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It was N'Komo's way of telling him what to expect, and he understood. He stopped talking. "The nigger who saw it all and told me about it said that when he had looked round on all the horrors he turned again towards N'Komo, and at the sight of his eyes N'Komo ceased to grin. His big brute face went all to bits, as a Kaffir's does when he is frightened.
But it is not so; it has all to do with the story of Ralph and of my daughter Suzanne. When Ralph returned from pursuing the Zulus, as he drew near to the laager he lingered a little behind the others, for he was very weary of all this work of killing, also the flesh-wound that he had got from the Kaffir's spear having stiffened pained him when his horse cantered.
On December 18th they took the offensive, however, and within a week fought three actions, two of which ended in their favour. News had come to British headquarters that Kaffir's Kop, to the north-west of Bethlehem, was a centre of Boer activity. Three columns were therefore turned in that direction, Elliot's, Barker's, and Dartnell's.
On moving around to the shed where the two giraffes had been tied, Willem was somewhat alarmed by an indescribable expression seen on the features of Congo. The eyes seemed as if about to start from the Kaffir's head! The distance between his chin and nose had alarmingly extended, and his whole appearance formed a frightful picture of astonishment and fear. To Willem there needed no explanation.
'They remind me, said his Honour, 'of the old baboon that is chained up in my yard. When he burnt his tail in the Kaffir's fire the other day, he jumped round and bit me, and that just after I had been feeding him. For five years Mr. Kruger was as good as his word.
Swartboy was next hauled out, and the two mud-bedaubed individuals stood gazing at one another, each highly delighted at the rueful appearance presented by his rival. Slowly the fire of anger, that seemed to have all the while been burning in the Kaffir's eyes, became extinguished, and broad smile broke like the light of day over his stoical countenance.
These were dangers, however, that added the few touches necessary to complete the picture of our smart adjutant of Hussars in cowboy hat, grey flannel shirt, breeches and gaiters, with a face as brown as a Kaffir's, wandering over the South African veldt.
I asked, eagerly. "Said he had a white skin, but his heart was a Kaffir's. Great induna; leader of many impis. Prophet, wise weather doctor! Friend of old Moselekatse's. Destroy the white men from over the big water; restore the land to the Matabele. Kill all in Salisbury, especially the white women. Witches all witches.
On the Kaffir's ear the voice fell dull and distant; and yet he immediately understood whence it came. Like himself, the Bushman was in a living grave! That explained his neglect to render the long-desired assistance. "Lor', Swart! why I waiting for you," answered Congo, for the first time since his imprisonment attempting a smile; "I don't want to go to the camp and leave you behind me."
They were all sketches of the veld, high and low; of natives; of bits of Dutch architecture; of the stoep with its Boer farmer and his vrouw; of a kopje with a dozen horses or a herd of cattle grazing; of a spruit, or a Kaffir's kraal; of oxen leaning against the disselboom of a cape-wagon; of a herd of steinboks, or a little colony of meerkats in the karoo.
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