Swallow: A Tale of the Great Trek

  Now I, Suzanne Botmar, who tell this tale, had scarcely left Ralph'sroom upon that very night and laid myself down upon the settle when hecalled to me. I ran back to the bed to find him sitting up in it wideawake and calm-eyed.

  "Mother," he said, for so he still named me, "did you see Suzanne?"

  "Hush, Ralph," I answered, "you are talking foolishly; wherever Suzannemay be, alas! she is not here."

  "She was here just now," he said, smiling, "for we have been talkingtogether. She has escaped from Swart Piet and is unharmed, but aprisoner among the Kaffirs. And, mother, she and I will meet again upona great mountain like a fortress, which has ridges on its eastern sideresembling the thumb and fingers of a man, and a stream of water gushingout between the thumb and first finger."

  "Doubtless, doubtless," I said, for I saw that he was wandering in hismind.

  "Ah!" Ralph answered, "you do not believe me, but it is true. I tell youthat I saw Suzanne just now wearing a fine kaross of tiger skins uponher shoulders, and that she kissed me on the forehead," and even ashe spoke he sank into a deep and quiet sleep, and when he awoke in themorning we found that the fever had left him and that he was out ofdanger of his life.