signed to each guest, who sat down to
something like a regular meal for the first day for many months past.
"I don't understand about this Queen," said Frank, as he pushed away his
wooden plate. "I remember my uncle told me that, beyond the limits of
the Cape Colony, there were nothing but savages for hundreds and
thousands of miles; and that it wasn't safe for white people to venture
among them. Who in the world can she be?"

"You seemed to know something about her, sir," remarked Warley, turning
to De Walden. "Perhaps you can explain the mystery."

"I know nothing more," said the missionary, "than that I sometimes
heard, whilst living to the north of the Basuto country, that some
hundreds of miles southwards, there was a tribe under the rule of a
woman, whose race and colour was different from theirs, and who was
generally believed to be an enchantress. That, of course, was mere
barbarous superstition, but the true facts of the case I never learned.
We shall doubtless, however, soon hear them, as we were to be summoned
to her presence as soon as we had partaken of food. Ay, here, I
suppose, comes the messenger to give us notice that she is ready to
receive us."

This conjecture proved to be correct, and in a few minutes they were
ushered into the apartment, where the Queen of the Basutos sat in state
to receive them. It was similar in construction to the one they had
just quitted, but larger, and with more attempt at ornament. The
ceiling was coloured white, relieved with green, and the walls a dark
yellow; the latter exhibiting something like an attempt at panelling.
At the further end was a kind of dais rising three steps, on the topmost
of which stood a massive chair of ebony wood, and one smaller but of the
same material by its side. The floor was spread with Kaffir mats of gay
patterns, while several articles belonging only to European
civilisation--books, an inkstand, a writing-desk, and the like--were
arranged on a large heavy table of the same material as the chair. From
the ceiling there hung a lamp, like those ordinarily used on board
ships, and fed with oil, which diffused a very sufficient light
throughout the apartment. Behind the royal chair, and on either side
down the room, were several Basutos, wearing dresses made of the skin of
the koodoo, or the leche, and carrying light assegais in their hands.

The Queen herself was a woman apparently between forty and fifty;
bearing a strong resemb