of the sea, then harder and harder till its volume grew to a mighty roar, impossible to describe, a sound like the sound of thunder that echoed along the water and from hill

sly thrown upon such an occasion, her prestige must have suffered, if indeed it were not destroyed. As it proved, it was greatly enhanced by this accident. Many of the Zulus of that day had never even seen a horse, which was considered by all of them to be a dan

d rode on between the wh

, remained absolutely s

ring eyes. When at leng

d of about fifty me

her Tamboosa, leading t

turn was followed by t

g no questions, and spe

land. Only in her heart

strange journey would en

ther and her mother ti

ght she

with them, seeing this unaccustomed apparition of a white woman mounted on a strange animal, put down its head and charged her furiously. She saw it coming, and by pulling the mare on to its haunches, avoided its rush. Now at the time she was riding on a path which ran along the edge of a little roc

patched them with assegais. Before Rachel could interfere they were pierced with a hundred wounds. Now there was a little pause, while the carcases of the beasts were dragged out of her path, and the bloodstains covered from her eyes with fresh earth. Just as this task was finished there appeared, scrambling up the denga, and followed, by some

tle?" she screamed. "Is it th

quietly, "the Heavens k

e rest, ask of the c

ced at the dead bull whi

natural fashion at right

aid. Then her rage at t

a person in authority, o

r black arts

cattle. "So it has ever been and so shall it ever be. Red is thy road through life, White One. Go back, go back now to thine own kraa

the woman, meaning that some of those with her should cause her to loose the bridle. Too late she remembered that in this savage lan

before she could speak, the witch-doctoress

g low before her, and pointing with his spear to the attendants of the witch-doctoress,

e, for horror had made her almost

eath gives life to the children of the evil-doer," and as the great cavalcade ma