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children； which we believe to be true evidence； shall be weighed and
investigated word by word before the great council。〃
〃To give evidence is one thing； and to shoot the traitor and murderer
another；〃 said Pereira。 Then he added with an oath； or so vowed Hans：
〃Yet why should I； who know all this villain's guilt； refuse to carry
out the sentence of the law on him？ Have no fear； commandant； the
accursed Allan Quatermain shall not succeed in his attempt to escape
to…morrow before the dawn。〃
〃So be it；〃 said the commandant。 〃Now； do all you who have heard those
words take note of them。〃
Then Hans； seeing that the council was about to break up； and fearing
lest he should be caught and killed； slipped away by the same road that
he had come。 His thought was to warn me； but this he could not do
because of the guards。 So he went to the Prinsloos； and finding the
vrouw alone with Marie； who had recovered her mind； told them everything
that he had heard。
As he said； Marie knelt down and prayed； or thought for a long while；
then rose and spoke。
〃Tante；〃 she said to the vrouw； 〃one thing is clear； that Allan will be
murdered at the dawn； now if he is hidden away he may escape。〃
〃But where and how can we hide him；〃 asked the vrouw； 〃seeing that the
place is guarded？〃
〃Tante；〃 said Marie again； 〃at the back of your house is an old cattle
kraal made by Kaffirs； and in that cattle kraal； as I have seen； there
are mealie…pits where those Kaffirs stored their grain。 Now I suggest
that we should put my husband into one of those mealie…pits and cover it
over。 There the Boers might not find him； however close they searched。〃
〃That is a good idea；〃 said the vrouw； 〃but how in the name of God are
we to get Allan out of a guarded house into a mealie…pit？〃
〃Tante； I have a right to go to my husband's house； and there I will go。
Afterwards； too； I shall have the right to leave his house before he is
taken away。 Well； he might leave it in my place； _as me_； and you and
Hans might help him。 Then in the morning the Boers would come to search
the house and find no one except me。〃
〃That is all very pretty；〃 answered the vrouw； 〃but do you think； my
niece； that those accursed vultures will go away until they have picked
Allan's bones？ Not they； for too much hangs on it。 They will know that
he cannot be far off； and slink about the place until they have found
him in his mealie…hole or until he comes out。 It is blood they are
after； thanks to your cousin Hernan； the liar； and blood they will have
for their own safety's sake。 Never will they go away from here until
they see Allan lying dead upon the ground。〃
Now； according to Hans； Marie thought again very deeply。 Then she
answered：
〃There is a great risk； tante； but we must take it。 Send your husband
to chat with those guards； and give him a bottle of spirits。 I will
talk with Hans here and see what can be arranged。〃
So Marie went aside with Hans； as he told me afterwards； and asked him
if he knew of any medicine that made people sleep for a long while
without waking。 He answered； Yes； all the coloured people had plenty of
such medicine。 Without doubt he could get some from the Kaffirs who
dwelt upon the place； or if not he could dig the roots of a plant that
he had seen growing near by which would serve the purpose。 So she sent
him to procure this stuff。 Afterwards she spoke to the Vrouw Prinsloo；
saying：
〃My plan is that Allan should escape from our house disguised as myself。
But as I know well that he will not run away while he has his senses；
seeing that to do so in his mind would be to confess his guilt； I
propose to take his senses from him by means of a drugged drink。 Then I
propose that you and Hans should carry him into the shadow of this
house； and when no one is looking； to the old grain…pit that lies but a
few yards away； covering the mouth of it with dead grass。 There he will
remain till the Boers grow tired of searching for him and ride away。 Or
if it should chance that they find him； he will be no worse off than he
was before。〃
〃A good plan enough； Marie； though not one that Allan would have
anything to do with if he kept his wits；〃 answered the vrouw； 〃seeing
that he was always a man for facing things out； although so young in
years。 Still； we will try to save him in spite of himself from the
claws of that stinkcat Pereira； whom may God curse； and his tool； your
father。 As you say； at the worst no harm will be done even if they find
him； as probably they will； seeing that they will not leave this place
without blood。〃
Such then was the trick which Marie arranged with the Vrouw Prinsloo。
Or rather； I should say； seemed to arrange； since she told her nothing
of her real mind； she who knew that the vrouw was right and that for
their own sakes； as well as because they believed it to be justice； the
Boers would never leave that place until they saw blood running on the
grass。
This； oh！ this was Marie's true and dreadful plan_to give her life for
mine！_ She was sure that once he had slain his victim； Hernan Pereira
would not stop to make examination of the corpse。 He would ride away；
hounded by his guilty conscience； and meanwhile I could escape。
She never thought the thing out in all its details； she who was maddened
with terror and had no time。 She only felt her way from step to step；
dimly seeing my deliverance at the end of the journey。 Marie told the
Vrouw Prinsloo nothing； except that she proposed to drug me if I would
not go undrugged。 Then the vrouw must hide me as best she could； in the
grain…pit or elsewhere； or； if I had my senses about me； let me hide
myself。 Afterwards she； Marie； would face the Boers and tell them to
find me if they wanted me。
The vrouw answered that she had now thought of a better plan。 It was
that she should arrange with her husband and son and the Meyers； all of
whom loved me； that they should rescue me； or if need be； kill or
disable Pereira before he could shoot me。
Marie replied that this was good if it could be done； and the vrouw went
out to find her husband and the other men。 Presently； however； she
returned with a long face； saying that the commandant had them all under
guard。 It seemed that it had occurred to him； or more probably to
Pereira； that the Prinsloos and the Meyers； who looked on me as a
brother； might attempt some rescue； or make themselves formidable in
other ways。 Therefore； as a matter of precaution； they had been put
under arrest and their arms taken from them as mine had been。 What the
commandant said； however； was that he took these somewhat high…handed
measures in order to be sure that they； the Prinsloos and the Meyers；
should be ready on the following morning to ride with him and the
prisoner to the main camp； where the great council might wish to
interrogate them。
One concession； however； the vrouw had won from the commandant； who；
knowing what was about to happen to me； had not； I suppose； the heart to
refuse。 It was that my wife and she might visit me and give me food on
the stipulation that they both left the house where I was confined by
ten o'clock that night。
So it came to this； that if anything was to be done； these two women and
a Hottentot must do it； since they could hope for no help in their
plans。 Here I should add that the vrouw told Marie in Hans's presence
that she had thought of attacking the commandant as to this matter of my
proposed shooting by Pereira。 On reflection； however； she refrained for
two reasons； first because she feared lest she might only make matters
worse and rob me of my sole helpers； and secondly for fear lest she
should bring about the death of Hans； to whom the story would certainly
be traced。
As he was the solitary witness to the plot； it seemed to her that he
would scarcely be allowed to escape to repeat it far and wide。
Especially was this so； as the unexplained death of a Hottentot；
suspected of treachery like his master； was not a matter that would have
been thought worth notice in those rough and bloody times。 She may have
been right； or she may have been wrong； but in weighing her decision it
must always be borne in mind that she was； and until the end remained；
in utter ignorance of Marie's heroic design to go to her death in place
of me。
So the two women and the Hottentot proceeded to mature the plans which I
have outlined。 One other alternative； however； Hans did suggest。 It
was that they should try to drug the guards with some of the medicated
drink that was meant for me； and that then Marie； I and he should slip
away and get down to the river； there to hide in the weeds。 Thence；
perhaps； we might escape to Port Natal where lived Englishmen who would
protect us。
Of course this idea was hopeless from the first。 The moonlight was
almost as bright