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Show 70 PRINCESS MARY'S GIFT BOOK to meet Gita and the little boy at the drift that just about dawn I went down to the river for a wash. IIaving taken my dip I climbed on to a flat rock to dress myself, and looked at the biIIOWs of beautid- ful. pearly mist which hid the face of the water, and considere 1 almost said listened to-the great silence, for as yet no live thing was stirring. Ah! it] had known of the hideous sights and sounds that were destined to be heard ere long in this same haunt of perfect peace I In- deed, at that moment there came a kind of hint or premonition of them, since suddenly through the utter quiet broke the blood-eurdling wail of a woman. It was followed by other wails and shouts, distant and mini yet distinct. Then the silence fell again. Now, thought I to myself, that noise might very well have come from old Magcpa‘s kraal; luckily, however, sounds are deceptive in nnst. \Vell, the end of it was that I waited there till the sun rose. The first thing on which its bright beams struck was a mighty column of smoke rising to heaven from where Magcpa's kraal had stood ! I went back to my wagons very sad, so sad that I could scarcely eat my breakfast. \Vhile I walked I wondered hard whether the light had glinted upon the tip of 3 bucks horn in that patch of green bush with the sweet-smelling white flowers a night or two ago. Dr had WXSANJV" "WM it pcrchanee fallen upon the point of the assegai of some spy who was watching my movements 1 In that event yonder column of smoke and the horrible cries which preceded it were easy to explain. For had not Magcpa and I talked secrets together, and in Zulu. ()n the following morning at the dawn I attended at the drift in the faint hope that Gita and her boy might arrive there as arranged. int nobody came. which was not wonderful, seeing that Gita lay (lead, stabbed through and through, as I saw afterwards (she made a good light for the child), and that her spirit had gone to wherever go the souls of the braveAheartul, be they white or black. Only on the farther bank of the river I saw some Zulu scouts who seemed to know my errand, for they called to me, asking mockingly where was the pretty woman I had come to meet ? After that I tried to put the matter out of my head, which indeed was full enough of other things, since now definite orders had arrived as to the advance, and with these many troops and officers. It was just then that the Zulus began to fire across the river at such of our people as they saw upon the bank. At these they took aim, and, as a result, hit nobody. A raw Kaf'lir with a rifle, in my a " Then he lifted himscit upon one arm, and with the other saluted " 7] l MHLL nl l" . |