great knobstick.

"Not thus, blunderer; not thus," said Shiminya, arresting his arm. "See
now. Take that end of the pole while I take the other. Go thou first."

Lifting the pole with its helpless human burden, these bloodthirsty
miscreants passed out of the kraal. Down the narrow way they hurried,
for Shiminya though small was surprisingly wiry, and the powerful frame
of the other felt it not, although their burden was no light one. Down
through a steep winding path, and soon the thorns thinned out, giving
way to forest trees.

"Well, sister, I predicted that Lupiswana would come for thee to-night,"
said Shiminya, as they set their burden down to rest themselves. "And--
there he is already."

A stealthy shape, which had been following close upon their steps,
glided into view for a moment and disappeared. The wretched victim saw
it too, and uttered such a wild ringing shriek of despair that Nanzicele
fairly shuddered.

"_Au_! I like not this," he growled. "It is a deed of _tagati_."

"Yet thou must do it, brother, or worse will befall thyself," said
Shiminya, quietly. Then they resumed their burden.

Through the trees now came a glint of silver light, then a broad
shimmer. It was the glint of the moon upon water. The Umgwane River,
in the dry season, consists of a series of holes. One of these they had
reached.

"And now, sister," began the wizard, as they set down their burden upon
its brink, "thou seest what is the result of an unquiet tongue. But for
that thou wouldst not now be here, and thy brother Pukele and thy sister
Ntatu would have yet longer to live. But you all know too much, the
three of you. Look! Yonder is Lupiswana waiting for thee, even as I
predicted," said this human devil, who could not refrain from adding
acute mental torture to the dying moments of his victim. And as he
spoke a low whine rose upon the night air, where a dark sinister shape
lay silhouetted against the white stones of the broad river-bed some
little distance away.

The victim heard it and wailed, in a manner that resembled the whine of
the gruesome beast. Shiminya laughed triumphantly.

"Even the voice she has already," he exclaimed. "She will howl bravely
when Lupiswana hunts her."

"Have done," growled Nanzicele. Brutal barbarian as he was, even his
savagery stopped short at this; besides, his superstitious nature was
riven to the core. "Get it over; get it over!"

They raised the pole once more