d meant to murder us."

"He listened stonily," continued Anscombe, "and answered, 'I
perceive, Lady Heddana, that you understand enough of our tongue
to enable me to talk to you; therefore I will send away this
half-breed woman, since what I have to say is secret.'

"Then he called servants by clapping his hands and ordered them
to remove Kaatje, which was done.

"'Now, Lady Heddana,' he said, speaking very slowly so that Heda
might interpret to me and repeating his words whenever she did
not understand, 'I have a proposal to make to you. For my own
ends it is necessary that you should play a part and appear
before the king and the Council as the goddess of this land who
is called the Chieftainess of Heaven, which goddess is always
seen as a white woman. Therefore you must travel with me to
Ulundi and there do those things which I shall tell you.'

"'And if I refuse to play this trick,' said Heda, 'what then?'

"'Then, Lady Heddana, this white lord whom you love and who is to
be your husband will--die--and after he is dead you must still do
what I desire of you, or--die also.'

"'Would he come with me to Ulundi?' asked Heda.

"'Not so, Lady. He would stay here under guard, but quite safe,
and you will be brought back to him, safe. Choose now, with
death on the one hand and safety on the other. I would sleep a
little. Talk the matter over in your own tongue and when it is
settled awaken me again,' and he shut his eyes and appeared to go
to sleep.

"So we discussed the situation, if you can call it discussion
when we were both nearly mad. Heda wished to go. I begged her
to let me be killed rather than trust herself into the hands of
this old villain. She pointed out that even if I were killed,
which she admitted might not happen, she would still be in his
hands whence she could only escape by her own death, whereas if
she went there was a chance that we might both continue to live,
and that after all death was easy to find. So in the end I gave
way and we woke up Zikali and told him so.

"He seemed pleased and spoke to us gently, saying, 'I was sure
that wisdom dwelt behind those bright eyes of yours, Lady, and
again I promise you that neither you nor the lord your lover
shall come to any harm. Also that in payment I and my child,
Nombe, will protect you even with our lives, and further, that I
will bring back your friend, Macumazahn, to you, though not yet.
Now go and be happy together. Nombe wil