es of armed warriors,
their shields lying on the ground before them--all in dead silence--and
in his great chair made out of the carved trunk of a tree, the great
white shield held aloft at the back of his head, the King sat, silent,
stern, gloomy looking. His attitude was that of one who waited. Waited
for what? For the carrying out of his order decreeing, our death?

Then some new event was astir. There stood before the King a woman.
Now my followers dared to breathe again, and the sound went up from
every chest like a sob of relief. And seeing who the woman was, my own
relief became greater still, for she was my sorceress-wife.

"Hearken, Mahlula," said the King. "See you these?"

"I see them, Great Great One," she answered, sweeping a majestic glance
over us. "They are those known as the Bapongqolo. They are here to lay
their lives beneath the foot of the Elephant, and to crave the right to
die fighting for him."

"And how dost thou know that, my sister?" said Dingane suspiciously.

"It is easily known, Father of the Wise, and that not even by my
_muti_," she answered. "There are many among them known by name, and
all have the look of forest-dwellers. And he at their head, look at
him."

"Ha! And is it for good or for ill that they are here?"

"For good, Ruler of the Great. For these are fine wielders of the
spear. And they are many," she answered.

"That is well," said Dingane. "You wanderers, I give you your lives.
You shall join these lion-cubs, and plenty of prey lies awaiting your
teeth."

For some moments, _Nkose_, the roar that went up from all men's throats
would seem about to split the world, for to the praises rolled forth
from those who were thus spared was added the _bonga_ of the whole army.

"Now talk we of Untuswa," said the King, when this had quieted down.
"There is that about him which I like not entirely. What of him,
Mahlula?"

She looked at me long and earnestly, as though she had never seen me
before, but in her sweet eyes I read hope and courage. Then she said:

"I think he is a born leader of warriors, Great Great One."

"Ha! Now shalt thou have a chance of showing thy powers, Mahlula," said
the King. "Thou, Untuswa," pointing at me with his assegai, "shalt also
be put to the proof. I name these the Bapongqolo, and of this regiment
I create thee _induna_, for I have not yet known the predictions of
Mahlula to prove false. Retire now with thy men and form the