t may be that what thou hast done
shall be put away. Depart, for he who has done what thou hast done must
not mix with his fellows for awhile, lest they make too light of a most
weighty matter. Go.'

"So singing aloud the praises of the King, I took up the dark-handled
spear and went forth, and built a hut within sight of Ekupumuleni, and
in that hut I dwelt alone; yet daily I would stand before it and chant
in praise of the King, and all who heard me turned aside. Also I sang
many songs of battle. And when the moon was at the full the Great Great
One sent for me and ordered me to _tunga_, and soon afterwards created
me second _induna_ in command of the army, Kalipe holding the chief
command. Thus, _Nkose_, did I win the King's dark-handled spear, and my
head-ring at the same time, but the path by which I travelled to reach
it would have surely been, but for the King's promise, the path of
death."

EPILOGUE.

"WELL, UNTUSWA, I BELIEVE NOW, AT ANY RATE, THAT ALL THE GOLD THIS
WAGGON COULD CARRY WOULD NOT PURCHASE THAT ASSEGAI FROM YOU," I SAID, AS
SOON AS THE OLD MAN HAD FINISHED. "BUT WHAT OF NANGEZA? WAS SHE PUT TO
DEATH?"

"She was not. The King pardoned her, too; and when I put on the
head-ring he gave her to me to wife."

"And did she make a good _Inkosikazi_?"

"_Wou_!" and the old man brought his hand to his mouth, while his rugged
face lighted up with sly fun. "I had better have placed my head beneath
the paw of the lion for some other girl. Nangeza wanted to be chief and
chieftainess, too. That would not do. We Zulus never allow our wives
to be chiefs over us."

"What became of her?" I said.

But he looked at me a moment, and the mirth dancing in his eyes changed
to a flash of satire as he only repeated:

"We Zulus never allow our wives to be chiefs over us, _Nkose_."

Then he took snuff.

"And what became of the old Mosutu witch-doctor?" I said, judiciously
allowing the fate of Nangeza to remain shrouded in mystery.

"Masuka? Ha! After I was allowed to _tunga_ he came to me and declared
that I must give him cattle, for his was the _muti_ which made me great;
and, indeed, he told no lie there, for as far as a man's thoughts can
speak, while his tongue must keep silence, old Masuka's thoughts spoke
to me through his eyes that day that I should remind the King of his
promise. So I gave him cattle, and from time to time more, for it was a
great day for me, that whereon I had sav