e me not yet since, even if the light fancy of a man that
comes and goes like the evening wind and for a breath made me dear
to thee, has passed away, there remains certain work which we must do
together. Although, thinking of thyself alone, thou hast forgotten it,
having been paid thine own fee, one is yet due to that old wizard in a
far land who sent thee to visit Kor and me, as indeed he has reminded me
and within an hour."

This amazing statement aroused me from my personal and painful
pre-occupation and caused me to stare at her blankly.

"Again thou disbelievest me," she said, with a little stamp. "Do so once
more, Allan, and I swear I'll bring thee to grovel on the ground and
kiss my foot and babble nonsense to a woman sworn to another man, such
as never for all thy days thou shalt think of without a blush of shame."

"Oh! no," I broke in hurriedly, "I assure you that you are mistaken. I
believe every word you have said, or say or will say; I do in truth."

"Now thou liest. Well, what is one more falsehood among so many? Let it
pass."

"What, indeed?" I echoed in eager affirmation, "and as for Zikali's
message----" and I paused.

"It was to recall to my mind that he desired to learn whether a certain
great enterprise of his will succeed, the details of which he says thou
canst tell me. Repeat them to me."

So, glad enough to get away from more dangerous topics, I narrated
to her as briefly and clearly as I could, the history of the old
witch-doctor's feud with the Royal House of Zululand. She listened,
taking in every word, and said,

"So now he yearns to know whether he will conquer or be conquered; and
that is why he sent, or thinks that he sent thee on this journey, not
for thy sake, Allan, but for his own. I cannot tell thee, for what have
I do to with the finish of this petty business, which to him seems so
large? Still, as I owe him a debt for luring the Axe-Bearer here to rid
me of mine enemy, and thee to lighten my solitude for an hour by the
burnishing of thy mind, I will try. Set that bowl before me, Allan,"
and she pointed to a marble tripod on which stood a basin half full of
water, "and come, sit close by me and look into it, telling me what thou
seest."

I obeyed her instructions and presently found myself with my head over
the basin, staring into the water in the exact attitude of a person who
is about to be shampooed.

"This seems rather foolish," I said abjectly, for at that moment I