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was　obvious　that　he　would　never　make　an　irreparable　quarrel　with　them　by

treacherously　putting　us　to　death　as　we　trekked　through　his　country。　

Being　sure　of　this；　we　went　on　our　way　with　light　hearts；　thanking

Heaven　for　the　mercies　which　had　been　shown　to　us。



It　was　on　the　third　day　of　our　trek；　when　we　were　drawing　near　to　the

Tugela；　that　we　met　the　Boer　embassy；　off…saddled　by　a　little　stream

where　we　proposed　to　outspan　to　rest　the　oxen　while　we　ate　our　midday

meal。　　They　were　sleeping　in　the　heat　of　the　day　and　saw　nothing　of　us

till　we　were　right　on　to　them；　when；　catching　sight　of　our　Zulu　advance

guard；　they　sprang　up　and　ran　for　their　rifles。　　Then　the　wagons　emerged

from　the　bush；　and　they　stared　astonished；　wondering　who　could　be

trekking　in　that　country。



We　called　to　them　in　Dutch　not　to　be　afraid　and　in　another　minute　we

were　among　them。　　While　we　were　yet　some　way　off　my　eye　fell　upon　a

burly；　white…bearded　man　whose　figure　seemed　to　be　familiar　to　me；　and

towards　him　I　went；　taking　no　heed　of　the　others；　of　whom　there　may　have

been　six　or　seven。　　Soon　I　was　sure；　and　advancing　with　outstretched

hand；　said：



〃Good…day；　Mynheer　Piet　Retief。　　Who　would　have　thought　that　we　who

parted　so　far　away　and　so　long　ago　would　live　to　meet　among　the　Zulus？〃



He　stared　at　me。



〃Who　is　it？　　Who　is　it？　　Allemachte！　I　know　now。　　The　little　Englishman；

Allan　Quatermain；　who　shot　the　geese　down　in　the　Old　Colony。　　Well；　I

should　not　be　surprised；　for　the　man　you　beat　in　that　match　told　me　that

you　were　travelling　in　these　parts。　　Only　I　understood　him　to　say　that

the　Zulus　had　killed　you。〃



〃If　you　mean　Hernan　Pereira；〃　I　answered；　〃where　did　you　meet　him？〃



〃Why；　down　by　the　Tugela　there；　in　a　bad　way。　　However；　he　can　tell　you

all　about　that　himself；　for　I　have　brought　him　with　me　to　show　us　the

path　to　Dingaan's　kraal。　　Where　is　Pereira？　　Send　Pereira　here。　　I　want

to　speak　with　him。〃



〃Here　I　am；〃　answered　a　sleepy　voice；　the　hated　voice　of　Pereira

himself；　from　the　other　side　of　a　thick　bush；　where　he　had　been

slumbering。　　〃What　is　it；　commandant？　　I　come；〃　and　he　emerged；

stretching　himself　and　yawning；　just　as　the　remainder　of　my　party　came

up。　　He　caught　sight　of　Henri　Marais　first　of　all；　and　began　to　greet

him；　saying：　〃Thank　God；　my　uncle；　you　are　safe！〃



Then　his　eyes　fell　on　me；　and　I　do　not　think　I　ever　saw　a　man's　face

change　more　completely。　　His　jaw　dropped；　the　colour　left　his　cheeks；

leaving　them　of　the　yellow　which　is　common　to　persons　of　Portuguese

descent；　his　outstretched　hand　fell　to　his　side。



〃Allan　Quatermain！〃　he　ejaculated。　　〃Why；　I　thought　that　you　were　dead。〃



〃As　I　should　have　been；　Mynheer　Pereira；　twice　over　if　you　could　have

had　your　way；〃　I　replied。



〃What　do　you　mean；　Allan？〃　broke　in　Retief。



〃I　will　tell　you　what　he　means；〃　exclaimed　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo；　shaking

her　fat　fist　at　Pereira。　　〃That　yellow　dog　means　that　twice　he　has　tried

to　murder　AllanAllan；　who　saved　his　life　and　ours。　　Once　he　shot　at

him　in　a　kloof　and　grazed　his　cheek；　look；　there　is　the　scar　of　it。　　And

once　he　plotted　with　the　Zulus　to　slaughter　him；　telling　Dingaan　that　he

was　an　evildoer　and　a　wizard；　who　would　bring　a　curse　upon　his　land。〃



Now　Retief　looked　at　Pereira。



〃What　do　you　say　to　this？〃　he　asked。



〃What　do　I　say？〃　repeated　Pereira；　recovering　himself。　　〃Why；　that　it　is

a　lie　or　a　misunderstanding。　　I　never　shot　at　Heer　Allan　in　any　kloof。　

Is　it　likely　that　I　should　have　done　so　when　he　had　just　nursed　me　back

to　life？　　I　never　plotted　with　the　Zulus　for　his　death；　which　would　have

meant　the　deaths　of　my　uncle　and　my　cousin　and　of　all　their　companions。　

Am　I　mad　that　I　should　do　such　a　thing？〃



〃Not　mad；　but　bad；〃　screamed　the　vrouw。　　〃I　tell　you；　Heer　Retief；　it　is

no　lie。　　Ask　those　with　me；〃　she　added；　appealing　to　the　others；　who；

with　the　exception　of　Marais；　answered　as　with　one　voice：



〃No；　it　is　no　lie。〃



〃Silence！〃　said　the　commandant。　　〃Now；　nephew　Allan；　tell　us　your

story。〃



So　I　told　him　everything；　of　course　leaving　out　all　details。　　Even　then

the　tale　was　long；　though　it　did　not　seem　to　be　one　that　wearied　my

hearers。



〃Allemachte！〃　said　Retief　when　I　had　finished；　〃this　is　a　strange　story；

the　strangest　that　ever　I　heard。　　If　it　is　true；　Hernan　Pereira；　you

deserve　to　have　your　back　set　against　a　tree　and　to　be　shot。〃



〃God　in　heaven！〃　he　answered；　〃am　I　to　be　condemned　on　such　a　taleI；

an　innocent　man？　　Where　is　the　evidence？　　This　Englishman　tells　all　this

against　me　for　a　simple　reasonthat　he　has　robbed　me　of　the　love　of　my

cousin；　to　whom　I　was　affianced。　　Where　are　his　witnesses？〃



〃As　to　the　shooting　at　me　in　the　kloof；　I　have　none　except　God　who　saw

you；〃　I　answered。　　〃As　to　the　plot　that　you　laid　against　me　among　the

Zulus；　as　it　chances；　however；　there　is　one；　Kambula；　the　captain　who

was　sent　to　take　me　as　you　had　arranged；　and　who　now　commands　our

escort。〃



〃A　savage！〃　exclaimed　Pereira。　　〃Is　the　tale　of　a　savage　to　be　taken

against　that　of　a　white　man？　　Also；　who　will　translate　his　story？　　You；

Mynheer　Quatermain；　are　the　only　one　here　who　knows　his　tongue；　if　you

do　know　it；　and　you　are　my　accuser。〃



〃That　is　true；〃　remarked　Retief。　　〃Such　a　witness　should　not　be　admitted

without　a　sworn　interpreter。　　Now　listen；　I　pass　judgment　as　commandant

in　the　field。　　Hernan　Pereira；　I　have　known　you　to　be　a　rogue　in　the

past；　for　I　remember　that　you　cheated　this　very　young　man；　Allan

Quatermain；　at　a　friendly　trial　of　skill　at　which　I　was　present；　but

since　then　till　now　I　have　heard　nothing　more　of　you；　good　or　bad。　

To…day　this　Allan　Quatermain　and　a　number　of　my　own　countrymen　bring

grave　charges　against　you；　which；　however；　at　present　are　not　capable　of

proof　or　disproof。　　Well；　I　cannot　decide　those　charges；　whatever　my　own

opinion　may　be。　　I　think　that　you　had　better　go　back　with　your　uncle；

Henri　Marais；　to　the　trek…Boers；　where　they　can　be　laid　before　a　court

and　settled　according　to　law。〃



〃If　so；　he　will　go　back　alone；〃　said　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo。　　〃He　will　not

go　back　with　us；　for　we　will　elect　a　field…cornet　and　shoot　himthe

stinkcat；　who　left　us　to　starve　and　afterwards　tried　to　kill　little

Allan　Quatermain；　who　saved　our　lives〃；　and　the　chorus　behind　her

echoed：



〃Ja；　ja；　we　will　shoot　him。〃



〃Hernan　Pereira；〃　said　Retief；　rubbing　his　broad　forehead；　〃I　don't

quite　know　why　it　is；　but　no　one　seems　to　want　you　as　a　companion。　

Indeed；　to　speak　truth；　I　don't　myself。　　Still；　I　think　you　would　be

safer　with　me　than　with　these　others　whom　you　seem　to　have　offended。　

Therefore；　I　suggest　that　you　come　on　with　us。　　But　listen　here；　man；〃

he　added　sternly；　〃if　I　find　you　plotting　against　us　among　the　Zulus；

that　hour　you　are　dead。　　Do　you　understand？〃



〃I　understand　that　I　am　one　slandered；〃　replied　Pereira。　　〃Still；　it　is

Christian　to　submit　to　injuries；　and　therefore　I　will　do　as　you　wish。　

As　to　these　bearers　of　false　witness；　I　leave　them　to　God。〃



〃And　I　leave　you　to　the　devil；〃　shouted　Vrouw　Prinsloo；　〃who　will

certainly　have　you　soon　or　late。　　Get　out　of　my　sight；　stinkcat；　or　I

will　pull　your　hair　off。〃　And　she　rushed　at　him；　flapping　her　dreadful

vatdoekwhich　she　produced　from　some　recess　in　her　raimentin　his

face；　driving　him　away　as　though　he　were　a　noxious　insect。



Well；　he　went　I　know　not　where；　and　so　strong　was　public　opinion　against

him　that　I　do　not　think　that　even　his　uncle；　Henri　Marais；　sought　him

out　to　console　him。



When　Pereira　was　gone；　our　party　and　that　of　Retief　fell　into　talk；　and

we　had　much　to　tell。　　Especially　was　the　commandant　interested　in　the

story　of　my　bet　with　Dingaan；　whereby　I　saved　the　lives　of　all　my

companions　by　shooting　the　vultures。



〃It　was　not　for　nothing；　nephew；　that　God　Almighty　gave　you　the　power　of

holding　a　gun　so　straight；〃　said　Retief　to　me　when　he　understood　the

matter。　　〃I　remember　that　when　you　killed　those　wildfowl　in　the　Groote

Kloof　with　bullets；　which　no　other　man　could　have　done；　I　wondered　why

you　should　have　such　a　gift　above　all　the　rest　of　us；　who　have　practised

for　so　many　more　years。　　Well；　now　I　understand。　　God　Almighty　is　no

fool；　He　knows　His　business。　　I　wish　you　were　coming　back　with　me　to

Dingaan；　but　as　that　tainted　man；　Hernan　Pereira；　is　of　my　company；

perhaps　it　is　better　that　you　should　stay　away。　　Tell　me；　now；　about

this　Dingaan；　does　he　mean　to　kill　us？〃



〃Not　this　time；　I　think；　uncle；〃　I　answered；　〃because　first　he　wishes　to

learn　all　about　the　Boers。　　Still；　do　not　trust　him　too　far　just　because

he　speaks　you　softly。　　Remember；　that　if　I　had　missed　the　third　vulture；

we　should　all　have　been　dead　by　now。　　And；　if　you　are　wise；　keep　an　eye

upon　Hernan　Pereira。〃



〃These　things　I　will　do；　nephew；　especially　the　last　of　them；　and　now　we

must　be　getting　on。　　Stay；　come　here；　Henri　Marais；　I　have　a　word　to　say

to　you。　　I　understand　that　this　little　Englishman；　Allan　Quatermain；　who

is　worth　ten　bigger　men；　loves　your　daughter；　whose　life　he　has　saved

again　and　again；　and　that　she　loves　him。　　Why；　then；　do　you　not　let　them

marry　in　a　decent　fashion？〃



〃Because　before　God　I　have　sworn　her　to　another　manto　my　nephew；

Hernan　Pereira；　whom　everyone　slanders；〃　answered　Marais　sulkily。　

〃Until　she　is　of　age　that　oath　holds。〃



〃Oho！〃　said　Retief；　〃you　have　sworn　your　lamb　to　that　hyena；　have　you？　

Well；　look　out　that　he　does　not　crack　your　bones　as　well　as　hers；　and

perhaps　some　others　also。　　Why　does　God　give　some　men　a　worm　in　their

brains；　as　He　does　to　the　wildebeeste；　a　worm　that　always　makes　them　run

the　wrong　way？　　I　don't　know；　I　am　sure；　but　you　who　are　very　religious；

Henri　Marais；　might　think　the　matter　over　and　tell　me　the　answer　when

next　we　meet。　　Well；　this　girl　of　yours　will　soon　be　of　age；　and　then；

as　I　am　commandant　down　yonder　where　she　is　go