y surveyed their bloodstained blades and gazed adoringly at the
splendid frame and majestic bearing of Sapazani. "He is the lion who
will lead us to our meat. Ough--Ough--Ough!" in imitation of the
roaring of the king of beasts.

"_Gahle_, my children," said Sapazani warningly. "Yet forget not--when
the time comes."

Even as they moved away stealthy shapes were pattering up from afar.
The blood scent carries an incredible distance to the nostrils of the
wild creatures of the waste, and already there were many such, stealing
amid the undergrowth, waiting until the fire should die, to quarrel and
snarl over this unexpected feast. Even as in the case of the other
victim which this grim forest had swallowed, there would be little left
of this one to tell any tales. And the broad, cold moon shone
relentlessly down.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tekana, the son of Msiza, rose blithely in the blithe early morning
before the sun had peeped over the rim of the world. He was a goodly
youth, tall and supple, and as he left the kraal of his relative--a
distant relative who was not over-attached to him, for his father was
dead--his thoughts were the thoughts of love. He had been offering
_lobola_ for a girl whose father was the head of a kraal some five miles
distant; but the said parent had fixed his price too high, and Tekana
was in despair lest some richer suitor should step in and put him for
ever out of the running. He had been dejected on this point for some
time past, and had been wondering whether if he went away to work in the
mines at Johannesburg for a year he could earn enough to make up the
amount demanded, and to this end he had consulted one or two who had
gone through that experience. In fact, he was for ever talking about
it. His relative was surly and close-fisted, and, as we have said, had
no great love for him; moreover, he had more than hinted of late that he
preferred his room to his company. Yet a year was a long time, and once
away, what might not happen? He was very much drawn to the girl, and
she to him, but on that account her avaricious parent stuck firm to his
price--eight good cows to wit, or their equivalent in hard English
sovereigns, five of the cows payable, of course, in advance. Now Tekana
could muster but three, and a doubtful one that a sympathising cousin
had promised to lend him. He was in despair, and so was Ntombisa; in
fact, she