can save us."

"Oh, Heavens!" cried Holmes, aghast as the whole ugly truth dawned upon
him, setting to with a will to pile stones upon the remains of the slain
and shattered monster.

"Too late!" growled Hazon. "We have been seen! Look."

Several women were running stealthily and in alarm towards the gate, and
immediately a frightful uproar arose from within. Armed with sticks and
spears, the warriors came pouring forth, and in a moment had surrounded
the two--a howling, infuriated, threatening mob.

Although expecting nothing less than instant death, with the emergency
Hazon's coolness had returned. He stood in the midst of the appalling
uproar, apparently unmoved. Holmes, on the other hand, looked wildly
around, but less in fear than in desperation. He was calculating his
chances of being able to snatch a weapon from one of them, and to lay
about him in the last fierce battle for life. "Anything for a little
excitement!" he had said. In very truth his aspiration was realized.
There was excitement enough in the brandished spears and blazing
eyeballs, in the infuriated demoniacal faces, in the deafening, roaring
clamour.

"This is no matter for you," cried Hazon in firm, ringing tones. "Take
us to the king. We can explain. The affair was an accident."

At this the ferocious tumult redoubled. An accident! They had lifted
their hand against the great tutelary Spider that guarded Nondwana's
house! An accident!

"Hold! To the king let them be taken!" interposed a strong, deep voice.
And extending his hands, as though to arrest the uplifted weapons,
Nondwana himself stalked into the circle.

There was no gainsaying the mandate of one so great. Weapons were
lowered, but still vociferating horrible threats, the crowd, with the
two offenders in its midst, moved in the direction of Imvungayo.

But it seemed as though the wild, pealing shouts of rage and
consternation were a very tocsin; for now from every kraal, near and
far, the inhabitants came surging forth, streaming down the hillsides
over the face of the plain like swarming ants--and before they reached
Imvungayo the two whites seemed to move in the midst of a huge sea of
gibing, infuriated faces, as the dark crowd, gathering volume, poured
onward, rending the air with deafening shouts of execration and menace.
But the royal guards barred the gate, suffering no entrance save on the
part of the two white men, together with Nondwana and a few of the
greater among