indeed I did not wish it, nor did I think that you would be turned from
your purpose by that which you have seen. Father and mother of Swallow,
you are right, and now I will tell you the truth. What you beheld in the
water was nothing but a trick, a clever trick of the little doctoress,
Sihamba, by the help of which and others like it, she earns her living,
and imposes on the foolish, though she cannot impose upon you, who are
wise, and have the Lord of the skies for a friend. So think no more of
it, and do not be angry with the little black monkey whose nature it
is to play tricks;" and with a motion of her foot she upset the bowl
of water, and collecting the pieces of mirror hid them away in her skin
pouch.

Then we went, but as I passed through the thorn trees I turned and
looked at Sihamba, and lo! she was standing in the moonlight, her face
lifted towards the sky, weeping softly and wringing her hands. Then for
the first time I felt a little afraid.



CHAPTER XIV

THE WEDDING

The marriage morning of Ralph and Suzanne broke brightly; never have I
seen a fairer. It was spring time, and the veldt was clothed with the
fresh green grass and starred everywhere with the lily blooms that
sprang among it. The wind blew softly, shaking down the dewdrops from
the growing corn, while from every bush and tree came the cooing
of unnumbered doves. Beneath the eave of the _stoep_ the pair of
red-breasted swallows which had built there for so many years were