e recollection of the horrid animal tearing
at her flesh was too recent. It was a form of superstition, too, not
unknown among her people, and here everything seemed to bring it home--
time, place, surroundings, and the horror of this gruesome being's
presence. But before she would utter further prayer or protest, a
strange hollow, humming noise was heard, at sound of which Shiminya
arose suddenly, with an eager look on his repulsive countenance, and
crept out of the hut, taking care to secure the door behind him.

CHAPTER FOUR.

A HUMAN SPIDER.

Shiminya resumed his seat upon the ground, with the _muti_ bowl in his
hands. The wolf he had already secured in one of the huts. The grim
beast was in truth his familiar spirit, and as such not to be gazed upon
by profane eyes, and in broad daylight. And now footsteps were heard
approaching the _scherm_, together with the rattle of assegai hafts.
Three men entered by the narrow gateway. Shiminya looked up.

"Greeting, _Izinduna_," he said.

"Greeting to thee, Umtwana 'Mlimo," came the reply in a deep-voiced hum,
as the newcomers deposited their assegais just within the gate, and
advanced a few steps nearer in. With two of these we are already
acquainted, they being, in fact, Madula and his brother Samvu. The
third was another influential chief by name Zazwe.

Shiminya seemed to take no further notice of their presence, continuing
to sway the _muti_ bowl from side to side, muttering the while. The
faces of the three indunas wore an expression of scarcely to be
concealed disgust; that of Zazwe in addition showed unutterable
contempt. He was an unprepossessing looking man, lean, and of middle
height, with a cold, cruel countenance. At bottom he loathed and
despised the whole Umlimo hierarchy as a pack of rank impostors, but it
suited him now to cultivate them, for he was an arrant schemer, and
would fain see every white man in the country cut to pieces.

"There are three goats in thy kraal beyond the river, Shiminya," he
began presently, tired of the silence.

"That is good, my father," the sorcerer condescended to reply. "They
are for Umlimo?"

"Nay; for his child."

"And--for Umlimo?"

"There is a young heifer."

"_Au_! Of such there will soon be no more," replied Shiminya.

"No more?" echoed the trio.

"No more. The whites are bewitching all the cattle in the land. Soon
you will see great things. The land will stink with their rotting
car