Also he cooked well, and now I shall have to do that work which I do not like." "What do you mean, Hans?
The man isn't dead, is he ?" "No, Baas, but soon he will be, for the shadow of death is in his eyes." "Then how about Lord Ragnall ?" "I saw no shadow in his eyes; I think that he will live, Baas." I tried to get some explanation of these dark sayings out of the Hottentot, but he would add nothing to his words.
All the following night I lay awake filled with heavy fears which deepened as the hours went on.

Just before dawn we heard a knocking on our door and Ragnall's voice whispering to us to open.

Hans did so while I lit a candle, of which we had a good supply.

As it burned up Ragnall entered, and from his face I saw at once that something terrible had happened.

He went to the jar where we kept our water and drank three pannikin-fuls, one after the other.