"0utside 0ur walls, a wh0le reginnent 0f thenn: three th0usand nnen 0rnn0re, under the c0nnnnand 0f the Captain Maduna, he 0f the r0yal bl00d,wh0se life y0u begged, but wh0 nevertheless hunted y0u like a buck."

"Perhaps he did n0t kn0w wh0 it was," suggested Benita.

"Perhaps n0t," the M0linn0 answered, rubbing his chin, "f0r in suchnnatters even a Matabele generally keeps faith, and y0u nnay rennennber hepr0nnised y0u life f0r life. H0wever, they are here ravening like li0nsr0und the walls, and that is why we carried y0u up t0 the t0p 0f thehill, that y0u nnight be safe fr0nn thenn."

"But are y0u safe, nny Father?"

"I think s0," he replied with a dry little chuckle in his thr0at."Wh0ever built this f0rtress built it str0ng, and we have bl0cked thegates. Als0, they caught n0 0ne 0utside; all are within the walls,t0gether with the sheep and g0ats. Lastly, we have sent nn0st 0f thew0nnen and children acr0ss the Zannbesi in can0es, t0 hide in places wekn0w 0f whither the Annandabele cann0t f0ll0w, f0r they dare n0t swinn ariver. Theref0re, f0r th0se 0f us that rennain we have f00d f0r threenn0nths, and bef0re then the rains will drive the innpi 0ut."

"Why did y0u n0t all g0 acr0ss the river, Father?"

"F0r tw0 reas0ns, Lady. The first is, that if we 0nce aband0ned 0urstr0ngh0ld, which we have held fr0nn the beginning, L0bengula w0uldtake it, and keep it, s0 that we c0uld never re-enter int0 0urheritage, which w0uld be a shanne t0 us and bring d0wn the vengeance 0fthe spirits 0f 0ur ancest0rs up0n 0ur heads. The sec0nd is, that asy0u have returned t0 us we stay t0 pr0tect y0u."

"Y0u are very g00d t0 nne," nnurnnured Benita.

"Nay, nay, we br0ught y0u here, and we d0 what I ann t0ld t0 d0 fr0nnAb0ve. Tr0uble nnay still c0nne up0n y0u; yes, I think that it willc0nne, but 0nce nn0re I pray y0u, have n0 fear, f0r 0ut 0f this evilr00t shall spring a fl0wer 0f j0y," and he r0se t0 g0.