124 LODGES IN THE WILDERNESS 



arched they bounded over the face of the 

 desert like so many alabaster discs mingling, 

 separating and re-combining in a tracery of 

 flying arabesques. They had adopted the atti- 

 tude and movement usual to their kind in mo- 

 ments of sudden terror or delight. Surely 

 their flight was the highest expression of grace 

 revealed by animated nature in motion. It 

 was a soundless melody; a symphony for the 

 eye. 



The torrent was streaming to my right, 

 straight for Andries. Hendrick thundered be- 

 hind, a black Centaur-monstrosity. How 

 terrible he must have appeared to the fugi- 

 tives. I wished Hendrick then would trend to 

 his right, for if the springbuck had swerved 

 towards Kanxas and caught sight of the 

 wagon, they would have doubled on their 

 tracks and made for the depths of the desert. 

 My object was to hold them on the course they 

 were following for as long as possible. Ha ! 

 they must have sighted the wagon, for they 

 wheeled to their right and attempted to escape 

 past me, about three thousand yards on my 

 side of where Andries lay waiting for his shot. 

 The terror of death was upon them; their 

 manes were down hidden in the constricted 

 dorsal tract. The eye could hardly follow 



