e World. While yet the sun was straight
overhead," replied the men.

"Well, I care not," said Umzilikazi, with a sneer. "Go back now and
cause your seer, Gasitye, to charm away that _tagati_, and that soon,
lest I visit him and you with the fate of those who make witchcraft.
Shall we keep a dog who cannot guard our house? For to what other use
can we turn such a dog? Begone."

There was despair upon the faces of the two messengers as the meaning of
these words became plain to them--and in truth were they between two
perils, even as one who travels, and, being beset by a great fire,
fleeth before it, only to find himself stopped by a mighty and raging
river, whose flood he cannot hope to cross. Yet the man who had spoken,
instead of immediate obedience, ventured further to urge his prayer with
the intrepidity and hopeless courage of such despair.

"Who are we that we should weary the ears of the Father of the Great?"
he went on. "Yet, even a dog cannot entirely guard a house if he is but
a small dog, and they who would enter are many and strong. He can but
give warning of their approach--and this is what we have done. But the
King's magicians are many and powerful, and ours are weak. Besides, O
Black Elephant, how shall metal be procured for the spears of the Great
Great One's warriors, when the place where it is procured is guarded by
the horns of the ghost-bulls, who slay all who go in?"

Now, I thought those slaves must indeed have touched the lowest depth of
despair and terror, that they dared to use such speech to the King. And
upon the countenance of Umzilikazi came that look which was wont to mean
that somebody would never behold another sun to rise.

"Enough!" he said, pointing at the two messengers with his short-handled
spear. "Return ye hence. For the rest of you--hearken now, Untuswa.
Send one half of thy regiment of `Scorpions' under an experienced
captain, that they may drive the whole of the people of Maqandi within
this Ghost-Valley. Then let them draw a line across the month thereof,
and slay every one who shall attempt to escape. So shall the people of
Maqandi either slay this ghost or be slain by it. I care not which.
Go?"

I rose to carry out the King's orders, and upon the faces of the
grovelling messengers was an awful expression of set, hopeless despair.
But, before I could creep through the low doorway, a sign from
Umzilikazi caused me to halt. At the same time, a frightful h