e recognised the face
for that of one of the party of executioners. How did he come here? Had
Nahoon killed him? Had Nahoon escaped? She could not tell, and at the
best it was improbable, but still the sight of this dead soldier lit her
heart with a faint ray of hope, for how did he come to be dead if Nahoon
had no hand in his death? She could not bear to leave him lying so near
her hiding-place, however; therefore, with no small toil, she rolled
the corpse back into the water, which carried it swiftly away. Then she
returned to the tree, having first replenished the fire, and awaited the
light.

At last it came--so much of it as ever penetrated this darksome den--and
Nanea, becoming aware that she was hungry, descended from the tree
to search for food. All day long she searched, finding nothing, till
towards sunset she remembered that on the outskirts of the forest there
was a flat rock where it was the custom of those who had been in any
way afflicted, or who considered themselves or their belongings to
be bewitched, to place propitiatory offerings of food wherewith the
_Esemkofu_ and _Amalhosi_ were supposed to satisfy their spiritual
cravings. Urged by the pinch of starvation, to this spot Nanea journeyed
rapidly, and found to her joy that some neighbouring kraal had evidently
been in recent trouble, for the Rock of Offering was laden with cobs of
corn, gourds of milk, porridge and even meat. Helping herself to as much
as she could carry, she returned to her lair, where she drank of the
milk and cooked meat and mealies at the fire. Then she crept back into
the tree, and slept.

For nearly two months Nanea lived thus in the forest, since she could
not venture out of it--fearing lest she should be seized, and for a
second time taste of the judgment of the king. In the forest at least
she was safe, for none dared enter there, nor did the _Esemkofu_ give
her further trouble. Once or twice she saw them, but on each occasion
they fled from her presence--seeking some distant retreat, where they
hid themselves or perished. Nor did food fail her, for finding that
it was taken, the pious givers brought it in plenty to the Rock of
Offering.

But, oh! the life was dreadful, and the gloom and loneliness coupled
with her sorrows at times drove her almost to insanity. Still she lived
on, though often she desired to die, for if her father was dead, the
corpse she had found was not the corpse of Nahoon, and in her heart
there st