e; but even his influence seemed strained under the
task of preserving order among these rival bands of savage and slightly
civilised savage.

But Nanzicele had no chance. When it came to cross-questioning him,
Samvu and another ringed man of Madula's simply turned him inside out.
There could be no question but that he had exceeded his orders, and had
acted in a grossly provocative and arbitrary manner, calculated to bring
about serious trouble.

Yet not all at once was this decision arrived at. Inglefield, promptly
sick of the whole thing, would have slurred the proceedings over--
anything to finish them that day--but Ames was built of different stuff.
Calm and judicial, he gave both sides a thoroughly patient hearing, and
the investigation indeed was not concluded until late on the following
day. Then the above decision was arrived at and reported to the proper
quarter, and in the result, it not being his first offence of the kind,
Nanzicele was adjudged to lose his stripes.

There were three parties to whom this decision was exceedingly
unwelcome. The first was represented by the comrades of the degraded
man, who looked up to him on account of the very derelictions which had
brought him into trouble--his high-handed thoroughness, to wit. The
second was Inglefield, who felt that he had lost a particularly smart
non-com., and one that was useful to him in another capacity, for
Nanzicele was a skilful hunter, and could always show his officer where
sport was to be obtained; whereas now, Nanzicele, sulky and reduced to
the ranks, would probably revenge himself by a falling off in this
direction.

The third was Nanzicele himself, and, his fierce and sullen spirit
smouldering with bitter resentment, he inwardly vowed vengeance against
Madula and his following. But greater vengeance still did he vow
against the white race in general, and John Ames in particular. There
was point in this, because he was in a position to suppose that the day
might not be so very far distant when his vow should be repaid to the
uttermost.

CHAPTER THREE.

SHIMINYA THE SORCERER.

Shiminya the sorcerer was seated within his "muti" kraal on the banks of
the Umgwane river.

This kraal was situated in the heart of a vast thicket of "wait-a-bit"
thorns. It was enclosed by a closely woven fence of the same
redoubtable growth, whose height and bristling solidity laughed to scorn
the efforts of man or beast. The main approach con