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you are of so many different kinds？〃
The stranger answered； 〃There is a sign by which we all know one another；
and by which all the world may know us。〃 （By this shall all men know that
ye are My disciples； if ye have love one to another。）
And Peter said； 〃What is that sign？〃
But the stranger was silent。
〃Oh； a kind of freemasonry！〃 said Peter； leaning on his elbow towards the
stranger； and looking up at him from under his pointed cap。 〃Are there any
more of you here in this country？〃
〃There are；〃 said the stranger。 Then he pointed with his hand into the
darkness。 〃There in a cave were two women。 When you blew the cave up they
were left unhurt behind a fallen rock。 When you took away all the grain；
and burnt what you could not carry； there was one basketful that you knew
nothing of。 The women stayed there； for one was eighty； and one near the
time of her giving birth； and they dared not set out to follow the remnant
of their tribe because you were in the plains below。 Every day the old
woman doled grain from the basket； and at night they cooked it in their
cave where you could not see their smoke； and every day the old woman gave
the young one two handfuls and kept one for herself； saying； 'Because of
the child within you。' And when the child was born and the young woman
strong； the old woman took a cloth and filled it with all the grain that
was in the basket； and she put the grain on the young woman's head and tied
the child on her back； and said； 'Go； keeping always along the bank of the
river； till you come north to the land where our people are gone； and some
day you can send and fetch me。' And the young woman said； 'Have you corn
in the basket to last till they come？' And she said； 'I have enough。' And
she sat at the broken door of the cave and watched the young woman go down
the hill and up the river bank till she was hidden by the bush； and she
looked down at the plain below； and she saw the spot where the kraal had
been and where she had planted mealies when she was a young girl〃
〃I met a woman with corn on her head and a child on her back！〃 said Peter
under his breath。
〃And tonight I saw her sit again at the door of the cave； and when the
sun had set she grew cold； and she crept in and lay down by the basket。
Tonight； at half…past three； she will die。 I have known her since she was
a little child and played about the huts； while her mother worked in the
mealie fields。 She was one of our company。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Peter。
〃Other members we have here；〃 said the stranger。 〃There was a prospector〃…
…he pointed north； 〃he was a man who drank and swore when it listed him；
but he had many servants； and they knew where to find him in need。 When
they were ill； he tended them with his own hands； when they were in
trouble； they came to him for help。 When this war began； and all black
men's hearts were bitter； because certain white men had lied to them； and
their envoys had been killed when they would have asked England to put her
hand out over them； at that time certain of the men who fought the white
men came to the prospector's hut。 And the prospector fired at them from a
hole he had cut in his door； but they fired back at him with an old
elephant gun； and the bullet pierced his side and he fell on the floor：
because the innocent man suffers oftentimes for the guilty； and the
merciful man falls while the oppressor flourishes。 Then his black servant
who was with him took him quickly in his arms； and carried him out at the
back of the hut； and down into the river bed where the water flowed and no
man could trace his footsteps； and hid him in a hole in the river wall。
And when the men broke into the hut they could find no white man； and no
traces of his feet。 But at evening； when the black servant returned to the
hut to get food and medicine for his master； the men who were fighting
caught him； and they said； 'Oh； you betrayer of your people； white man's
dog； who are on the side of those who take our lands and our wives and our
daughters before our eyes； tell us where you have hidden him？' And when he
would not answer them； they killed him before the door of the hut。 And
when the night came； the white man crept up on his hands and knees； and
came to his hut to look for food。 All the other men were gone； but his
servant lay dead before the door； and the white man knew how it must have
happened。 He could not creep further； and he lay down before the door； and
that night the white man and the black lay there dead together； side by
side。 Both those men were of my friends。〃
〃It was damned plucky of the nigger；〃 said Peter； 〃but I've heard of their
doing that sort of thing before。 Even of a girl who wouldn't tell where
her mistress was； and getting killed。 But；〃 he added doubtfully； 〃all your
company seem to be niggers or to get killed？〃
〃They are of all races；〃 said the stranger。 〃In a city in the old Colony
is one of us； small of stature and small of voice。 It came to pass on a
certain Sunday morning； when the men and women were gathered before him；
that he mounted his pulpit： and he said when the time for the sermon came；
'In place that I should speak to you； I will read you a history。' And he
opened an old book more than two thousand years old： and he read： 'Now it
came to pass that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard； which was in
Jezreel； hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria。
〃'And Ahab spake unto Naboth； saying； Give me thy vineyard； that I may have
it for a garden of herbs； because it is near unto my house： and I will
give thee for it a better vineyard than it； or； if it seemeth good to thee；
I will give thee the worth of it in money。
〃'And Naboth said to Ahab； The Lord forbid it me； that I should give the
inheritance of my father unto thee。
〃'And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word
which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken unto him； for he had said； I will
not give thee the inheritance of my fathers。'
〃The man read the whole story until it was ended。 Then he closed the book；
and he said； 'My friends； Naboth has a vineyard in this land； and in it
there is much gold； and Ahab has desired to have it that the wealth may be
his。'
〃And he put the old book aside； and he took up another which was written
yesterday。 And the men and women whispered one to another； even in the
church； 'Is not that the Blue Book Report of the Select Committee of the
Cape Parliament on the Jameson raid？'
〃And the man said； 'Friends； the first story I have read you is one of the
oldest stories of the world： the story I am about to read you is one of
the newest。 Truth is not more truth because it is three thousand years
old； nor is it less truth because it is of yesterday。 All books which
throw light on truth are God's books； therefore I shall read to you from
the pages before me。 Shall the story of Ahab king of Samaria profit