matter of time, and here you must bide till all is finished.
That will be good for you who need rest, though the other two
find it wearisome. Still for them it is good also to watch the
fruit ripen on their tree of love. It will be the sweeter when
they eat it, Macumazahn, and teach them how to live together.
Oho! Oho-ho!" and he shambled off.

CHAPTER XX

HEDA'S TALE

That evening when I was lying on my bed outside the cave, I heard
the tale of Anscombe and Heda. Up to a certain point he told it,
then she went on with the story.

"On the morning after our arrival at this place, Allan," said
Anscombe, "I woke up to find you gone from the hut. As you did
not come back I concluded that you were with Zikali, and walked
about looking for you. Then food was brought to us and Heda and
I breakfasted together, after which we went to where we heard the
horses neighing and found that yours was gone. Returning, much
frightened, we met Nombe, who gave me your note which explained
everything, and we inquired of her why this had been done and
what was to become of us. She smiled and answered that we had
better ask the first question of the king and the second of her
master Zikali, and in the meanwhile be at peace since we were
quite safe.

"I tried to see Zikali but could not. Then I went to inspan the
horses with the idea of following you, only to find that they
were gone. Indeed I have not seen them from that day to this.
Next we thought of starting on foot, for we were quite desperate.
But Nombe intervened and told us that if we ventured out of the
Black Kloof we should be killed. In short we were prisoners.

"This went on for some days, during which we were well treated
but could not succeed in seeing Zikali. At length one morning he
sent for us and we were taken to the enclosure in front of his
hut, Kaatje coming with us as interpreter. For a while he sat
still, looking very grim and terrible. Then he said--

"'White Chief and Lady, you think ill of me because Macumazahn
has gone and you are kept prisoners here, and before all is done
you will think worse. Yet I counsel you to trust me since
everything that happens is for your good.'

"At this point Heda, who, as you know, talked Zulu fairly well,
though not so well as she does now, broke in, and said some very
angry things to him."

"Yes," interrupted Heda. "I told him that he was a liar and I
believed that he had murdered you an