under me, had been sent for by the King the day before, and had not yet
returned. I asked him no more questions, but entered the hut of one of
my other wives.

I found Nxope and Fumana squatted together on the ground. They greeted
me in a manner that struck me as showing great if subdued fear.

"Where is Lalusini?" I said.

Then indeed was fear upon their countenances. They looked at each other
as though each expected the other to reply.

"Where is Lalusini?" I repeated.

"We know not," said Fumana sullenly.

Then my patience gave way.

"Ha! Ye know not! Hear me now, ye witches. I am tired of such as you.
Look at this," holding forth the great assegai, from which I never
parted, save when forced to disarm in the presence of the King. "Look
well at it and bear in mind I do not speak twice. This spear has drunk
much blood, but never yet the blood of women. Fail to answer my next
question and it will begin. Now. Where is Lalusini?"

"In truth we know not," screamed Nxope.

I know not how it was, _Nkose_, that in my awful grief and rage that
blade did not shear swiftly through the speaker's heart, even as I had
promised. I know not how it was, I say, unless it were that something
about the woman--some movement, perhaps--reminded me of Lalusini, but my
hand seemed arrested in the very act of striking.

"Ha! One more chance," I said. "Now, quick. Tell me."

"We will tell you all, lord," yelled Fumana, more quick-witted than the
other. "The third night after you left she disappeared. No one saw her
go; nor has she ever returned."

"Seven nights ago that would be; and she has never returned?"

"Never, lord."

"And that is all we know about it," whimpered Nxope, still in fear for
her life.

But she need not have been. My anger against them was past now, for I
could see they had told me all they knew, and that was--nothing.
Besides, of them I had no further thought. I sat down on the floor of
the hut and thought. The third night after I left. Ha! The vision in
Gasitye's cavern! Had I not seen Lalusini's face among the others--
among the faces of the dead--for such were all the others? She, too,
had passed into the Great Unknown.

Now my thoughts at once flew off to the King. I saw his hand in this
matter. Umzilikazi had broken faith with me. He had seized the
opportunity of my absence to put my sorceress-wife to death, and that
secretly and in the dead of night. Ha! I saw it al