eeling that
my young life hung upon the answer, and it came to me--whence I do not
know. The essence of that guidance was that I should tell the simple
truth to this fat savage. So I said to him:

"The answer is this, O king. Among those Boers is a maiden whom I love
and who betrothed herself to me since we were 'so high.' Her father took
her north. But she sent a message to me saying that her people died
of fever and she starved. So I went up in a ship to save her, and have
saved her, and those who remained alive of her people with her."

"Ow!" said Dingaan; "I understand that reason. It is a good reason.
However many wives he may have, there is no folly that a man will not
commit for the sake of some particular girl who is not yet his wife.
I have done as much myself, especially for one who was called Nada the
Lily, of whom a certain Umslopogaas robbed me, one of my own blood of
whom I am much afraid."*

[*--See the Author's book named "Nada the Lily."]

For a while he brooded heavily, then went on:

"Your reason is good, Macumazahn, and I accept it. More, I promise you
this. Perhaps I shall kill these Boers, or perhaps I shall not kill
them. But if I make up my mind to kill them, this girl of yours shall be
spared. Point her out to Kambula here--not to Tho-maas, for he is a liar
and would tell me the wrong one--and she shall be spared."

"I thank you, O king," I said; "but what is the use of that if I am to
be killed?"

"I did not say that you were to be killed, Macumazahn, though perhaps I
shall kill you, or perhaps I shall not kill you. It depends upon whether
I find you to be a liar, or not a liar. Now the Boer whom Tambusa let
go against my wish said that you are a mighty magician as well as a very
dangerous man, one who can shoot birds flying on the wing with a bullet,
which is impossible. Can you do so?"

"Sometimes," I answered.

"Very good, Macumazahn. Now we will see if you are a wizard or a liar.
I will make a bet with you. Yonder by your camp is a hill called 'Hloma
Amabutu,' a hill of stones where evildoers are slain. This afternoon
some wicked ones die there, and when they are dead the vultures will
come to devour them. Now this is my bet with you. When those vultures
come you shall shoot at them, and if you kill three out of the first
five on the wing--not on the ground, Macumazahn--then I will spare these
Boers. But if you miss them, then I shall know that you are a liar and
no wizard,