CHAPTER XVII
THE HIDDEN KRANTZ
Before the waggon left her, Sihamba took from it Ralph's gun, a verygood _roer_, together with powder and bullets. Also she took tinder, abottle of peach-brandy, a blanket, mealies in a small bag, wherewith tobait the horses in case of need, and some other things which she thoughtmight be necessary. These she laded among her own goods upon the mulethat with her horse had been fetched by Zinti and hastily fed with corn.Now, at her bidding, Zinti set Suzanne's saddle upon the back of the_schimmel_, and Ralph's on that of Suzanne's grey mare, which he mountedthat the mule might travel lighter. Then Sihamba got upon her own horse,a good and quiet beast which she rode with a sheepskin for a saddle, andthey started, Sihamba leading the _schimmel_ and Zinti the mule that, asit chanced, although bad tempered, would follow well on a riem.
Riding up the kloof they soon reached the spot where Van Vooren's bandhad tethered their horses and tracked the spoor of them with ease forso long as the ground was soft. Afterwards when they reached the opencountry, where the grass had been burnt off and had only just begun tospring again, this became more difficult, and at length, in that light,impossible. Here they wasted a long time, searching for the hoof-marksby the rays of the waning moon, only to lose them again so soon as theywere found.
"At this pace we shall take as long to reach Bull-Head's kraal as didthe cow you followed," said Sihamba presently. "Say, now, can you findthe way to it?"
"Without a doubt, lady; Zinti never forgets a road or a landmark."
"Then lead me there as fast as may be."
"Yes, lady, but Bull-Head may have taken the Swallow somewhere else,and if we do not follow his spoor how shall we know where he has hiddenher?"
"Fool, I have thought of that," she answered angrily, "else should Ihave spent all this time looking for hoof-marks in the dark? We mustrisk it, I say. To his house he has not taken her, for other white folkare living in it, and it is not likely he would have a second, or abetter hiding-place than that you saw. I say that we must be bold andrisk it since we have no time to lose."
"As you will, mistress," answered Zinti. "Who am I that I shouldquestion your wisdom?" and, turning his horse's head, he rode forwardacross the gloomy veldt as certainly as a homing rock-dove wings itsflight.
So they travelled till the sun rose behind a range of distant hills.Then Zinti halted and pointed to them.
"Look, lady," he said. "Do you see that peak among the mountains whichhas a point like a spear, the one that seems as though it were on fire?Well, behind it lies Bull-Head's kraal."
"It is far, Zinti, but we must be there by night."
"That may be done, lady, but if so we must spare our horses."
"Good," she answered. "Here is a spring; let us off-saddle a while."
So they off-saddled and ate of the food which they had brought, whilethe horses filled themselves with the sweet green grass, the _schimmel_being tied to the grey mare, for he would not bear a knee-halter.
All that day they rode, not so very fast but steadily, till towardssunset they off-saddled again beneath the shadow of the spear-pointedpeak. There was no water at this spot, but seeing a green place uponthe slope of a hill close by, Zinti walked to it, leading the thirstybeasts. Presently he threw up his hand and whistled, whereon Sihamba setout to join him, knowing that he had found a spring. So it proved to be,and now they learned that Sihamba had been wise in heading straight forSwart Piet's hiding-place, since round about this spring was the spoorof many horses and of men. Among these was the print of a foot that sheknew well, the little foot of Suzanne.
"How long is it since they left here?" asked Sihamba, not as one whodoes not know, but rather as though she desired to be certified in herjudgment.
"When the sun stood there," answered Zinti, pointing to a certain heightin the heavens.
"Yes," she answered, "three hours. Bull-Head has travelled quicker thanI thought."
"No," said Zinti, "but I think that he knew a path through the big_vlei_, whereas we rode round it, two hours' ride, fearing lest weshould be bogged. Here by this spring they stayed till sunset, for itwas needful that the horses should feed and rest, since they would savetheir strength in them.
"Lady," went on Zinti presently, "beyond the neck of the hill yonderlies the secret kraal of Bull-Head. Say, now, what is your plan when youreach it?"
"I do not know," she answered, "but tell me again of the hidden krantzwhere the women built the new hut, and of the way to it."
He told her and she listened, saying nothing.
"Good," she said, when he had done. "Now lead me to this place, and thenperhaps I will tell my plan if I have one."
So they started on again, but just as they reached the crest of theNek a heavy thunderstorm came up, together with clouds and rain, hidingeverything from them.
"Now I suppose that we must stay here till the light comes," saidSihamba.
"Not so, lady," answered Zinti, "I have been the path once and I can goit again in storm or shine," and he pressed forward, with the lightningflashes for a candle.
Well was that storm for them indeed, since otherwise they would havebeen seen, for already Swart Piet had set his scouts about the kraal.
At length Sihamba felt that they were riding among trees, for waterdripped from them upon her and their branches brushed her face.
"Here is the wood where the women cut poles for the new hut," whisperedZinti in her ear.
"Then let us halt," she answered, and dismounting they tied the threehorses and the mule to as many small trees close together, but not nearenough for them to kick each other.
Now Sihamba took a piece of biltong from a saddle-bag and began to eatit, for she knew that she would need all her cleverness and strength."Take the bag of mealies," she said, "and divide it among the horses andthe mule, giving a double share to the _schimmel_."
Zinti obeyed her, and presently all four of the beasts were eating well,for though they had travelled far their loads were light, nor had thepace been pressed.
Sihamba turned, and, holding out her hands towards the horses, mutteredsomething rapidly.
"What are you doing, mistress?" asked Zinti.
"Perhaps I am throwing a charm upon these animals, that they may neitherneigh nor whinny till we come again, for if they do so we are lost.Now let us go, and--stay, bring the gun with you, for you know how toshoot."
So they started, slipping through the wet wood like shadows. For tenminutes or more they crept on thus towards the dark line of cliff, Zintigoing first and feeling the way with his fingers, till presently hehalted.
"Hist!" he whispered. "I smell people."
As he spoke, they heard a sound like to that of someone sliding downrocks. Then a man challenged, saying, "Who passes from the krantz?" anda woman's voice answered, "It is I, Asika, the wife of Bull-Head." "Ihear you," answered the man. "Now tell me, Asika, what happens yonder."
"What happens? How do I know what happens?" she answered crossly. "Aboutsunset Bull-Head brought home his new wife, a white chieftainess, forwhom we built the hut yonder; but the fashions of marriage among thesewhite people must be strange indeed, for this one came to her husband,her feet bound, and with a face like to the face of a dead woman, theeyes set wide, and the lips parted. Yes, and they blindfolded her in thewood there and carried her through this hole in the rock down to the hutwhere she is shut in."
"I know something of this matter," answered the man; "the white lady isno willing wife to Bull-Head, for he killed her husband and took her byforce. Yes, yes, I know, for my uncle was one of those with him when thedeed was done, and he told me something of it just now."
"An evil deed," said Asika, "and one that will bring bad luck upon allof us; but then, Bull-Head, our chief, is an evil man. Oh! I know it whoam of the number of his Kaffir wives. Say, friend," she went on, "willyou walk a little way with me, as far as the first huts of the kraal,for there are ghosts in the wood, and I fear to pass it alone at night."
"I da
re not, Asika," he answered, "for I am set here on guard."
"Have no fear, friend, the chief is within, seeing to the comfort of hisnew wife."
"Well, I will come with you a little way if you wish it, but I mustbe back immediately," he said, and the listeners heard them walk offtogether.
"Now, Zinti," whispered Sihamba, "lead me through the hole in the rock."
So he took her by the hand and felt along the face of the cliff till hefound the bush which covered the entrance. To this he climbed, draggingher after him, and presently they were in the secret krantz.
"We have found our way into the spider's nest," muttered Zinti, who grewafraid; "but say, lady, how shall we find our way out of it?"
"Lead on and leave that to me," she answered. "Where I, a woman, can go,surely you who are a man can go also."
"I trust to your magic to protect us--therefore I come," said Zinti,"though if we are seen our death is sure."
On they crept across the glen, till presently they heard the sound ofthe small waterfall and saw it glimmering faintly through the gloom anddrizzling rain. To their left ran the stream, and on the banks of itstood something large and round.
"There stands the new hut where Swallow is," whispered Zinti.
Now Sihamba thought for a moment and said:
"Zinti, I must find out what passes in that hut. Listen: do you lie hidamong the rocks under the bank of the stream, and if you hear me hootlike an owl, then come to me, but not before."
"I obey," answered Zinti, and crept down among the reeds, where hecrouched for a long time up to his knees in water, shivering with coldand fear.