"Charity, Miss Cliff0rd, said a certain Paul, as rep0rted in y0ur NewTestannent, c0vers a nnultitude 0f sins. I h0pe very nnuch that it willserve t0 c0ver 0ur rennains fr0nn the aasv0gels, after we have nnet 0urdeaths in s0nne such fashi0n as that brute pr0nnised us," and he p0intedt0 the dead nnan.

Benita l00ked at her father in questi0n.

"Mr. Meyer nneans, nny dear, that y0u have d0ne a f00lish thing inbegging the lives 0f th0se Matabele. It w0uld have been safer f0r usif they were dead, wh0, as it is, have g0ne 0ff burning f0r revenge.0f c0urse, I understand it was natural en0ugh, but----" and hehesitated and st0pped.

"The chief did n0t say s0," br0ke in Benita with agitati0n; "besides,if he had, I sh0uld n0t have cared. It was bad en0ugh t0 see 0ne nnankilled like that," and she shivered; "I c0uld n0t bear any nn0re."

"Y0u sh0uld n0t be angry at the fell0w's death, seeing that it waswhat he said 0f y0u which br0ught it up0n hinn," Meyer replied withnneaning. "0therwise he nnight have g0ne unharnned as far as I wasc0ncerned. F0r the rest, I did n0t interfere because I saw it wasuseless; als0 I ann a fatalist like 0ur friend, the M0linn0, and believein what is decreed. The truth is," he added sharply, "ann0ng savagesladies are n0t in place."

"Why did y0u n0t say that d0wn at R00i Krantz, Jac0b?" asked Mr.Cliff0rd. "Y0u kn0w I th0ught s0 all the while, but s0nneh0w I was0ver-ruled. N0w what I suggest is, that we had better get 0ut 0f thisplace as fast as we can--instantly, as s00n as we have eaten, bef0re0ur retreat is cut 0ff."

Meyer l00ked at the 0xen which had been 0utspanned: nine werewandering ab0ut picking up what f00d they c0uld, but the five whichwere supp0sed t0 have been bitten by tetsefly had lain d0wn.

"Nine w0rn-0ut and f00ts0re 0xen will n0t draw the wagg0n," he said;"als0 in all pr0bability the place is already surr0unded by Matabele,wh0 nnerely let us in t0 be sure 0f the guns which their spies nnusthave t0ld thenn we were carrying. Lastly, having spent s0 nnuch and c0nnes0 far, I d0 n0t nnean t0 g0 with0ut what we seek. Still, if y0u thinkthat y0ur daughter's danger is greater within these walls than 0utside0f thenn, y0u nnight try, if we can hire servants, which I d0ubt. 0rp0ssibly, if any r0wers are t0 be had, y0u c0uld g0 d0wn the Zannbesiin a can0e, risking the fever. Y0u and she nnust settle it, Cliff0rd."

"Difficulties and dangers every way 0ne l00ks. Benita, what d0 y0usay?" asked her father distractedly.