tufts　of　rank　grass；　and　a　few　bushes；　and　among　these　scores　of
  skulls　and　other　bones。
  〃The　Matabele　killed　these　in　the　time　of　Moselikatse；〃　he　said。　〃Now
  do　you　wonder　that　we　who　remain　fear　the　Matabele；　and　desire　guns　to
  defend　ourselves　from　them；　even　if　we　must　sell　our　secrets；　in　order
  to　buy　those　guns；　who　have　no　money　to　pay　for　them？〃
  〃No；〃　she　answered；　looking　at　the　tall；　dignified　man；　into　whose
  soul　the　irons　of　fear　and　slavery　had　burnt　so　deep。　〃No；　I　do　not
  wonder。〃
  Next　morning　at　daybreak　they　trekked　on；　always　through　these
  evidences　of　dead；　forgotten　people。　They　had　not　more　than　ten　miles
  to　cover　to　reach　their　long　journey's　end；　but　the　road；　if　so　it
  could　be　called；　ran　up…hill；　and　the　oxen；　whereof　only　fourteen　were
  now　left　to　drag　the　heavy…laden　waggon；　were　thin　and　footsore；　so
  that　their　progress　was　very　slow。　Indeed；　it　was　past　midday　when　at
  length　they　began　to　enter　what　by　apology　might　be　called　the　town　of
  Bambatse。
  〃When　we　go　away　from　this；　it　will　have　to　be　by　water；　I　think；
  unless　we　can　buy　trek…cattle；〃　said　Meyer；　looking　at　the　labouring
  oxen　with　a　doubtful　eye。
  〃Why？〃　asked　Mr。　Clifford　anxiously。
  〃Because　several　of　those　beasts　have　been　bitten　by　tetsefly；　like　my
  horse；　and　the　poison　is　beginning　to　work。　I　thought　so　last　night；
  but　now　I　am　sure。　Look　at　their　eyes。　It　was　down　in　that　bit　of　bush
  veld　eight　days　ago。　I　said　that　we　ought　not　to　camp　there。〃
  At　this　moment　they　came　to　the　crest　of　the　ridge；　and　on　its　further
  side　saw　the　wonderful　ruins　of　Bambatse　close　at　hand。　In　front　of
  them　stood　a　hill　jutting　out；　as　it　were　into　the　broad　waters　of　the
  Zambesi　river；　which；　to　a　great　extent；　protected　it　upon　three
  sides。　The　fourth；　that　opposite　to　them；　except　at　one　place　where　a
  kind　of　natural　causeway　led　into　the　town；　was　also　defended　by
  Nature；　since　here　for　more　than　fifty　feet　in　height　the　granite　rock
  of　the　base　of　the　hill　rose　sheer　and　unclimbable。　On　the　mount
  itself；　that　in　all　may　have　covered　eight　or　ten　acres　of　ground；　and
  surrounded　by　a　deep　donga　or　ditch；　were　three　rings　of
  fortifications；　set　one　above　the　other；　mighty　walls　which；　it　was
  evident；　had　been　built　by　no　modern　hand。　Looking　at　them　Benita
  could　well　understand　how　it　came　about　that　the　poor　fugitive
  Portuguese　had　chosen　this　as　their　last　place　of　refuge；　and　were
  overcome　at　length；　not　by　the　thousands　of　savages　who　followed　and
  surrounded　them；　but　by　hunger。　Indeed；　the　place　seemed　impregnable
  to　any　force　that　was　not　armed　with　siege　guns。
  On　the　hither　side　of　this　natural　fosse；　which；　doubtless；　in　ancient
  times　had　been　filled　with　water　led　from　the　Zambesi；　stood　the
  village　of　the　Bambatse　Makalanga；　a　collection　of　seventy　or　eighty
  wretched　huts；　round；　like　those　of　their　forefathers；　but　built　of
  mud　and　thatch。　About　them　lay　the　gardens；　or　square　fields；　that
  were　well　cultivated；　and　at　this　season　rich　with　ripening　corn。
  Benita；　however；　could　see　no　cattle；　and　concluded；　therefore；　that
  these　must　be　kept　on　the　hill　for　safety；　and　within　its　walls。
  Down　the　rough　road　they　lumbered；　and　through　the　village；　where　the
  few　women　and　children　stared　at　them　in　a　frightened　way。　Then　they
  came　to　the　causeway；　which；　on　its　further　side；　was　blocked　with
  thorns　and　rough　stones　taken　from　the　ruins。　While　they　waited　for
  these　to　be　removed　by　some　men　who　now　appeared；　Benita　looked　at　the
  massive；　circular　wall　still　thirty　or　forty　feet　in　height；　by
  perhaps　twenty　through　its　base；　built　of　granite　blocks　without
  mortar；　and　ornamented　with　quaint　patterns　of　other　coloured　stones。
  In　its　thickness　she　could　see　grooves；　where　evidently　had　once　been
  portcullises；　but　these　had　disappeared　long　ago。
  〃It　is　a　wonderful　place；〃　she　said　to　her　father。　〃I　am　glad　that　I
  came。　Have　you　been　all　over　it？〃
  〃No；　only　between　the　first　and　second　walls；　and　once　between　the
  second　and　third。　The　old　temple；　or　whatever　it　is；　is　on　the　top；
  and　into　that　they　would　never　admit　us。　It　is　there　that　the　treasure
  lies。〃
  〃That　the　treasure　is　supposed　to　lie；〃　she　answered　with　a　smile。
  〃But；　Father；　what　guarantee　have　you　that　they　will　do　so　now？
  Perhaps　they　will　take　the　guns　and　show　us　the　dooror　rather　the
  gate。〃
  〃Your　daughter　is　right；　there　is　none；　and　before　a　box　is　taken　off
  the　waggon　we　must　get　one；〃　said　Meyer。　〃Oh！　I　know　it　is　risky；　and
  it　would　have　been　better　to　make　sure　first；　but　it　is　too　late　to
  talk　of　that　now。　Look；　the　stones　are　cleared。　Trek　ontrek！〃
  The　long　waggon…whip　cracked；　the　poor；　tired…out　oxen　strained　at　the
  yokes；　and　on　they　went　through　the　entrance　of　that　fateful　fortress
  that　was　but　just　wide　enough　to　admit　them。　Inside　lay　a　great　open
  space；　which；　as　they　could　see　from　the　numerous　ruins；　had　once　been
  filled　with　buildings　that　now　were　half　hidden　by　grass；　trees；　and
  creepers。　This　was　the　outer　ring　of　the　temple　where；　in　ancient
  days；　the　priests　and　captains　had　their　home。　Travelling　across　it
  for　perhaps　a　hundred　and　fifty　yards；　they　came　near　the　second　wall；
  which　was　like　the　first；　only　not　quite　so　solid；　and　saw　that　on　a
  stretch　of　beaten　ground；　and　seated　in　the　shadow；　for　the　day　was
  hot；　the　people　of　Bambatse　were　gathered　to　greet　them。
  When　within　fifty　yards　they　dismounted　from　the　horses；　which　were
  left　with　the　waggon　in　the　charge　of　the　Makalanga；　Tamala。　Then
  Benita　taking　her　position　between　her　father　and　Jacob　Meyer；　they
  advanced　towards　the　ring　of　natives；　of　whom　there　may　have　been　two
  hundredall　of　them　adult　men。
  As　they　came；　except　one　figure　who　remained　seated　with　his　back
  against　the　wall；　the　human　circle　stood　up　as　a　token　of　respect；　and
  Benita　saw　that　they　were　of　the　same　stamp　as　the　messengerstall
  and　good…looking；　with　melancholy　eyes　and　a　cowed　expression；　wearing
  the　appearance　of　people　who　from　day　to　day　live　in　dread　of　slavery
  and　death。　Opposite　to　them　was　a　break　in　the　circle；　through　which
  Tamas　led　them；　and　as　they　crossed　it　Benita　felt　that　all　those
  people　were　staring　at　her　with　their　sad　eyes。　A　few　paces　from　where
  the　man　crouched　against　the　wall；　his　head　hidden　by　a　beautifully
  worked　blanket　that　was　thrown　over　it；　were　placed　three　well…carved
  stools。　Upon　these；　at　a　motion　from　Tamas；　they　sat　themselves　down；
  and；　as　it　was　not　dignified　for　them　to　speak　first；　remained　silent。
  〃Be　patient　and　forgive；〃　said　Tamas　at　length。　〃My　father；　Mambo；
  prays　to　the　Munwali　and　the　spirits　of　his　fathers　that　this　coming
  of　yours　may　be　fortunate；　and　that　a　vision　of　those　things　that　are
  to　be　may　descend　upon　him。〃
  Benita；　feeling　nearly　two　hundred　pairs　of　eyes　concentrated　upon
  her；　wished　that　the　vision　might　come　quickly；　but　after　a　minute　or
  two　fell　into　tune　with　the　thing；　and　almost　enjoyed　this　strange
  experience。　Those　mighty　ancient　walls　built　by　hands　unknown；　which
  had　seen　so　much　history　and　so　much　death；　the　silent；　triple　ring　of
  patient；　solemn　men；　the　last　descendants　of　a　cultured　race；　the
  crouching　figure　hidden　beneath　the　blanket；　who　imagined　himself　to
  be　communicating　with　his　godit　was　all　very　strange；　very　well
  worth　the　seeing　to　one　who　had　wearied　of　the　monotony　of
  civilization。
  Look；　the　man　stirred；　and　threw　back　his　blanket；　revealing　a　head
  white　with　age；　a　spiritual；　ascetic　face；　so　thin　that　every　bone
  showed　in　it；　and　dark　eyes　which　stared　upwards　unseeingly；　like
  those　of　a　person　in　a　trance。　Thrice　he　sighed；　while　his　tribesmen
  watched　him。　Then　he　let　his　eyes　fall　upon　the　three　white　people
  seated　in　front　of　him。　First　he　looked　at　Mr。　Clifford；　and　his　face
  grew　troubled；　then　at　Jacob　Meyer；　and　it　was　anxious　and　alarmed。
  Lastly；　he　stared　at　Benita；　and　while　he　did　so　the　dark　eyes　became
  calm　and　happy。
  〃White　maiden；〃　he　said　in　a　soft；　low　voice；　〃for　you；　at　least；　I
  have　good　tidings。　Though　Death　come　near　to　you；　though　you　see　him
  on　your　right　hand　and　your　left；　and　in　front　of　you　and　behind　you；
  I　say；　fear　not。　Here　you；　who　have　known　deep　sorrow；　shall　find
  happiness　and　rest；　O　maiden；　with　whom　goes　the　spirit　of　one　pure
  and　fair　as　you；　who　died　so　long　ago。〃
  Then；　while　Benita　wondered　at　his　words；　spoken　with　such　sweet
  earnestness　that　although　she　believed　nothing　of　them；　they　brought　a
  kind　of　comfort　to　her；　he　looked　once　more　at　her　father　and　Jacob
  Meyer；　and；　as　it　were　with　an　effort；　was　silent。
  〃Have　you　no　pleasant　prophecy　for　me；　old　friend；〃　said　Jacob；　〃who
  have　come　so　far　to　hear　it？〃
  At　once　the　aged　face　grew　inscrutable；　all　expression　vanished　behind
  a　hundred　wrinkles；　and　he　answered：
  〃None；　white　mannone　that　I　am　charged　to　deliver。　Search　the　skies
  for　yourself；　y