convey the
hopelessness of the case.

"But if you will not, at all events we will," said the missionary. "It
is a terrible thing to push superstition to such a point."

"Does the white chief disbelieve in the charm cast on the dead
Amatonga?" asked Masheesh, as though such disbelief were monstrous.

"Can the Matabele warrior assert it as his own faith? Is he credulous,
like an Amatonga?" asked Wyzinski in reply.

"How does the white man account for Sgalam's death?"

"The chief Umhleswa knows the use and the value of the English rifle; he
sees the great power it would give him and his tribe. By our death he
would have gained nothing, save two or three rifles. No white traders
would have come near him, and his end and aim would have been
frustrated."

"Mozelkatse's vengeance would have found him out," interpolated the
Matabele.

"True; but Sgalam took another view of the matter, and threatened the
anger of the chief of Manica. Hence the midnight meeting in our hut,
and the death of Sgalam, hence the decision of the sorcerer Koomalayoo
and Luji's persecution. Some one killed Sgalam, and some one must
answer for it."

"So the white chief thinks Umhleswa cast the spell?"

"No, Matabele, no," answered the missionary, "it was a potent poison
which did the work; and Umhleswa had everything to gain by the death,
Luji had nothing."

Masheesh turned away incredulous, not even taking the trouble to reply.

"It will be impossible, I fear, to save the poor fellow; but we must
make the effort, Hughes. You see even this man, belonging to a tribe
far superior in education to these Amatongas, perfectly believes that
Luji by sorcery caused the chief's death."

"Let us try, at least," replied Hughes, as both took their way to the
entrance of the hut.

All had been comparatively quiet, since the Amatonga chief had left the
place, a council having been held outside to determine on the best mode
of punishing the Hottentot sorcerer. The sun was shining brightly, and
a light breeze waving the branches of a group of mashunga trees, under
which the men of the tribe had assembled. Umhleswa had been speaking
rapidly, and doubtless eloquently, to the circle of braves around him.
Near by, stood the unfortunate Hottentot, closely guarded, and if it had
not been a pitiful, it would have been a laughable sight, for, tied in
his usual position, on the prisoner's shoulders, sat the baboon.
Naturally ugly, the brute was rendered s