arnestly. Umzilikazi, meanwhile, was
watching her narrowly.

"I think that is the King's messenger," she said, gazing into my face.
"He has the look of such a warrior as that one was."

But before anything more could be said Nangeza sprang forward, and her
eyes were glittering with hate, and in her voice was a snarl as that of
a wild beast.

"She is the witch whom Untuswa saved from the slaughter, reserving her
for himself. Look, O King! Now they pretend not to know each other,"
shrieked Nangeza, darting her hand furiously forth as though it
contained a weapon.

Now, _Nkose_, it was a dreadful moment for me, for at first there was
dead silence. All were too amazed even to exclaim. I merely uttered a
disdainful click, shaking my head. But Lalusini--she turned towards
Nangeza, glanced her up and down, and laughed--laughed softly,
musically. Then, waving her hands into the air, she began to sing, and
the words were in the tongue of the Bakoni, which none there present
understood. Yet her voice was musical and sweet, and in it there
thrilled a mystery. All watched in silence as she moved her hands and
feet to the measure of her chant. Since I understood this tongue,
_Nkose_, I listened as though a great serpent were tightening its coils
more and more around me, for her words were dark and full of a strange
and terrifying mystery. Her song ceased.

"What dost thou seek here now, my sister?" softly said the King, for
even he could not refuse to acknowledge the influence of her charm. "Is
it to make _muti_ among thine own people, having had enough of the
Bakoni dogs whom we have eaten up?"

"I think there are enough who make such _muti_ here, Black Elephant,"
she answered. "Not for this have I come. I am here to save the Father
of a new nation."

"_Hau_!" we gasped, stricken well-nigh dumb, for the words were spoken
slow and sad, and with weighty warning. None doubted but that they
applied to a near attack on the part of our most to be dreaded enemies,
and at once all men's minds flew to the _impis_ of Dingane advancing
upon us in force--or, perhaps, the Amabuna, or even both in concert.
Dismay was on every face, for we liked not to be thus taken by surprise.
But upon that of Umzilikazi was a frown of terrible import, which meant
badly for those from whose quarter the foe should first appear, they
having failed to report it.

"Thy words are dark indeed," he said. "Explain, sorceress, for time
does no