st unholy lustre.

Nearer she came, and yet nearer, every creature in that vast assemblage
watching her movements with intense anxiety. At last she stood still
and pointed.

"Which is it to be?" asked Sir Henry to himself.

In a moment all doubts were at rest, for the old hag had rushed in and
touched Umbopa, alias Ignosi, on the shoulder.

"I smell him out," she shrieked. "Kill him, kill him, he is full of
evil; kill him, the stranger, before blood flows from him. Slay him, O
king."

There was a pause, of which I instantly took advantage.

"O king," I called out, rising from my seat, "this man is the servant
of thy guests, he is their dog; whosoever sheds the blood of our dog
sheds our blood. By the sacred law of hospitality I claim protection
for him."

"Gagool, mother of the witch-finders, has smelt him out; he must die,
white men," was the sullen answer.

"Nay, he shall not die," I replied; "he who tries to touch him shall
die indeed."

"Seize him!" roared Twala to the executioners; who stood round red to
the eyes with the blood of their victims.

They advanced towards us, and then hesitated. As for Ignosi, he
clutched his spear, and raised it as though determined to sell his life
dearly.

"Stand back, ye dogs!" I shouted, "if ye would see to-morrow's light.
Touch one hair of his head and your king dies," and I covered Twala
with my revolver. Sir Henry and Good also drew their pistols, Sir Henry
pointing his at the leading executioner, who was advancing to carry out
the sentence, and Good taking a deliberate aim at Gagool.

Twala winced perceptibly as my barrel came in a line with his broad
chest.

"Well," I said, "what is it to be, Twala?"

Then he spoke.

"Put away your magic tubes," he said; "ye have adjured me in the name
of hospitality, and for that reason, but not from fear of what ye can
do, I spare him. Go in peace."

"It is well," I answered unconcernedly; "we are weary of slaughter, and
would sleep. Is the dance ended?"

"It is ended," Twala answered sulkily. "Let these dead dogs," pointing
to the long rows of corpses, "be flung out to the hyaenas and the
vultures," and he lifted his spear.

Instantly the regiments began to defile through the kraal gateway in
perfect silence, a fatigue party only remaining behind to drag away the
corpses of those who had been sacrificed.

Then we rose also, and making our salaam to his majesty, which he
hardly deigned to acknowledge, we departed