Part 5 (1/2)

Then followed the most extraordinary display of sword, or rather of axe round and round over the top of Alphonse's head, with an angry whirl and such extraordinary swiftness that it looked like a continuous band of steel, ever getting nearer and yet nearer to that unhappy individual's skull, till at last it grazed it as it flew Then suddenly the ed, and it seemed to literally flow up and down his body and lihth of an inch froht to see the littleapparently realized that to move would be to run the risk of sudden death, while his black tormentor towered over him, and wrapped him round with the quick flashes of the axe For abrightness travel down the side of Alphonse's face, and then outwards and stop As it did so a tuft of soround; it was the tip of one of the little Frenchaas leant upon the handle of Inkosi-kaas, and broke into a long, low laugh; and Alphonse, overcoround, while we stood astonished at this exhibition of almost superhuh,'

he shouted; 'the blow that clipped the ”buffalo-heifer's” horn would have split a man from the crown to the chin Few could have struck it but I; none could have struck it and not taken off the shoulder too

Look, thou little heifer! Ah at, thinkest thou?

For a space hast thou stood within a hair's-breadth of death Laugh not again, lest the hair's-breadth be wanting I have spoken'

'What aas, indignantly 'Surely thou artthe man'

'And yet, Macumazahn, I slew not Thrice as Inkosi-kaas flew the spirit entered into h his skull; but I did not Nay, it was but a jest; but tell the ”heifer” that it is not well to o to make a shi+eld, for I smell blood, Macumazahn--of a truth I srow of a sudden in the sky? They smell the blood, Macumazahn, and my scent is o to make a shi+eld'

'That is an uncomfortable retainer of yours,' said Mr Mackenzie, who had witnessed this extraordinary scene 'He has frightened Alphonse out of his wits; look!' and he pointed to the French li his way into the house 'I don't think that he will ever laugh at ”le ain'

'Yes,' answered I, 'it is ill jesting with such as he When he is roused he is like a fiend, and yet he has a kind heart in his own fierce way

I re hie character, but true as steel, and a strong stick to rest on in danger'

'He says he sht I aone far, or she would be home by now It is half-past three o'clock'

I pointed out that she had taken food with her, and very likely would not in the ordinary course of events return till nightfall; but I myself felt very anxious, and fear that my anxiety betrayed itself

Shortly after this, the people whom Mr Mackenzie had sent out to search for Flossie returned, stating that they had followed the spoor of the donkey for a couple of round, nor could they discover it again They had, however, scoured the country far and wide, but without success

After this the afternoon wore drearily on, and towards evening, there still being no signs of Flossie, our anxiety grew very keen As for the poor mother, she was quite prostrated by her fears, and no wonder, but the father kept his head wonderfully well Everything that could be done was done: people were sent out in all directions, shots were fired, and a continuous outlook kept frorew dark, and still no sign of fair-haired little Flossie

At eight o'clock we had supper It was but a sorrowful meal, and Mrs Mackenzie did not appear at it We three also were very silent, for in addition to our natural anxiety as to the fate of the child, eighed down by the sense that we had brought this trouble on the head of our kind host When supper was nearly at an end I et outside and think the situation over I went on to the veranda and, having lit ht-hand end of the structure, which was, as the reader may remember, exactly opposite one of the narrow doors of the protecting wall that enclosed the house and flower garden I had been sitting there perhaps six or seven ht I heard the doorunable to , concluded that I ht, theyet risen

Anotherround fell with a soft but heavy thud upon the stone flooring of the veranda, and ca pastwhat it could be Finally, I concluded it must have been an aniot up quick enough The thing lay quite still a few feet beyond me I put down my hand towards it and it did not move: clearly it was not an animal My hand touched it It was soft and warainst the faint starlight

_It was a newly severed human head!_

I ahastly sightcome there? Whose was it? I put it down and ran to the little doorway I could see nothing, hear nobody I was about to go out into the darkness beyond, but re that to do so was to exposestabbed, I drew back, shut the door, and bolted it Then I returned to the veranda, and in as careless a voice as I could command called Curtis I fear, however, that my tones must have betrayed me, for not only Sir Henry but also Good and Mackenzie rose fro out

'What is it?' said the clergyman, anxiously

Then I had to tell them

Mr Mackenzie turned pale as death under his red skin We were standing opposite the hall door, and there was a light in it so that I could see

He snatched the head up by the hair and held it against the light

'It is the head of one of the asp 'Thank God it is not hers!'

We all stood and stared at each other aghast What was to be done?

Just then there was a knocking at the door that I had bolted, and a voice cried, 'Open, my father, open!'