is in reference to the Commandant's
love of collecting to which we have already heard reference made by
Sub-Inspector Ladell. Further, he desired to bequeath to that Great One
something valuable, a "word" of great weight, such as might be the
saving of many lives. He did not ask his own as the price. He merely
wanted to leave a bequest to his father and chief, the Commandant.

Thus, as the latter, having signed that he should be brought forward,
the doomed one stood before his judges.

"What is that `word'?" said the Commandant, shortly.

"This, _amakosi_. The whole of the Gudhluka Reserve is up in arms, and
the Kangala will be heavily attacked this very night."

"And the chiefs--who are they?"

"Vunisa and Pahlandhle. They have been massing their men for days. Now
they are ready."

"And how have you known this, here, under arrest."

The Kafir smiled and shook his head.

"I was not a prisoner the day before yesterday, Great One," he answered.

"If you ran such risks for the benefit of your countrymen yesterday, how
is it you will give them into our hands to-day?" asked the Commandant.

"You are my `father,' Great One, whom I have lived to serve. I go to my
death, but I do not want you to meet yours. To the whole of the
Gudhluka Reserve the _Amapolise_ here are as a mouthful, if taken
unprepared--_if taken unprepared_," he repeated.

Among the young officers there was a stir of sensation. The whole
story, in their opinion, was an impudent cook-up. The fellow had
invented it to save his life. Surely the Chief would not be humbugged
by any such yarn as that. But then they remembered that its inventor
had not even asked for his life. In their whispered remarks Inspector
Chambers and the two other Inspectors took no part. They had unbounded
confidence in the judgment of their Chief.

The latter sat, stroking his long beard as he gazed thoughtfully at the
prisoner. A lifelong experience had taught him that no white man ever
got thoroughly to the bottom of the innermost workings of a Kafir's
mind. He might think he did, only to find that it was just the moment
when he did not. He himself was partial to the natives, and no man was
more appreciative of the good points in the native character. He knew,
too, that a native is very much a creature of irresponsible impulse.
This boy, who would cheerfully have sacrificed them all yesterday, felt
now concerned at the possible risk to his Chief. He had ac