All had passed away, leaving Dorcas paralysed with terror, and wet with
its dew, so that her night-gear clung to her body. The room was just
as it had been, filled with the soft moonlight and looking very
comfortable.
"Thomas!" gasped his wife, "wake up."
"I _am_ awake," he answered in his deep voice, which shook a little. "I
have had a bad dream."
"What did you dream? Did you see two people thrown from the cliff?"
"Something of that sort."
"Oh! Thomas, Thomas, I have been in hell. This place is haunted. Don't
talk to me of dreams. Tabitha will have seen and heard too. She will be
driven mad. Come to her."
"I think not," answered Thomas.
Still he came.
At the door of Tabitha's room they found the woman Ivana, wide-eyed,
solemn, silent.
"Have you seen or heard anything, Ivana?" asked Thomas.
"Yes, Teacher," she answered, "I have seen what I expected to see and
heard what I expected to hear on this night of full moon, but I am
guarded and do not fear."
"The child! The child!" said Dorcas.
"The _Inkosikazi_ Imba sleeps. Disturb her not."
Taking no heed, they thrust past her into the room. There on her little
white bed lay Tabitha fast asleep, and looking like an angel in her
sleep, for a sweet smile played about her mouth, and while they watched
she laughed in her dreams.
Pages:
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237