us people from the land.

"Arm yourselves, men of the Bakoni!" cried the fugitives. "Foes are at
our gate! Three days have we fled before them, such of us as are left
to flee, with what we could save of our cattle. Yonder they come! They
will soon be here!"

Now in the disturbance which followed, the Bakoni thought no more of
taking our lives. Wildly the fugitives urged that all should at once
take refuge in the hills, for that a strange and mighty race was
advancing like a devouring swarm of locusts, its warriors as countless
in number as the destroying insects themselves. They had received
warning in time and had fled; had received warning from the remnant of
those who had already been devoured. But those around us laughed. Look
at their strength; at their armed might! Whom did they fear? Had they
not behind them, too, an impregnable fortress?

The eyes of all were directed to the fleeing cattle. But as these drew
near, urged on by their drivers, no further dust-cloud beyond them
betokened the advance of a pursuing enemy. If there had been such, he
had prudently drawn off on finding himself too near their great town,
the Queen of the North, decided the chiefs and councillors of the
Bakoni. They little knew--ah, they little knew!

During this disturbance we two had quite recovered our proud and
disdainful calmness. We stood watching what went on as though in it we
had no lot or part. At last, when it had quieted down somewhat, Tauane
spoke:

"It will be well to retire to your house, ye two strangers. On the
morrow will be decided the answer that shall be sent to your King."

CHAPTER EIGHT.

THE SCOURGE.

The morrow came, but with it no answer to the King's "word." The day
was spent by the Bakoni in sending forth scouting parties to look for
the rumoured enemy, but these returned bearing no further news, and the
chiefs and people of this doomed race felt safer than ever.

No council was convened in the evening and now, feeling sure that no
answer was intended, I sent an angry message to Tauane, saying that I
would give him till the middle of the following day, and that unless I
had his reply by then I should depart; that his chance of safety would
have gone by, and that when next he saw me it would be in the forefront
of the destroyers.

We did not sleep much that night, my brother and I. We feared even to
eat the food supplied to us until we had first caused one of our slaves
to parta