I stood unbound I
would kill you at this moment--kill you all unarmed as I am. Coward!
Dare you try it!"

"What is this _indaba_?" interrupted Kreli sternly. "This white man has
a very long tongue. Perhaps it may be shortened with advantage." A hum
of applause greeted this remark, and the chief went on. "You are asked
a question, _umlungu_, and instead of answering you rave and bellow and
throw yourself about like a cow that has lost her calf. And now what
have you to say? You have invaded our country and shot our people with
your own hand. If a man thrusts his head into a hornet's nest, whom
shall he blame but himself if he gets stung--if he treads upon a
serpent, how shall he complain if made to feel the reptile's fangs?"

"Well, you see, it's war-time," answered Carhayes bluntly, beginning to
think he might just as well say something to save his life, if words
could save it, that is. "I have met your people in fair fight, and I
challenge any man, black or white, to deny that I have acted fair,
square, and above board. And when we do take prisoners we don't treat
them as I have been treated since I was brought here. They are taken
care of by the doctors if wounded, as I am; not tied up and starved and
kicked, as I have been."

"Their doctors are the Fingo dogs," interrupted the chief darkly, "their
medicine a sharp assegai. Freeborn men of the House of Gcaleka to die
at the hand of a Fingo slave! _Hau_!"

A roar of execration went up at this hit. "To the fire with him!"
howled the savage crowd. "Give him to us, Great Chief, that we may make
him die a hundred deaths!"

"That is the sort of healing my children get when they fall into the
hands of Amanglezi. And you, _umlungu_, you have offered an insult to
the House of Gcaleka in the person of Hlangani, my herald, a man of the
House of Hintza, my father. Was it war-time when you shed his blood?
Did you meet in fair fight when you shot him suddenly and at
close-quarters, he having no gun?"

"Was it war-time when Hlangani entered the Gaika location to stir up
strife? Was it right that he should bring his dogs on to my farm to
hunt my bucks?" answered Carhayes fearlessly. "Again, was it fair play
for four men, armed with assegais, to attack one, who had but two shots?
Or was it self-defence? Listen to my words, Kreli, and you chiefs and
_amapakati_ of the House of Gcaleka," he went on, raising his voice till
it was audible to the whole assemblage