who has a jade and a scold
for a wife," said Umslopogaas, springing up. "Begone, Zinita!--and know
this, that if I hear you snarl such words of him who is my father, you
shall go further than your own hut, for I will put you away and drive
you from my kraal. I have suffered you too long."

"I go," said Zinita. "Oh! I am well served! I made you chief, and now
you threaten to put me away."

"My own hands made me chief," said Umslopogaas, and, springing up, he
thrust her from the hut.

"It is a poor thing to be wedded to such a woman, my father," he said
presently.

"Yes, a poor thing, Umslopogaas, yet these are the burdens that men must
bear. Learn wisdom from it, Umslopogaas, and have as little to do with
women as may be; at the least, do not love them overmuch, so shall
you find the more peace." Thus I spoke, smiling, and would that he had
listened to my counsel, for it is the love of women which has brought
ruin on Umslopogaas!

All this was many years ago, and but lately I have heard that
Umslopogaas is fled into the North, and become a wanderer to his death
because of the matter of a woman who had betrayed him, making it seem
that he had murdered one Loustra, who was his blood brother, just as
Galazi had been. I do not know how it came about, but he who was so
fierce and strong had that weakness like his uncle Dingaan, and it has
destroyed him at the last, and for this cause I shall behold him no
more.

Now, my father, for awhile we were silent and alone in the hut, and as
we sat I thought I heard a rat stir in the thatch.

Then I spoke. "Umslopogaas, at length the hour has come that I should
whisper something into your ear, a word which I have held secret ever
since you were born."

"Speak on, my father," he said, wondering.

I crept to the door of the hut and looked out. The night was dark and I
could see none about, and could hear no one move, yet, being cautious, I
walked round the hut. Ah, my father, when you have a secret to tell,
be not so easily deceived. It is not enough to look forth and to peer
round. Dig beneath the floor, and search the roof also; then, having
done all this, go elsewhere and tell your tale. The woman was right: I
was but a fool, for all my wisdom and my white hairs. Had I not been a
fool I would have smoked out that rat in the thatch before ever I opened
my lips. For the rat was Zinita, my father--Zinita, who had climbed
the hut, and now lay there in the dark, her ear upon th