mmetrical frame? What if the King's eye should fall
upon her? What if a new idea should arise in his mind?

"`Thy story seems to hang together well, Sekweni,' said the King. `But
this thong,' holding up the one wherewith Sekweni had been bound,
`savoureth rather more of mortal hands. It is such as would be used to
place around the horns of cattle, or as women would tie up burdens
with--or firewood.'

"At these words, _Nkose_, my eyes well-nigh leaped from my head with
fear. He who knew all things had spoken those words.

"`Here, too, is what was rent from a skin kaross,' went on the Great
Great One, holding up a small strip of spotted skin. `It is as a
fragment of a woman's garment. So far thy tale holdeth, son of
Ntelani.'

"At this my eyes again sought Nangeza. But she did not meet my glance.
There was the same half-amused and wholly fearless expression in her
face. What a wonderful girl she was! I thought, my own fears vanishing
as I saw how full of courage she was.

"`Now, confess, _umfane_!' said the King suddenly, speaking quickly and
bending upon my brother a terrible frown. `Are not these all lies?
Hast thou not been the author of thine own undoing, by having dealings
with a woman while thou shouldest have been watching at thy post?'

"`No lies have I told, O Great Great One, in whose light we live,'
answered Sekweni steadily. `It is as I have said--I was bewitched.'

"`Good,' said the King. `Now will we get to the root of this. Come
forth, ye snakes of the darkness!'

"At these words the doors of three of the huts opened, and there burst
forth from them the whole company of the _izanusi_. They were smeared
with blood and napping with entrails, and with their charms of
bird-claws and human bones, snakes' skins and cow-tail tufts, rattling
around them, came dancing and leaping before the King, whistling and
howling, a most hideous company.

"`Behold this thong--this bit of skin,' said Umzilikazi, holding up the
articles. `Find the owner, ye ringed snakes! Find the owners!'

"The _izanusi_ went howling round the circle as is their wont, and all
hearts quailed. Not a man could tell but that a wizard rod should be
turned his way; yet on this occasion it was the women who had the most
cause to fear, for had not Sekweni declared that his captors wore female
shape? All, however, as the witch-doctors ran howling before them, kept
up a most doleful song, calling for the speedy finding and pu