truly with me, for presently
the king and his people came. Moreover, my Spirit brought it
about that the king would have no other guide but me to lead him
to the kraal where he slept last night, and I went as though
unwillingly. At the kraal the king sent for me and questioned me
in a dark hut, pretending to be alone, but I who am a doctoress
knew that two other men were in that hut, taking note of all my
words. He asked me of the Inkosazana-y-Zulu who appeared in the
Vale of Bones and of the little assegai she held in her hand, and
of the magic of the Opener of Roads, and many other things. I
said that I knew nothing of the Inkosazana, but that without
doubt my Master was a great magician. He did not believe me. He
threatened that I should be tortured very horribly and was about
to call his servants to torment me till I told the truth. Then
my Spirit spoke in my heart saying, 'Now the door is open to you,
as I promised. Tell the king of the two white men whom the
Master hides, and he will send to kill them, leaving the lady
Heddana and you alone together.' So I pretended to be afraid and
told him, whereon he laughed and answered--

"'For your sake I am glad, girl, that you have spoken the truth;
besides it is useless to torture a witch, since then the spirit
in her only vomits lies.'

"Next he called aloud and a man came, who it was I could not see
in the dark. The king commanded him to take me to one of the
other huts and tie me up there to the roof-pole. The man obeyed,
but he did not tie me up; he only blocked the hut with the
door-board, and sat with me there in the dark alone.

"Now I grew cunning and began to talk with him, spreading a net
of sweet words, as the fowler spreads a net for cranes from which
he would tear the crests. Soon by his talk I found out that the
king and his people knew more than I guessed. Macumazahn, they
had seen the cart which still stands under the overhanging rock
by the mouth of the cave. I asked him if that were all,
pretending that the cart belonged to my Master, to whom it had
been brought from the field of Isandhlwana, that he might be
drawn about in it, who was too weak to walk.

"The man said that if I would kiss him he would tell me
everything. I bade him tell me first, swearing that then I would
kiss him. Yes, Macumazahn, I, whom no man's lips have ever
touched, fell as low as this. So he grew foolish and told me.
He told me that they had also seen a k