A FIGHT AND A SHOT Early the next morning I sought for Ralph to speak to him on the matter of his marriage, which, to tell truth, I longed to see safely accomplished.

But I could not find him anywhere, or learn where he had gone, though one of the slaves told me that they had seen him mount his horse at the stable.
I went down to the cattle kraal to look if he were there, and as I returned, I saw Sihamba seated by the door of her hut engaged in combing her hair and powdering it with the shining blue dust.
"Greeting, Mother of Swallow," she said.

"Whom do you seek ?" "You know well," I answered.
"Yes, I know well.

At the break of dawn he rode over yonder rise." "Why ?" I asked.
"How can I tell why?
But Swart Piet lives out yonder." "Had he his gun with him ?" I asked again and anxiously.
"No, there was nothing but a sjambock, a very thick sjambock, in his hand." Then I went back to the house with a heavy heart, for I was sure that Ralph had gone to seek Piet van Vooren, though I said nothing of it to the others.

So it proved indeed.