, and he cleared him with half a foot
to spare, and as he passed above, smote downwards with the axe so that
the blow fell upon the back of Rezu's head. Moreover it went home this
time, for I saw the red blood stream and Rezu fell forward on his face.
Umslopogaas landed far beyond him, ran a little way because he must,
then wheeled round and charged again.

Rezu was rising, but before he gained his feet, the axe _Inkosikaas_
thundered down where the neck joins the shoulder and sank in. Still, so
great was his strength that Rezu found his feet and smote out wildly.
But now his movements were slow and again Umslopogaas got behind him,
smiting at his back. Once, twice, thrice, he smote, and at the third
blow it seemed as though the massive spine were severed, for his weapon
fell from Rezu's hand and slowly he sank down to the ground, and lay
there, a huddled heap.

Believing that all was over I ran to where he lay with Umslopogaas
standing over him, as it seemed to me, utterly exhausted, for he
supported himself by the axe and tottered upon his feet. But Rezu was
not yet dead. He opened his cavernous eyes and glared at the Zulu with a
look of hellish hate.

"_Thou_ hast not conquered me, Black One," he gasped. "It is thine axe
which gave thee victory; the ancient, holy axe that once was mine until
the woman stole it, yes, that and the craft of the Witch of the Caves
who told thee to smite where the Spirit of Life which I feared to enter
wholly, had not kissed my flesh, and there only left me mortal. Wolf of
a black man, may we meet elsewhere and fight this fray again. Ah! would
that I could get these hands about thy throat and take thee with me down
into the Darkness. But Lulala wins if only for a while, since her fate,
I think, shall be worse than mine. Ah! I see the magic beauty that she
boasts turn to shameful----"

Here of a sudden life left him and throwing his great arms wide, a last
breath passed bubbling from his lips.

As I stooped to examine the man's huge and hairy carcase that to me
looked only half human, with a thunder of feet our Amahagger rushed down
upon us and thrusting me aside, fell upon the body of their ancient foe
like hounds upon a helpless fox, and with hands and spears and knives
literally tore and hacked it limb from limb, till no semblance of
humanity remained.

It was impossible to stop them; indeed I was too outworn with labours
and emotions to make any such attempt. This I regret the m