s rifle pointed at
my heart," answered Nahoon sulkily.

"Well, there is this to be said," she replied, "he wished to escape from
Cetywayo, and that is not to be wondered at," and she sighed. "Moreover
he asked you to come with him, and it might have been well if you had
done so, that is, if you would have taken me with you!"

"How could I have done it, girl?" he asked angrily. "Would you have me
set at nothing the order of the king?"

"The king!" she replied raising her voice. "What do you owe to this
king? You have served him faithfully, and your reward is that within a
few days he will take me from you--me, who should have been your wife,
and I must--I must----" And she began to weep softly, adding between
her sobs, "if you loved me truly, you would think more of me and of
yourself, and less of the Black One and his orders. Oh! let us fly,
Nahoon, let us fly to Natal before this spear pierces me."

"Weep not, Nanea," he said; "why do you tear my heart in two between my
duty and my love? You know that I am a soldier, and that I must walk the
path whereon the king has set my feet. Soon I think I shall be dead, for
I seek death, and then it will matter nothing."

"Nothing to you, Nahoon, who are at peace, but to me? Yet, you are
right, and I know it, therefore forgive me, who am no warrior, but a
woman who must also obey--the will of the king." And she cast her arms
about his neck, sobbing her fill upon his breast.

CHAPTER IV

NANEA

Presently, muttering something that the listener could not catch, Nahoon
left Nanea, and crept out of the hut by its bee-hole entrance. Then
Hadden opened his eyes and looked round him. The sun was sinking and
a ray of its red light streaming through the little opening filled the
place with a soft and crimson glow. In the centre of the hut--supporting
it--stood a thorn-wood roof-tree coloured black by the smoke of the
fire; and against this, the rich light falling full upon her, leaned the
girl Nanea--a very picture of gentle despair.

As is occasionally the case among Zulu women, she was beautiful--so
beautiful that the sight of her went straight to the white man's heart,
for a moment causing the breath to catch in his throat. Her dress was
very simple. On her shoulders, hanging open in front, lay a mantle of
soft white stuff edged with blue beads, about her middle was a buck-skin
moocha, also embroidered with blue beads, while round her forehead and
left knee were strips of