ng nearer weaponless, we bent low, a forest
of heads, and from every tongue in one roar there ascended the
"_Bayete_." For we were now in the presence of the King.

In stern silence Dingane sat gazing upon us. Then he, too, gave a
signal. Immediately an armed regiment moved across our rear. Between
us and the weapons we had thrown down stood a wall of armed men, and in
this I read our sentence of death. We had risked our chance and had
foiled. By my counsels, I had led these hundreds of brave men to their
doom.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

THE EMBASSY OF TAMBUSA.

"What do I see? Untuswa, the wanderer? Untuswa, who fled from the
north to _konza_ to another King? Ha! Greeting, Untuswa, for it seems
long since we have beheld thee."

So spake Dingane, softly, flatteringly, even as Umzilikazi was wont to
do what time the stake or the alligators were preparing for somebody,
and I indeed felt dead already.

"And these," went on the King, bending his stern gaze upon my following.
"A warrior-like band indeed, and it seems a pity to slay such, yet must
they all die."

This he said almost to himself, else had the slayers been at work
already. And I--the boldness of desperation came into me then.

"We are the King's cattle," I said. "We are here to place our lives
beneath the foot of the Elephant. Yet, O Ruler of the World, there are
some who should taste the goring of our horns. We are the King's
fighting-bulls. And, Great Great One, suffer us ere we die to spill
once more the blood of the King's enemies."

"Yet, Untuswa, it sometimes happens that fighting-bulls, growing mad,
turn and gore their owners. They had better have been slain first,"
said Dingane, with dark suspicion in his tone.

Now I saw what was to be done, though I hardly knew what to say.

"I would ask the Great Great One wherefore these are here at all, but
that they may drink the blood of the King's enemies?" I urged, amazed
at my own boldness. "Were they here for any other purpose, why then
they were already dead, Father of the Wise. _Au_! they seek but to die
in the ranks of those who fight. That is all, Calf of a Black Bull."

And they on whose behalf I spoke uttered a great murmur of assent,
together with words of _bonga_ and the King's titles.

Then I saw Dingane whisper to one who sat near him, and this one
retired. _Whau_! that was a moment. We who sat there seemed already
dead. Around crouched the two immense half circl