me any good, to put it on that ground. Now that deal with
Undhlawafa is off, dead off? Isn't it?"

The last rather anxiously.

"Well, I don't know--yes, I suppose it is," somewhat undecidedly.

The girl shook her head.

"Of course it is," she returned. "It's not to be thought of for a
moment. We are not in dire need, remember, though even then such a
thing would be out of the question. Yes, quite off. My instinct has
been right before, remember."

"So it has. No, I shan't touch this affair. They'll have to get
somebody else."

"_Nkose! O' Nongqai_!" [The police.]

Both started. The interruption came from the trader's other boy, who
had slipped into the yard in a state of some consternation.

"Where, Panjani?" said his master.

"Down yonder, _Nkose_," pointing to the lower country. In a moment both
were outside and in front of the dwelling.

Far below, on the plain, which looked humpy from this altitude, two
mounted figures were approaching. There was no need to get out a
field-glass; the native eyesight, as well as their own, was keen enough.
But the two arrivals could not arrive for the best part of an hour.
Ben Halse went calmly back to the yard, and further directed the
preparation of the great head, with its record horns. Then, rubbing a
lot of salt and pepper into it, he covered it with a waggon sail.
Verna, watching this proceeding, was struck with a sudden thought.

"Father, what about the koodoo sirloin I've got on the roast?" she said.

"Keep it there till it's done. They won't know it from beef. Howling
joke, eh?"

"Rather," she laughed. "They'll all unconsciously aid and abet us in
breaking the laws of Cetywayo's country."

The police horses were toiling up the slope, then standing with heaving
flanks in front of the store. Their riders were not sorry to dismount.

"Well, Mr Halse, how goes it?" cried Meyrick, shaking hands. "Miss
Halse--why, you are looking better than ever since those two dances we
had together at Ezulwini."

"Oh, thanks," laughed Verna. "But that's a poor compliment. You ought
not to have allowed the possibility that I could look better than ever."

"Sharp as ever, anyhow," retorted Meyrick. And his comrade broke into a
guffaw.

"This is Francis," he introduced, "commonly known in the force as Frank.
It's shorter, you see, and means the same thing. Now we all know each
other."

"Not got your step yet, sergeant?" said Ben Halse. "Thought you'