ly
through the falling rain, and in their hands a hedge of spears. I looked
before me, towards the end of the cleft; there also loomed the plumes of
warriors, and in their hands was a hedge of spears.

Then, from all the people there arose another cry, a cry of terror and
of agony.

"Ah! now they mourn indeed, Mopo," said Chaka in my ear; "now thy people
mourn from the heart and not with the lips alone."

As he spoke the multitude of the people on either side of the rift
surged forward like a wave, surged back again, once more surged forward,
then, with a dreadful crying, driven on by the merciless spears of the
soldiers, they began to fall in a torrent of men, women, and children,
far into the black depths below.

* * * * *

My father, forgive me the tears that fall from these blind eyes of mine;
I am very aged, I am but as a little child, and as a little child I
weep. I cannot tell it. At last it was done, and all grew still.

* * * * *

Thus was Makedama buried beneath the bodies of his people; thus was
ended the tribe of the Langeni; as my mother had dreamed, so it came
about; and thus did Chaka take vengeance for that cup of milk which was
refused to him many a year before.

"Thou hast not won thy bet, Mopo," said the king presently. "See there
is a little space where one more may find room to sleep. Full to the
brim is this corn-chamber with the ears of death, in which no living
grain is left. Yet there is one little space, and is there not one to
fill it? Are all the tribe of the Langeni dead indeed?"

"There is one, O King!" I answered. "I am of the tribe of the Langeni,
let my carcase fill the place."

"Nay, Mopo, nay! Who then should take the bet? Moreover, I slay thee
not, for it is against my oath. Also, do we not mourn together, thou and
I?"

"There is no other left living of the tribe of the Langeni, O King! The
bet is lost; it shall be paid."

"I think that there is another," said Chaka. "There is a sister to thee
and me, Mopo. Ah, see, she comes!"

I looked up, my father, and I saw this: I saw Baleka, my sister, walking
towards us, and on her shoulders was a kaross of wild-cat skins, and
behind her were two soldiers. She walked proudly, holding her head high,
and her step was like the step of a queen. Now she saw the sight of
death, for the dead lay before her like black water in a sunless pool. A
moment she stood shivering, having guessed all, then walked on and stood
before Chaka.