h Prince beside me, he raised his right hand and
saluted, as he exclaimed:

"Truly, white lord, thou art well named Smiter with Lightning, for I
beheld the flash wherewith thou didst slay this fierce and terrible
beast, before whose anger not even the bravest warrior of the Bandokolo
may stand! Thou art as mighty a wizard as the Deathless One, for thou
canst slay without fighting, even as she can."

"It is true, Pousa, I can," answered I, willing to avail myself to the
utmost of the opportunity that had been afforded me to display my power.
"But," I continued, "who told thee that I was named Smiter with
Lightning?"

"Who but the Wise One, even Bimbane, the queen?" retorted Pousa, in
tones which seemed to suggest: "Who else do you suppose it can possibly
have been?"

"Not only did she tell me how thou wert called, but she described thee
to me, told me of thy huge stature and immense strength, how thou wert
clothed, the wonderful weapon from which thou dost discharge thy
lightnings, and even the great black beast which thou dost bestride!"

I fell into a rather uneasy reverie. Could this man be by any
possibility telling the truth? The story was so astounding, so utterly
incredible--and yet it was told so simply, and with such an utter lack
of all straining after effect: the man made no attempt to impress me
with the marvel of it all; his tone and manner were those of one who
told of the most matter-of-fact, everyday occurrences. Besides, if he
were not telling the truth, how could he possibly have come to know the
name which had been given me by Lomalindela, the King of the Mashona?--
for I was perfectly certain that he had had no opportunity to learn it
from either of my own "boys."

But if this and the other things that he had told me concerning Bimbane
were indeed true, she must be a most extraordinary woman, endowed with
strange and wonderful powers, and it might be that I should find her
rather more than I could manage before I had done with her. To admit
the possibility that she might indeed possess such uncanny powers led
inevitably toward several very unpleasantly suggestive reflections; but
with an effort I threw them off, for I had already determined to go
through with the adventure, and would not allow myself to be diverted
from my purpose by the thought of any possibilities, however unpleasant.
Therefore I roused myself and continued my conversation with Pousa by
describing the fight between the m