ow. Say, how do you
do it, Zikali?"

"Do it. Who knows? Perchance I do nothing. Perchance I think
and you fools see, no more. Or perchance the spirits of the dead
who are so near to us, come at my call and take themselves bodies
out of the charmed smoke of my fire. You white men are wise,
answer your own question, Macumazahn. At least that smoke or
that ghost saved me from a spear thrust in the heart, wherewith
Cetewayo was minded to pay me for showing him a hiding-place
which he desired should be secret to himself alone. Well, well,
I can pay as well as Cetewayo and my count is longer. Now lie
you still, Macumazahn, for I go out to watch. He will not bide
long in this place which he deems haunted and ill-omened. He
will be gone ere sunset, that is within an hour, and sleep
elsewhere."

Then he crept from the hut and presently, though I could see
nothing, for now the gate of the fence was shut, I heard voices
debating and finally that of Cetewayo say angrily--

"Have done! It is my will. You can eat your food outside of
this place which is bewitched; the girl will show us where are
the huts of which the wizard speaks."

A few minutes later Zikali crept back into the hut, laughing to
himself.

"All is safe," he said, "and you can come out of your hole, old
jackal. He who calls himself a king is gone, taking with him
those whom he thinks faithful, most of whom are but waiting a
chance to betray him. What did I say, a king? Nay, in all
Africa there is no slave so humble or so wretched as this broken
man. Oh! feather by feather I have plucked my fowl and by and by
I shall cut his throat. You will be there, Macumazahn, you will
be there."

"I trust not," I answered as I mopped my brow. "We have been
near enough to throat-cutting this afternoon to last me a long
while. Where has the king gone?"

"Not far, Macumazahn. I have sent Nombe to guide him to the huts
in the little dip five spear throws to the right of the mouth of
the kloof where live the old herdsman and his people who guard my
cattle. He and all the rest are away with the cattle that are
hidden in the Ceza Forest out of reach of the white men, so the
huts are empty. Oh! now I read what you are thinking. I do not
mean that he should be taken there. It is too near my house and
the king still has friends."

"Why did you send Nombe?" I asked.

"Because he would have no other guide, who does not trust my men.
He means to keep her