ack upon the foe. The blow that shore the hand from off
this arm was aimed at thy head, O King; I stayed it with my naked arm.
It is nothing; at thy will I live, and at thy will I die. Who am I that
I should question the word of the king? Yet I would ask this, that thou
wilt withdraw the kaross from about thee, O King, that for the last time
my eyes may feast themselves upon the body of him whom, above all men, I
love."

"Thou art long-winded," said the king, "what more?"

"This, my father, that I may bid farewell to my son; he is a little
child, so high, O King," and he held his hand above his knee.

"Thy first boon is granted," said the king, slipping the kaross from his
shoulders and showing the great breast beneath. "For the second it shall
be granted also, for I will not willingly divide the father and the son.
Bring the boy here; thou shalt bid him farewell, then thou shalt slay
him with thine own hand ere thou thyself art slain; it will be good
sport to see."

Now the man turned grey beneath the blackness of his skin, and trembled
a little as he murmured, "The king's will is the will of his servant;
let the child be brought."

But I looked at Chaka and saw that the tears were running down his face,
and that he only spoke thus to try the captain who loved him to the
last.

"Let the man go," said the king, "him and those with him."

So they went glad at heart, and praising the king.

I have told you this, my father, though it has not to do with my story,
because then, and then only, did I ever see Chaka show mercy to one whom
he had doomed to die.

As the captain and his people left the gate of the kraal, it was spoken
in the ear of the king that a man sought audience with him. He was
admitted crawling on his knees. I looked and saw that this was that
Masilo whom Chaka had charged with a message to him who was named
Bulalio, or the Slaughterer, and who ruled over the People of the Axe.
It was Masilo indeed, but he was no longer fat, for much travel had made
him thin; moreover, on his back were the marks of rods, as yet scarcely
healed over.

"Who art thou?" said Chaka.

"I am Masilo, of the People of the Axe, to whom command was given to run
with a message to Bulalio the Slaughterer, their chief, and to return
on the thirtieth day. Behold, O King, I have returned, though in a sorry
plight!"

"It seems so!" said the king, laughing aloud. "I remember now: speak on,
Masilo the Thin, who wast Masilo the