he living, for the wounded,
the old men and the very women piled themselves there in the place of
stones. No such fray was told of in the annals of the People of Fire as
this, the last stand of Nodwengo against the thousands of Hafela. Now
all the shouting had died away, for men had no breath left wherewith to
shout, only from the gloomy place of battle came low groans and the deep
sobbing sighs of warriors gripped in the death-hug.

"_Fight on! Fight on!_" shrilled the voice of Hokosa on high. "Lo!
the skies are open to my dying sight, and I see the _impis_ of Heaven
sweeping to succour you. _Behold!_"

They dashed the sweat from their eyes and looked forth, and as they
looked, the pall of gloom was lifted, and in the golden glow of
many-shafted light, they saw, not the legions of Heaven indeed, but the
regiments of Nodwengo rushing round the bend of the valley, as dogs rush
upon a scent, with heads held low and spears outstretched.

Hafela saw them also.

"Back to the koppie," he cried, "there to die like men, for the
wizardries of Hokosa have been too strong for us, and lost is this my
last battle and the crown I came to seek!"

They obeyed, and all that were left of them, some ten thousand men, they
ran to the koppie and formed themselves upon it, ring above ring, and
here the soldiers of Nodwengo closed in upon them.

Again and for the last time the voice of Hokosa rang out above the fray.

"Nodwengo," he cried, "with my passing breath I charge you have mercy
and spare these men, so many of them as will surrender. The day of
bloodshed has gone by, the fray is finished, the Cross has conquered.
Let there be peace in the land."

All men heard him, for his piercing scream, echoed from the precipices,
came to the ears of each. All men heard him, and, even in that fierce
hour of vengeance, all obeyed. The spear that was poised was not thrown,
and the kerry lifted over the fallen did not descend to dash away his
life.

"Hearken, Hafela!" called the king, stepping forward from the ranks of
the attackers. "He whom you have set on high to bring defeat upon you
charges me to give you peace, and in the name of the conquering Cross I
give peace. All who surrender shall dwell henceforth in my shadow, nor
shall the head or the heel of one of them be harmed, although their sin
is great. One life only will I take, the life of that witch who
brought your armies down upon me to burn my town and slay my people
by thousands