ago."

They were quick in their declarations of silence and careful utterance,
and I knew I had sufficiently frightened them. And thus I left them.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

GEGESA'S TALE.

For several days I went about as usual, to the eyes of men showing no
difference in my converse and behaviour. At first all would watch me
furtively, as though to observe what effect my loss would have on me, if
any; but this soon ceased as they saw no difference, and indeed this was
not strange, for it is not our custom to allow ourselves to be affected
by the loss of a woman, more or less. There were plenty more women in
the nation, and I, Untuswa, the second commander of the King's hosts,
could take as many wives as I chose. The King had given me this
particular wife, and if he chose to take her from me, openly or
secretly, who might run his will against the will of the Great Great
One, at whose word we held our lives?

So men looked at it, but I--well, I looked at it from another point of
view. That the King's hand moved behind the matter I could see by the
uniform silence with which it was treated, nor could I even overhear so
much as the "darkest" of talking among any of the people. But I was
awaiting my time, and to allay suspicion I took a new wife. She was
young and good-tempered, and was a daughter of Xulawayo, an induna of
rank, and a commander of high standing in the army, by reason of which
he demanded much cattle in _lobola_ for her, all of which I paid him
without objection. This astonished him greatly, nor could he sleep for
three nights for wishing he had demanded more. But I had an object in
view, which was to bind so influential a leader as Xulawayo more closely
to me against the time for striking my blow.

Now of this I never lost sight for a moment. Carefully I sounded my own
followers, and lost no opportunity of rendering myself popular among the
army at large. Yet the game was a terribly risky one, and I felt as a
man might who attempts to walk on a ridge of rock no wider than an
assegai blade, with the depth of a whole mountain on either side. But
the game was worth the risk, for I was playing for a throne and for
revenge.

Now and again the King would rally me.

"Taking new wives at last, Untuswa?" he would say. "_Whau_! but you
have been long content with old ones. How often have I told you that
women are like a bowl of _tywala_: delightful and stimulating when
fresh; but, when stale, sou