t to them before the enemy could clear the
way and march on to attack.

Presently Hafela's men were through and sweeping down upon them with
a roar, thinking to carry the wall at a single rush. But in this they
failed; indeed, it as only after an hour's hard fighting and by the
expedient of continually attacking the work with fresh companies that at
length they stormed the wall.

When Hokosa saw that he could no longer hold the place, but before the
foe was upon him, he drew off his soldiers to the second wall, a quarter
of a mile or more away, and here the fight began again. And so it went
on for hour after hour, as one by one the fortifications were carried
by the weight of numbers, for the attackers fought desperately under the
eye of their prince, caring nothing for the terrible loss they suffered
in men. Twice the force of the defenders was changed by order of
Nodwengo, fresh men being sent from the companies held in reserve to
take the places of those who had borne the brunt of the battle. This
indeed it was necessary to do, seeing that it was impossible to carry
water to so many, and in that burning valley men could not fight for
long athirst. Only Hokosa stayed on, for they brought him drink in
a gourd, and wherever the fray was fiercest there he was always; nor
although spears were rained upon him by hundreds, was he touched by one
of them.

At length as the night fell the king's men were driven back from their
last scherm in the western half of the valley, across the open space
back upon the koppie where stood the Tree of Doom. Here they stayed a
while till, overmatched and outworn, they were pushed from its rocks
across the narrow stretch of broken ground into the shelter of the great
stone scherm or wall that ran from side to side of the further neck of
the valley, whereon thousands of women and such men as could be spared
had been working incessantly during the past night and day.

It was as he retreated among the last upon this wall that Hokosa caught
sight of Noma for the first time since they parted in the house of the
Messenger. In the forefront of his troops, directing the attack, was
Hafela the prince, and at his side stood Noma, carrying in her hand a
little shield and a spear. At this moment also she saw him and called
aloud to him:--

"You have fought well, Wizard, but to-morrow all your magic shall avail
you nothing, for it will be your last day upon this earth."

"Ay, Noma," he answered, "