ief dog of this tribe of dogs ye have
exterminated? Yet no, for he is armed."

"He is a stranger, O Elephant, who seeks audience of the Ruler of the
World," answered Nomapela.

"He is from the North, Serpent of Wisdom. _Au_! and a great tale should
he have to tell," struck in Mfulwana.

"Ha! From the North? He has the look of one who could wield yon broad
spear he holds," said Dingane, with that piercing glance of his full
upon me. Then louder, "Come hither, stranger."

I understood the ways of kings, _Nkose_, none better; and so, disarming,
I crept forward, the words of _bonga_ rolling out thick and fast the
while. Arriving before the Great Great One, I prostrated myself, and
then, seating myself upon the ground, waited for him to speak. Still he
kept silence, and seemed to be looking me through and through; and,
_Nkose_, I, who knew little of fear, felt it was no light thing to be
there thus, awaiting the word of this mighty one, at whose frown tribes
and peoples fell dead.

"_Whau_! but I think thou dost understand somewhat of the ways of war?"
he said, at last.

"That do I, indeed, Father of the Nations," I answered.

"Who art thou, and what is thy name?"

"I am Untuswa, the son of Ntelani, of the tribe of Umtetwa, Black
Elephant," I answered.

As I said these words, a great exclamation volleyed forth from the
warriors; from all within hearing, that is, for the place was large, and
my words could not reach everybody. The _izinduna_ seated around the
King bent eagerly forward to look at me, and even Dingane himself could
not avoid something of a start. Nomapela too, and Mfulwana, started and
stared, for not even to the latter had I revealed my identity. He knew
that I was a war chief of high rank, and had wounded him in battle, but
even he had not guessed who I really was.

Now Dingane looked at me all the more eagerly, and I, who knew not what
was in his mind, thought that it was all even whether death now had
travelled my way at last, or not. For I had wounded Mhlangana in the
side at the battle of the Three Rifts. I myself had seen the blood
flow. I had shed the blood of the royal House of Senzangakona, and were
this known to Dingane, _au_! the place of slaughter would soon know
another victim.

"Well, Untuswa, son of Ntelani, thy name is not unknown here, it would
seem," said the King, with a wave of the hand which took in those
around. "And now, what is the message wherewith thou art