ish egotism I
had omitted any reference to him, had claimed all the credit--which,
though really my due, I was a fool to insist on--and now the dark
meaning of his words, the malice underlying his cold, sneering tones,
left me under no sort of doubt that I had made for myself a most
dangerous enemy. My attempts at apology had been lame in the extreme.
Gungana had seen through them, and they had failed to appease him. And
he was a powerful _induna_, and would certainly succeed to the command
of my regiment. Of a truth, _Nkose_, when I lay down that night, it
seemed that my coveted head-ring and the fulfilment of the King's
promise had faded away into the very furthest mists of the never-to-be.

CHAPTER FIVE.

THE MOSUTU WITCH-DOCTOR.

"You will be wondering, _Nkose_, what had become of the old Mosutu
witch-doctor whose life I had spared, and who was the sole survivor of
his people. The morning after the battle and the feast, before we
resumed our march, Umzilikazi ordered the old man to be brought before
him.

"I was in attendance upon the King that day, and was acting as his
shield-bearer. It was my duty to stand behind him as he sat among the
_indunas_, holding the great white shield above his head to shade him
from the sun. This was an office the King often had me to perform in
preference to most of the other young men of his body-guard, wherefore I
heard much deliberation of matters, such as would have astounded many in
our host, could they but have guessed they were known to the King--yes,
and would have put them in terror for their lives. But these were
matters for which I had neither eyes nor ears, and although I had
revealed a secret to Nangeza--and that foolishly--it was one which
concerned myself alone, and for the others, I would have suffered any
death rather than let fall breath of them.

"Standing thus behind Umzilikazi, I was able to command the fullest view
of the old witch-doctor, and as they brought him along I noticed that he
showed no sign of fear. His, eyes were as bright and piercing as
before; and his old body, bowed and wrinkled with age, looked hardly
human, so shrunken and withered was it.

"`Are the ghosts of those slain yonder come to life again in this old
man?' I heard the King mutter as he signed the Mosutu to rise up from
the prostration he had made. `What is thy name, old man?'

"`I am called Masuka, lord. The guardian spirits of the Bapedi tribe
whisper in my ears