ering reeds, waiting, while I listened to the many
voices of the night, near and far.

"Greeting, Untuswa!"

The words seemed to come out of nowhere. Quickly I looked up, but the
voice was not that of Lalusini! Then I made out a dark shape--a very
shadow.

"Follow now, holder of the White Shield," it said, and immediately began
to move away.

The voice was that of a woman--soft and pleasing. Keeping the shadow in
view, yet warily, I moved forward. Beneath the heavy gloom of trees
overhanging the river bank we moved, and I had quite lost to view my
guide, but at such times her voice would lead me; and at last I found
she had halted at the entrance to a great rift like unto that wherein I
had hid what time Jambula was surprised by the _impi_ in search of me.

My guide signed me to follow, and lo! we were threading our way in
darkness between two great walls of earth. Then a light shone dully
forth, and there, in a cave formed by the closing of the earth walls
overhead, I beheld a fire.

"Advance now, induna of another King," said the voice of my guide, "for
my errand is done."

Even as I looked round for her she had disappeared. But raising my eyes
to the lighted space in front I beheld that which made me forget all
else, for before me stood Lalusini.

In the circle of firelight there she stood, a smile of welcome wreathing
her lips, her splendid form erect and tall as when I last saw it
standing to watch me out of sight what time I had started for the Valley
of the Red Death. There she stood, her hands extended towards me.

"Welcome, Untuswa," she said. "Thus do we meet once more."

No words did I utter, _Nkose_. I sprang to her side and we embraced
long and warmly. Then we sat down to talk, for we had much to say.

"Welcome, Untuswa," she repeated, still holding my hands. "Welcome,
thou great brave one who would have slain a King who knew not how to
keep faith."

"Ha! But how didst thou know?" I cried in amazement.

"What do I not know? Tell me that," she said, smiling at me. "Listen;
I saw the midnight struggle in the `great hut' of the _isigodhlo_. I
saw the dark way along the cliffs of the Inkume. Was not my _muti_ in
the buck with its fawn that saved thee from the pursuing _impi_ by
showing no alarm, even as the _muti_ upon thy neck saved thee when
Umzilikazi lay prone and stupified?"

"_E-he_! but that is indeed so. And it was thy _muti_ which saved me
from the hatred of Tambusa