deed, has he laid such a command upon any of our sisters, his other
wives. Can it then be that Bulalio loves you better than us, Nada?"

Now the Lily was in a trap, and she knew it. So she grew bold.

"One must be most loved, Zinita," she said, "as one must be most
fair. You have had your hour, leave me mine; perhaps it will be short.
Moreover this: Umslopogaas and I loved each other much long years before
you or any of his wives saw him, and we love each other to the end.
There is no more to say."

"Nay, Nada, there is still something to say; there is this to say:
Choose one of two things. Go and leave us to be happy with our lord, or
stay and bring death on all."

Now Nada thought awhile, and answered: "Did I believe that my love would
bring death on him I love, it might well chance that I would go and
leave him, though to do so would be to die. But, Zinita, I do not
believe it. Death chiefly loves the weak, and if he falls it will be on
the Flower, not on the Slayer of Men," and she slipped past Zinita and
went on, singing no more.

Zinita watched her till she was over the ridge, and her face grew evil
as she watched. Then she returned to the women.

"The Lily flouts us all, my sisters," she said. "Now listen: my counsel
is that we declare a feast of women to be held at the new moon in a
secret place far away. All the women and the children shall come to it
except Nada, who will not leave her lover, and if there be any man whom
a woman loves, perhaps, my sisters, that man would do well to go on a
journey about the time of the new moon, for evil things may happen at
the town of the People of the Axe while we are away celebrating our
feast."

"What, then, shall befall, my sister?" asked one.

"Nay, how can I tell?" she answered. "I only know that we are minded
to be rid of Nada, and thus to be avenged on a man who has scorned our
love--ay, and on those men who follow after the beauty of Nada. Is it
not so, my sisters?"

"It is so," they answered.

"Then be silent on the matter, and let us give out our feast."

Now Nada told Umslopogaas of those words which she had bandied
with Zinita, and the Slaughterer was troubled. Yet, because of his
foolishness and of the medicine of Nada's eyes, he would not turn from
his way, and was ever at her side, thinking of little else except of
her. Thus, when Zinita came to him, and asked leave to declare a feast
of women that should be held far away, he consented, and gladl