"I will go and ask him in," said Rachel, who, for reasons of her own, wished to have a word or two with the man.
Presently she came up to him, and saw at once that he seemed to be very much ashamed of himself.
"Well," she said cheerfully, "you see here I am, safe enough, and I am glad that you are the same."
"You are a wonderful woman," he replied, letting his eyes sink before her clear gaze, "as wonderful as you are beautiful."
"No compliments, please," said Rachel, "they are out of place in this savage land."
"I beg your pardon, I could not help speaking the truth. Did they kill the girl and let you go?"
"No, I managed to hide up with her; she is here now."
"That is very dangerous, Miss Dove. I know all about it; it is she whom Dingaan was after. When he hears that you have sheltered her he will send and kill you all. Take my advice and turn her out at once. I say it is most dangerous."
"Perhaps," answered Rachel calmly, "but all the same I shall do nothing of the sort unless she wishes to go, nor do I think that my father will either. Now please listen a minute. If this story comes to the ears of the Zulus--and I do not see why it should, as the crocodiles have eaten that soldier--who will they think shot him, I or the white man who was with me? Do you understand?"
"I understand and shall hold my tongue, for your sake."
"No, for your own. Well, by way of making the bargain fair, for my part I shall say as little as possible of how we separated this morning. Not that I blame you for riding off and leaving an obstinate young woman whom you did not know to take her chance. Still, other people might think differently."
"Yes," he answered, "they might, and I admit that I am ashamed of myself. But you don't know the Zulus as I do, and I thought that they would be all on us in a moment; also I was mad with you and lost my nerve. Really I am very sorry."
"Please don't apologise. It was quite natural, and what is more, all for the best. If we had gone on we should have ridden right into them, and perhaps never ridden out again. Now here comes my father; we have agreed that you will not say too much about this girl, have we not?"
He nodded and advanced with her, leading the horses, for he had dismounted, to meet Mr. Dove at the opening in the fence.