on both their faces. Then he added:

"And those whom I have already taught in the use of the fire-weapon,
they are strong in it, and reliable?"

"That is so," assented Tyisandhlu.

"And I have taught many the ways of the chase, no less than the more
skilled ways of war--that too is true, O Burning Wind?"

"That too is true," repeated the king.

"Good. And now I would crave a boon. While the People of the Spider have
become more formidable in war, while the ivory comes pouring into the
king's treasury, faster than ever it did before, so that soon there will
be enough to buy fire-weapons for the whole nation, I who brought all
this to pass remain poor--am the poorest in the nation--and--the
daughters of the Ba-gcatya are fair--exceeding fair."

"_Whau!_" exclaimed the two indunas simultaneously, with their hands to
their mouths. But Tyisandhlu said nothing, though a very humorous gleam
seemed to steal over his fine features in the firelight.

"The daughters of the Ba-gcatya are exceeding fair," repeated Laurence,
"but I, the poorest man in the nation, cannot take wives. For how shall
I go to the father of a girl and say, 'Lo, I desire thy daughter to
wife, but my slaves have been killed, and my other possessions are now
the property of the king; yet inasmuch as I cannot offer _lobola_,
having nothing, give her to me on the same terms?' My house will not
grow great in that way. Say now, Ndabezita, will it?"

"I think not, Nyonyoba," answered the king, struggling to repress a
laugh. "Yet perhaps a way may be found out of that difficulty, for in
truth thou hast done us good service already. But we will talk further
as to this matter in the future. For the present, here waits outside one
who will show thee what thou wilt be glad to see."

Quick to take this hint of dismissal, Laurence now arose, saluted the
king, and retired, not ill-pleased so far with the results of his
interview. For in the circumlocutory native way of dealing with matters
of importance, Tyisandhlu had received with favour his request,
preferred after the same method, that some of his possessions should be
restored to him. Then he would offer _lobola_ for Lindela, and----

"I accompany you farther, Nyonyoba, at the word of the Great Great One,
by whose light we live."

The voice of the _inceku_ who had ushered him forth broke in upon his
meditations. This man, instead of leaving him at the gate of the
_isigodhlo_, still kept at his side, and La