in one hand he bore a little dancing shield, also black in
colour. The other was empty, since he might not appear before the king
bearing arms. In countenance the man was handsome, and though just now
they betrayed some anxiety, his eyes were genial and honest, and his
mouth sensitive. In height he must have measured six foot two inches,
yet he did not strike the observer as being tall, perhaps because of
his width of chest and the solidity of his limbs, that were in curious
contrast to the delicate and almost womanish hands and feet which so
often mark the Zulu of noble blood. In short the man was what he seemed
to be, a savage gentleman of birth, dignity and courage.

In company with him was another man plainly dressed in a moocha and a
blanket, whose grizzled hair showed him to be over fifty years of age.
His face also was pleasant and even refined, but the eyes were timorous,
and the mouth lacked character.

"Who are these?" asked the king.

The two men fell on their knees before him, and bowed till their
foreheads touched the ground--the while giving him his _sibonga_ or
titles of praise.

"Speak," he said impatiently.

"O King," said the young warrior, seating himself Zulu fashion, "I am
Nahoon, the son of Zomba, a captain of the Umcityu, and this is my uncle
Umgona, the brother of one of my mothers, my father's youngest wife."

Cetywayo frowned. "What do you here away from your regiment, Nahoon?"

"May it please the king, I have leave of absence from the head captains,
and I come to ask a boon of the king's bounty."

"Be swift, then, Nahoon."

"It is this, O King," said the captain with some embarrassment: "A while
ago the king was pleased to make a _keshla_ of me because of certain
service that I did out yonder----" and he touched the black ring which
he wore in the hair of his head. "Being now a ringed man and a captain,
I crave the right of a man at the hands of the king--the right to
marry."

"Right? Speak more humbly, son of Zomba; my soldiers and my cattle have
no rights."

Nahoon bit his lip, for he had made a serious mistake.

"Pardon, O King. The matter stands thus: My uncle Umgona here has a
fair daughter named Nanea, whom I desire to wife, and who desires me to
husband. Awaiting the king's leave I am betrothed to her and in earnest
of it I have paid to Umgona a _lobola_ of fifteen head of cattle, cows
and calves together. But Umgona has a powerful neighbour, an old chief
named Maputa, t