t women should thus strive to work me ill?"

"This," answered Monazi with a mocking laugh, "that you have loved one
of them too well. If he would live in peace, he who has wives should
favour all alike. Least of anything should he moan continually over one
who is dead, a witch who has left a curse behind her and thus insulted
and do wrong to the living. Also he would be wise to attend to the
matters of his own tribe and household and to cease from ambitions that
may bring him to the assegai, and them with him."

"I have heard your counsel, Wife, so now begone!" said Umslopogaas,
looking at her very strangely, and it seemed to me not without fear.

"Have you wives, Macumazahn?" he asked of me in a low voice when she was
out of hearing.

"Only among the spirits," I answered.

"Well for you then; moreover, it is a bond between us, for I too have
but one true wife and she also is among the spirits. But go rest a
while, and later we will talk."

So I went, leaving the Chief to his business, thinking as I walked away
of a certain message with which I was charged for him and of how into
that message came names that I had just heard, namely that of a man
called Lousta and of a woman called Monazi. Also I thought of the hints
which in her jealous anger and disappointment at her lack of children,
this woman had dropped about a plot against him who sat on the throne of
Chaka, which of course must mean King Cetywayo himself.

I came to the guest-hut, which proved to be a very good place and clean;
also in it I found plenty of food made ready for me and for my servants.
After eating I slept for a time as it is always my fashion to do when I
have nothing else on hand, since who knows for how long he may be kept
awake at night? Indeed, it was not until the sun had begun to sink
that a messenger came, saying that the Chief desired to see me if I had
rested. So I went to his big hut which stood alone with a strong fence
set round it at a distance, so that none could come within hearing of
what was said, even at the door of the hut. I observed also that a man
armed with an axe kept guard at the gateway in this fence round which he
walked from time to time.

The Chief Umslopogaas was seated on a stool by the door of his hut with
his rhinoceros-horn-handled axe which was fastened to his right wrist
by a thong, leaning against his thigh, and a wolfskin hanging from his
broad shoulders. Very grim and fierce he looked thus, with the r