ally rubbed his eyes. Here was the white man's rule with
a vengeance. Witness box and dock, gaol and fine, where a few years
back, comparatively speaking, the spear-and-shield armed impis swept, in
all the bravery of their war array. A touch on the shoulder interrupted
his meditations. Looking up he beheld Inspector James.

"Didn't find you at the club," whispered, the latter. "Shall we go over
now?"

"It's a curious contrast," began Denham, when they got outside, "all
this law and order in a country with the traditions of this one."

"Well, it's an improvement for these devils, anyhow," was the answer.
"Where we fine them a pound or so Cetywayo would have had them knocked
on the head, and I'm not sure his way of doing things wasn't the best."

"You don't like them, then. Now it struck me some of these chaps with
the head-rings on were rather fine-looking fellows."

"Damned scoundrels, if you only knew as much about them as we do!" was
the somewhat sour reply.

"They seem civil enough, anyhow."

"Just here they are, because they've got to be. But they are not
everywhere. In fact, they are getting more cheeky every day. It's just
possible you may have come up here in time to see some `scrapping'."

"Well, I'll take a hand if there's any going. What's up?"

Inspector James had suddenly stopped. A Zulu was approaching them down
the road, a tall man, ringed, and clad in a long overcoat.

"There's one I'd like to have by the heels," he said. "He's up to no
good, I can tell you."

The man saluted as he passed them, and then astonishment was in store
for Denham. To new arrivals the faces of natives are very much alike,
but the face of this one he had good reason to remember. He knew, too,
that the recognition was mutual.

"Who is he, then?" he asked.

"Oh, he's a sweep from Makanya way; but we've got an eye on him."

"I mustn't try and get behind police secrets," laughed Denham. But the
sight of that particular native set him thinking. Among other things he
had reason to think that the Inspector's estimate was very likely a
correct one.

The Ezulwini Club was somewhat primitive, consisting of a corrugated
iron building containing three rooms, the smallest and most important of
which was the bar. Here they found two or three other members to whom
Denham was duly introduced, and the usual libations were poured out. At
this stage the door was darkened, and a tall man entered.

"Hallo! Blest i