"Nay," Suzanne answered, as she sprang on to the saddle before him,"they are in front, for I saw them."
Ralph looked. Yes, there they were in front and to the side and behind.All round them the Zulu impi gathered and thickened, crying, "_Bulalaumlungu_" (Kill the white man) as they closed in upon them at a run.
"Oh! Ralph, what can we do?" murmured Suzanne.
"Charge them and trust to God," he answered.
"So be it, husband," and, turning herself upon the pommel of thesaddle, she threw her arms round his neck and kissed him on the lips,whispering, "At least we have met again, and if we die it shall betogether."
"Hold fast," said Ralph, and calling aloud to the horse he set his teethand charged.
By now the Zulus in front were running down the opposing slope inclusters not much more than a hundred yards away; indeed, the spacebetween them was so narrow that the _schimmel_, galloping up hill underhis double load, could scarcely gather speed before they were amongthem. When they were within ten yards Ralph held out the gun in onehand and fired it, killing a man. Then he cast it away as useless, andplacing his right arm about the waist of Suzanne, he bent his body overher to protect her if he might, urging on the horse with feet and voice.
Now they were in them and ploughing through their ever-thickening ranks,throwing their black bodies to this side and to that as a ship throwsthe water from its bows. Here, there, everywhere spears flashed andstabbed, but as yet they were unhurt, for the very press saved them,although an assegai was quivering in the flank of the _schimmel_. Ah!a pang as of the touch of red-hot iron and a spear had pierced Ralph'sleft shoulder, remaining fast in the wound. Still lower he bent his bodytill his head was almost hidden in the flowing mane of the _schimmel_,but now black clutching hands caught feet and bridle rein, and slowlythe great horse lost way and stopped. A tall Zulu stabbed it in thechest, and Ralph gasped, "It is over!"
But it was not over, for, feeling the pain of this new wound, of asudden the stallion went mad. He shrieked aloud as only a horse canshriek, and laying back his ears till his face was like the face ofa wolf, he reared up on his hind legs and struck out with his hoofs,crushing the skulls and bodies of his tormentors. Down he came again,and with another scream rushed open-mouthed at the man who had stabbedhim; his long white teeth gripped him across the body where the ribsend, and then the awful sight was seen of a horse holding in his mouth aman who yelled in agony, and plunging forward with great bounds while heshook him to and fro, as a dog will shake a rat.[*]
[*] The reader may think this incident scarcely credible, but for an authenticated instance of such behaviour on the part of a horse he may be referred to the "Memoirs of General Marbot."
Yes, he shook and shook till the flesh gave, and the man fell dyingon the veldt. Again the furious beast opened his jaws from which goredripped and rushed upon another, but this one did not wait for him--nonewaited. To the Zulus in those days a horse was a terrible wild beast,and this was a beast indeed, that brave as they were they dared notface.
"It is a devil! and wizards ride it!" they cried, as they opened a pathbefore its rush.
They were through, and behind them like the voice of hounds that huntswelled the cry of the war-dogs of Dingaan. They were through andliving yet, though one broad _bangwan_ was fast in Ralph's shoulder, andanother stood in the _schimmel's_ chest.
Not two miles away rose the koppie. "The horse will die," thought Ralphas he drew Suzanne closer to him, and gripped the saddle with his knees.Indeed, he was dying; yet never since he was a colt did the _schimmel_cover two miles of plain so fast as those that lay between the impi andthe camp. Slowly and surely the spear worked its way into his vitals,but stretching out his head, and heedless of his burden, he rushed onwith the speed of a racer.