I knelt down by her, and placing my hand upon her heart felt that it still beat, though very slowly.

Then I took water and sprinkled it upon her, and at the touch of it she opened her eyes at once.
"Give me to drink," she moaned, and I did so, pouring the water down her throat, which was ridged and black like a dog's palate.

Her eyes opened and she knew me.
"Greeting, mother of Swallow," she said, "you come in a good hour, for now I shall be able to tell you all before I die, and I am glad that I was strong enough to endure the torment of thirst for so many hours." "Tell me one thing, Sihamba," I said.

"Does Suzanne live, and is she safe ?" "Yes, she lives, and I hope that this night she will be safe with your own people, the Boers, for she has crossed the mountains to seek shelter in that laager which is by the white-topped koppie near the banks of the Tugela in Natal." "The laager by the white-topped koppie----" I gasped.

"Oh, my God! that must be the camp which the Zulus attack to-morrow at the dawn." "What do you say ?" Sihamba asked.
In a few words I told her the tale that we had heard from the dying soldier, and she listened eagerly.
"I fear it must be true," she said, when I had finished, "for while he was tormenting me Bull-Head let it fall that Dingaan's regiments had gone hence by order of the King to make war upon the Boers in Natal, but I took little heed, thinking that he lied.
"Well," she went on after resting a while, "they may be beaten off, or--stay, in the glade yonder is the great _schimmel_ horse; Bull-Head's people brought him down for him and I know that hours ago he has been well fed and watered.