me one trying to open the door. I
asked, 'Who is there?' and a voice (Nomalie's) replied, 'It is I, your
child.' I removed the door-pole, and Nomalie entered. I said, 'My
child, what is this thing?' but she did not speak. I threw some twigs
on the embers, and when they blazed up, what I saw made me burn with
wrath. The girl was naked, and her body and limbs were covered with
wheals and scars where the women had beaten her because she would not
allow Lukwazi to approach her.

"She sat down next to the fire and looked at me in silence until I
could endure it no longer, so working up a semblance of anger to hide
my pity, I said roughly, 'Why have you brought disgrace on your house,
by leaving your husband? I shall send you back to-morrow!' Instead of
replying, she stood up, and taking my large spear from where it was
sticking in the roof, she handed it to me. She then knelt down, and
placing a hand upon each of her breasts, she drew them apart, and
looked into my face. I knew she meant this to indicate that she wished
me to drive the spear into her, rather than to send her back. To see if
she were in earnest, I lifted the spear as if to strike, still keeping
up the semblance of anger--but she just closed her eyes, smiled, and
leant slightly towards me, I then saw she was in earnest, so I flung
down the spear and said in a kinder voice that she should remain, and
that Lukwazi might keep his cattle. When I had said this, she flung
herself to the ground on her face, and wept as though she would die.

"Next day, Lukwazi's messengers came for Nomalie, but I told them they
could not have her. Afterwards Lukwazi himself came with ten men armed,
and said he would take his wife by force. I stood in front of the door
of the hut, leaving Nomalie alone inside, and told Lukwazi that the
girl refused to return to him, and that after the way she had been
ill-treated, I should not force her to do so, Lukwazi said that the girl
was now his wife, that he had married her with my consent, that he had
now come to fetch her, and that he meant to have her. Just then I felt
something put into my hand from behind, and when I closed my fingers on
it I found this thing to be the handle of my big, broad-bladed spear.
Then I heard the wicker door of the hut being closed, and the cross-bar
being slipt into its place.

"Now when I realised what Nomalie had done thus silently, and other own
accord, my heart filled with pride in my daughter, and I began