lf
for the moment at ease.

"Greeting, Ngubu!" I said. "What is the will of the Great Great One?"

"This, son of Ntelani," answered the leader of the armed band, that same
Ngubu who had headed the party in pursuit of me that time I had fled
with Nangeza, and who was present when I slew Njalo-njalo; "this--that
thou betakest thyself at all speed to the Black Elephant, who would
confer with thee. That for thee. For these, they must go with us,
every one, to the last man, woman, and child."

"Whither, Ngubu?" I asked, troubled. "Into the Dark Unknown?"

"Not so, Untuswa. Into the presence of the King."

They looked relieved at this I thought, though it might be but the
lengthening out of their agony, for the assegais of the "eaters-up" are
swifter than the teeth of the alligators. And so they started, hemmed
in by the spears of the warriors, while I alone strode on in advance, by
no means easy in my mind because of what was to befall, for some,
assuredly, would look into darkness long before that night.

A little way outside the great kraal Kwa'zingwenya was a grassy mound,
crested by two large and spreading trees, and from this the plain sloped
away, smooth and open, to the brink of the cliff overhanging the Pool of
the Alligators. Beneath the shade of these trees Umzilikazi was wont to
sit sometimes throughout the whole day, hearing and settling disputes,
talking over the affairs of the nation, or it might be reviewing one or
two of the young regiments practising drill upon the open plain before
him. Here now I found him.

"Well, Untuswa? And so there have been _tagati_ doings at your kraal?"
he said, when I had saluted. "Where is Kwelanga?"

"Now are all our hearts sore, Black Elephant," I answered, "for search
has been diligently made, but in vain.

"Yet I gave her into your keeping, son of Ntelani. There has been
_tagati_ herein, and some shall die."

"The will of the Great Great One is the delight of his children," I
replied. "Lo--now here are they who must answer for this business."

Now there came in sight across the plain the whole company of my people,
surrounded by the spears of the warriors who custodied them. All, as
they drew near, bent low before the King, shouting aloud the _Bayete_,
and on every face was stamped varying stages of fear and dread.

"Here has been _tagati_ at work," said the King, after eyeing them in
silence for a few moments. "I think, Untuswa, the women it was