d battle, and now my great assegai was clotted and foul with
blood, and more than one deep gash on body or limb felt stiff and
smarting.

But all thought of myself seemed at an end as I looked at Lalusini.
There was a hard fierce look upon her face such as I had never seen
there before, and in it I saw a strong likeness to Dingane.

"The time has come, Untuswa," she said shortly. "Take thy spear, look
well to its point, and follow me."

"That I will gladly do, Lalusini," I answered. "But, as we travel, tell
me, what work is before me now?"

"One stroke of thy broad spear--the King's Assegai--ha, ha! it is well
named--it will be a royal weapon indeed! One stroke of thy broad spear
and we shall be great together, great even as I have often predicted to
thee. Come! Let us hasten."

There was an eager fierceness in her tone and manner that kept me
marvelling; however, I would see what her plan was.

She led the way--not speaking. We passed beneath spreading forest
trees, where the thick undergrowth impeded our advance, and the silence
of the shade was only broken by the call of birds. It seemed as though
men's feet had never trodden here; yet I knew the spot, for this was one
of the very refuges I had at first thought of running for myself.

"There," said Lalusini, in a quick, fierce whisper, pointing with her
hand. "Strike hard and true. So shall we be great together."

I went forward. In front was a low cliff, hanging over as though it had
intended to form a cave, but was not quite sure of its own mind. Under
the shelter thus formed, just screened from view in front by a dense
growth of scrub lay the form of a man.

Cautiously I peered through the bushes, then put them aside. The form,
which was turned away from me, did not stir. Noiselessly I stepped
beside it, and then as I bent down to gaze into the face, I could hardly
forbear a start. It was the face of Dingane--the face of the King.

Yes; it was the Great Great One himself. He was sound asleep, his head
pillowed on one hand, interposed between it and the rock. But how came
he here, he who moved armed men in their countless might--he before whom
the nations trembled and hid their heads--how came he here, in hiding
and alone?

But was he alone? It seemed so, for I could descry no sign--no sound of
the presence of men. And while I thus gazed, again that soft whisper
breathed into my ear, "Strike, and strike hard! So shall we be great
tog