Then it seemed to Suzanne that she moved to the bedside of her husband, and bending down, kissed him upon the forehead, which was hot to her lips, saying, “Awake, dear love.”  Instantly, in her vision, he awoke with a cry of joy, and said, “Suzanne, how came you here?” to which she answered, “I am not here.  I have escaped unharmed from Swart Piet, but I am a prisoner in the hands of red Kaffirs, and to-morrow I lead their army to the north.  Yet it has been permitted me to visit you, husband, and to tell you to be of good comfort and to fear no evil tidings, for you will recover and we shall meet again, unharmed in any way, though not till many days are passed.”

“Where shall we meet?” he asked.  “I do not know,” she answered.  “Yes, I see now.  Look before you.”

Then they looked, both of them, and there painted in the air they saw the picture of a great mountain, standing by itself upon a plain, but with other mountains visible to the north and south of it.  This mountain was flat-topped, with precipices of red rock, and down its eastern slope ran five ridges shaped like the thumb and fingers of a mighty hand, while between the thumb and the first finger, as it were, a stream gushed out, upon the banks of which grew flat-topped trees with thick green leaves and white bloom.

“You have seen and you will remember, fearing nothing,” she said in her vision.

“I have seen and I shall remember, fearing nothing,” Ralph answered, and with the sound of his voice still echoing in her ears, Suzanne awoke in the guest-hut of Sigwe, and once more heard Sihamba breathing at her side, and felt the hand which she had outstretched to find her, pressed against her cheek.  But now there was a new sense of comfort in her heart, for she believed that without any doubt she had seen her husband, and that although they were separated, still the day would come when they should meet again, not in the spirit but in the flesh.

Now I, Suzanne Botmar, who tell this tale, had scarcely left Ralph’s room upon that very night and laid myself down upon the settle when he called to me.  I ran back to the bed to find him sitting up in it wide awake 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 Suzanne may be, alas! she is not here.”

“She was here just now,” he said, smiling, “for we have been talking together.  She has escaped from Swart Piet and is unharmed, but a prisoner among the Kaffirs.  And, mother, she and I will meet again upon a great mountain like a fortress, which has ridges on its eastern side resembling the thumb and fingers of a man, and a stream of water gushing out between the thumb and first finger.”

“Doubtless, doubtless,” I said, for I saw that he was wandering in his mind.

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