l cock, for it was loaded.

"I will obey, King," I said, "to save myself from being murdered.
But on your head be all that may follow from this deed."

Then it was for the first time that a new idea struck me so
clearly that I believe it was conveyed direct from Zikali's brain
to my own. _I might shoot, but there was no need for me to hit._
After that everything grew plain.

"King," I said, "if yonder be a mortal, she is about to die. Only a
spirit can escape my aim. Watch now the centre of her forehead,
for there the bullet will strike!"

I lifted the pistol and appeared to cover the figure with much
care. As I did so, even from that distance I thought I saw a
look of terror in its eyes. Then I fired, with a little jerk of
the wrist sending the ball a good yard above her head.

"She is unharmed," cried a voice. "Macumazahn missed her."

"Macumazahn does not miss," I replied loftily. "If that at which
he aimed is unharmed, it is because it cannot be hit."

"O-ho-o!" laughed Zikali, "the White Man who does not know the
taste of his own love's lips, says that he has fired at that
which cannot be hit. Let him try again. No, let him choose
another target. The Spirit is the Spirit, but he who summoned
her may still be a cheat. There is another bullet in your little
gun, White Man; see if it can pierce the heart of Zikali, that
the King and Council may learn whether he be a true prophet, the
greatest of all the prophets that ever was, or whether he be but
a common cheat."

Now a sudden rage filled me against this old rascal. I
remembered how he had brought Mameena to her death, when he
thought that it would serve him, and since then filled the land
with stories concerning her and me, which met me whatever way I
turned. I remembered that for years he had plotted to bring
about the destruction of the Zulus, and to further his dark ends,
was now engaged in causing a fearful war which would cost the
lives of thousands. I remembered that he had trapped me into
Zululand and then handed me over to Cetewayo, separating me from
my friends who were in my charge, and for aught I knew, giving
them to death. Surely the world would be well rid of him.

"Have your will," I shouted and covered him with the pistol.

Then there came into my mind a certain saying--"Judge not that ye
be not judged." Who and what was I that I should dare to arraign
and pass sentence upon this man who after all had suffered many
wrong