Jan and I were following Ralph when he entered the river scherm, andreached it just in time to see pursued and pursuer vanishing up thenarrow cleft. I caught sight of Van Vooren's back only, but although Ihad not seen him for years, I knew it at once.
"We have found the tiger at home," I said, "yonder goes Swart Piet."
"Allemachter! it is so," answered Jan. "Look, there lies the tiger'sprey," and pointing to Sihamba he followed them up the mountain side asfast as his weight would allow, for in those days Jan was a very heavyman.
Meanwhile I made my way to the little figure that was stretched uponthe rock at the edge of the river. She had fainted, but even before Ireached her I saw from her small size and the strange hoop of stiffhair that she wore about her head, that it was none other than Sihamba,Sihamba whom I had last seen upon the eve of that unlucky marriage day.
But oh! she was sadly changed. One of her legs, I forget which, had beenbroken by a gunshot; the blood trickled from the wound where Van Voorenhad stabbed her in the back; her little body was wasted by the want ofwater, and her face had shrunk to the size of that of a small child,although strangely enough it still was pretty. I knelt down by her,and placing my hand upon her heart felt that it still beat, though veryslowly. Then I took water and sprinkled it upon her, and at the touch ofit she opened her eyes at once.
"Give me to drink," she moaned, and I did so, pouring the water down herthroat, which was ridged and black like a dog's palate. Her eyes openedand she knew me.
"Greeting, mother of Swallow," she said, "you come in a good hour, fornow I shall be able to tell you all before I die, and I am glad that Iwas strong enough to endure the torment of thirst for so many hours."
"Tell me one thing, Sihamba," I said. "Does Suzanne live, and is shesafe?"
"Yes, she lives, and I hope that this night she will be safe with yourown people, the Boers, for she has crossed the mountains to seek shelterin that laager which is by the white-topped koppie near the banks of theTugela in Natal."
"The laager by the white-topped koppie----" I gasped. "Oh, my God! thatmust be the camp which the Zulus attack to-morrow at the dawn."
"What do you say?" Sihamba asked.
In a few words I told her the tale that we had heard from the dyingsoldier, and she listened eagerly.
"I fear it must be true," she said, when I had finished, "for while hewas tormenting me Bull-Head let it fall that Dingaan's regiments hadgone hence by order of the King to make war upon the Boers in Natal, butI took little heed, thinking that he lied.
"Well," she went on after resting a while, "they may be beaten off,or--stay, in the glade yonder is the great _schimmel_ horse; Bull-Head'speople brought him down for him and I know that hours ago he has beenwell fed and watered. If her husband mounts him at sunset, he can bewith the Swallow in the laager well before the dawn, in time to warnthem all. Presently, when he returns from killing Bull-Head, I will showhim the road, for I shall live till sunset. Give me more water, I prayyou."
Now I saw that nothing could be done till Ralph and Jan returned, ifthey ever should return, so I prayed of Sihamba to tell me what hadpassed, for I saw that she could not live long, and desired to know thetruth before she died. And she told me, with many rests and at no greatlength indeed, but very clearly, and as I listened I marvelled more andmore at this Kaffir woman's love, faithfulness, and courage. At last shecame to the tale of how she had disguised Suzanne, and set up the corpsein her place in the chair of rock.
"Step but a few paces there to the right," she said, "and you will seeit."
I did as she bade me, and then it was that on looking upwards I sawRalph and Swart Piet struggling together. They were so high above methat their shapes seemed small, but I could see the light flashing fromthe stabbing steel and I called out to Sihamba what I saw.
"Have no fear, lady," she answered, "it will only end one way." Soindeed it did as has been told, for presently Van Vooren and the corpserushed downwards to vanish in the abyss, while Ralph remained standingby the empty chair of stone.
"It is finished," I said, returning to Sihamba.
"I know it, lady," she answered. "Bull-Head's last cry reached my ears,and do you give thanks to the Spirit you worship that he is dead. Youwished to know what happened after the Swallow and I parted. Well, Iwent and stood by the body on the pinnacle of rock, and there, as Iexpected, came Bull-Head to seek his captive. He commanded us to comedown, but I refused, telling him that if he attempted to take theSwallow--for he thought that the body wrapped in the white cloak wasshe--she would certainly escape him by hurling herself from the cliff.Thus I gained much time, for now from my height I could see her whomI knew to be the lady Swallow travelling across the plain towards thesaw-edge rock, although I was puzzled because she seemed to carry achild upon her back; but perhaps it was a bundle.
"At last he grew impatient, and without warning lifted his gun andfired at me, aiming low, for he feared lest the ball should pierce mymistress. The shot struck my leg where you see, and being unable to stopmyself, although I broke my fall by clutching with my hands, I rolleddown the rock to the ground beneath, but not over the edge of theprecipice as I could have wished to do, for at the last I had intendedto escape him by throwing myself from it.
"Leaving me unable to move he began to ascend the pinnacle, callingyour daughter Swallow by sweet names as a man calls a shy horse whichhe fears will escape him. I watched from below, and even in my painI laughed, for now I knew what must come. Since the Swallow did notanswer, Bull-Head, wishing to be cunning, crept behind her in silence,and of a sudden seized the cloak and the arm beneath it, for he fearedlest she should choose death and cheat him.
"Then it was that the body rolled over toward him; then it was that hesaw the whitened face and the black breast beneath. Ah! lady, you shouldhave heard his oaths and his yell of rage as he scrambled down the rockstowards me.
"'What think you of your bride?' I asked him as he came, for I knew thatI must die and did not care how soon.
"'This is your trick, witch,' he gasped, 'and now I will kill you.'
"'Kill on, butcher,' I answered, 'at least I shall die happy, havingbeaten you at last.'
"'No, not yet,' he said presently, 'for if you grow silent, how shall Ilearn where you have hidden Suzanne Botmar?'
"'Suzanne Kenzie, wife of the Englishman, butcher,' I answered again.
"'Also,' he went on, grinding his teeth, 'I desire that you should dieslowly.' Then he called some of his men, and they carried me in a karossto this place. Here by the river he lashed me to the stone, and, knowingthat already, from loss of blood and lack of drink, I was in the agoniesof thirst, he tormented me by holding water to my lips and snatching itaway.
"All day long, lying in the burning sun, have I suffered thus, waitingfor death to heal my pain. But in vain did he torture and question, fornot one word could he wring from my lips as to where he should seekfor the lady Swallow. He thought that she was hidden somewhere on themountain, and sent men to search for her till they grew tired and ranaway to steal the cattle; he never guessed that disguised as a blackwoman she had passed beneath his very eyes.
"Yet this was so, for I, Sihamba, know it from the talk I overheardbetween Bull-Head and one of his servants, who had held her awhilewishing to take her for a wife.[*] Yes, she passed beneath his eyes andescaped him, and I--I have won the game."
[*] In after days, when there was talk far and wide of the wonderful escape of my daughter Suzanne, disguised as a Kaffir woman, the man who had sought to take her captive told the story of the white mark which his grip left upon her arm. He said, indeed, that both he and Bull-Head saw the mark when she was at a little distance from them, but believing it to be an ivory ring they took no heed.
Now the effects of the water, which for a little while had given newlife to Sihamba, began to pass off, and she grew weak and silent.Presently I saw Ralph returning down the steep cleft, and with him Jan,and went to meet them.
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p; "It is finished," Ralph said, looking at me with quiet eyes.
"I know it," I answered, "but, son, there is still work to do if youwant to save your wife----" and I told him what I had learned.
"The _schimmel_," he exclaimed, growing pale to the lips, "where is the_schimmel_?" and he turned to seek him.
"No, no," I said, "let Jan fetch the horse. Come you to Sihamba, thatshe may show you the path before she dies."
Now Jan went to the glade that I pointed out to find the _schimmel_,while I led Ralph to Sihamba. She heard him coming and opened her eyes.
"Welcome, husband of Swallow," she said, "you have done well andbravely, yet it was the hand of fate and not yours that smote yonderon the rock point. Now hearken----" and she told the road which he mustfollow across the Quathlamba, if he would hope to reach the white koppiecamp by dawn.
Before she had done, for the dying Sihamba spoke slowly and with pain,Jan came leading the _schimmel_ saddled and bridled, for Swart Piet'ssaddle had been put upon it, the mare he was riding having been taken byone of his men whom he had sent to drive in the captured cattle.
The great roan horse, which I rejoiced to see once more, was somewhatthin, for he had lacked water like the rest, but throughout the siege hehad been well tended by Sihamba and Zinti, and fed with green corn, andsince that morning he had drunk all he would, so that now he was strongagain and fit to run.
"Bring me the _schimmel_," said Sihamba, but there was no need, for thebrute which loved her now as always, had winded her, and coming to whereshe lay, put down his head and fondled her with his black lips. Catchinghim by the forelock, she drew herself up, and as once before she haddone when he swam the Red Water, she whispered into his ear, and as Ilive the beast seemed to listen and understand.
"Not I, not I," she said aloud when she had finished whispering, "not Ibut the Englishman, yet, Horse, I think that I shall ride you again,but it will be beyond the darkness. Stay not, stumble not, for you goon your last and greatest gallop. Speed like the swallow to save theSwallow, for so shall you live on when your swift bones are dust. Now,Englishman, away."
Ralph stooped down and kissed the woman, the angel whom God had sent tosave him and his, and with her dying lips she blessed him and Suzanne,prophesying to them life and joy. Then he leapt into the saddle, andwith a snort and a quick shake of its head the _schimmel_ plungedforward in the red glow of the sunset.
Sihamba leaned against the rock and watched the light pass. As itslast ray fell upon her quivering face, she lifted her arms and cried,"Swallow, I have kept my oath. Swallow, I have served you well and savedyou. Sister, forget me not."
With these words upon her lips Sihamba Ngenyanga died; yes, she and thedaylight died together, while Jan and I stood over her and wept.