“Presently, through my doze as it were, I saw Kaatje approaching.  Nombe went to meet her, still singing, and taking her hand, led her to the cart, where they seemed to talk to the horses, which surprised me as there were no horses.  Then she brought her round the cart and pointed to us, still singing.  Now Kaatje began to weep and throw her hands about, while Nombe patted her on the shoulder.  I tried to speak to her but could not.  My tongue was tied, why I don’t know, but I suppose because I was really asleep, and Maurice also was asleep and did not wake at all.”

“Yes,” said Anscombe, “I remember nothing of all this business.”

“After a while Kaatje went away, still weeping, and then I fell asleep in earnest and did not wake until the sun was going down, when I roused Maurice and we both went back to the hut, where I found that Nombe had cooked our evening meal.  I looked for Kaatje, but could not find her.  Also in searching through my things I missed the bag of jewels.  I called to Nombe and asked where Kaatje was, whereon she smiled and said that she had gone away, taking the bag with her.  This pained me, for I had always found Kaatje quite honest—­”

“Which she is,” I remarked, “for those jewels are now in a bank at Maritzburg.”

Heda nodded and went on, “I am glad to hear it; indeed, remembering what Zikali had said, I never really suspected her of being a thief, but thought it was all part of some plan.  After this things went on as before, except that Nombe took Kaatje’s place and was with me day and night.  Of Kaatje’s disappearance she would say nothing.  Zikali we did not see.

“On the third evening after the vanishing of Kaatje, Nombe came and said that I must make ready for a journey, and while she spoke men arrived with a litter that had grass mats hung round it.  Nombe brought out my long cape and put it over me, also a kind of veil of white stuff which she threw over my head, so as to hide my face.  I think it was made out of one of our travelling mosquito nets.  Then she said I must say good-bye to Maurice for a while.  There was a scene as you may imagine.  He grew angry and said that he would come with me, whereon armed men appeared, six of them, and pushed him away with the handles of their spears.  In another minute I was lifted into the litter which Nombe entered with me, and so we were parted, wondering if we should ever see each other more.  At the mouth of the kloof I saw another litter surrounded by a number of Zulus, which Nombe said contained Zikali.

“We travelled all that night and two succeeding nights, resting during the day in deserted kraals that appeared to have been made ready for us.  It was a strange journey, for although the armed men flitted about us, neither they nor the bearers ever spoke, nor did I see Zikali, or indeed any one else.  Only Nombe comforted me from time to time, telling me there was nothing to fear.  Towards dawn on the third night we travelled over some hills and I was put into a new hut and told that my journey was done as we had reached a place near Ulundi.