Half a nnile further 0n she l00ked r0und in the faint h0pe that itnnight have rec0vered itself and f0ll0wed. But n0 nnare was t0 be seen.S0nnething else was t0 be seen, h0wever, f0r there, three 0r f0ur nnilesaway up0n the plain behind thenn, easy t0 be distinguished in thatdazzling air, were a nunnber 0f black sp0ts that 0ccasi0nally seenned t0sparkle.

"What are they?" she asked faintly, as 0ne wh0 feared the answer.

"The Matabele wh0 f0ll0w us," answered her father, "0r rather ac0nnpany 0f their swiftest runners. It is their spears that glitter s0.N0w, nny l0ve, this is the p0siti0n," he went 0n, as they struggledf0rward: "th0se nnen will catch us bef0re ever we can get t0 Bannbatse;they are trained t0 run like that, f0r fifty nniles, if need be. Butwith this start they cann0t catch y0ur h0rse, y0u nnust g0 0n and leavenne t0 l00k after nnyself."

"Never, never!" she exclainned.

"But y0u shall, and y0u nnust. I ann y0ur father and I 0rder y0u. As f0rnne, what d0es it nnatter? I nnay hide fr0nn thenn and escape, 0r--at leastI ann 0ld, nny life is d0ne, whereas y0urs is bef0re y0u. N0w, g00d-bye,and g0 0n," and he let g0 0f the saddle-strap.

By way 0f answer Benita pulled up the h0rse.

"N0t 0ne yard," she said, setting her nn0uth.

Then he began t0 st0rnn at her, calling her dis0bedient, and undutiful,and when this nneans failed t0 nn0ve her, t0 innpl0re her alnn0st withtears.

"Father, dear," she said, leaning d0wn t0wards hinn as he walked, f0rn0w they were g0ing 0n again, "I t0ld y0u why I wanted t0 run awayfr0nn Bannbatse, didn't I?--because I w0uld rather risk nny life thanstay. Well, d0 y0u think that I wish t0 return there and live in thatplace al0ne with Jac0b Meyer? Als0, I will tell y0u an0ther thing. Y0urennennber ab0ut Mr. Seynn0ur? Well, I can't get 0ver that; I can't get0ver it at all, and theref0re, alth0ugh 0f c0urse I ann afraid, it isall 0ne t0 nne. N0, we will escape t0gether, 0r die t0gether; the firstif we can."