ft whisper behind me. "Farewell; we
may meet no more."

She stepped swiftly through the belt of bushes. For a moment I stood
stupidly gazing after her, then I followed. But she had disappeared. I
called her, I searched for her. All in vain.

Then I went back to the sleeping King. Him I would save at all events.
I had helped in saving him during the battle yesterday, by holding back
the _impi_ of Nongalaza; to-day I would save him entirely by myself.
Even now Lalusini might have gone to find those who would carry out her
bidding readily enough.

"Awaken, Great Great One!" I said, not too loud, lest others ears might
be about. "Thy servant knows of a better sleeping-place than this."

At first Dingane seemed to arouse himself but slowly. Then he sprang
up, gripping his shield and spears.

"Who art thou?" he cried, darting upon me his lion-like glance. "Ha!
Untuswa, is it? Another traitor perhaps. How sayest thou, Untuswa?
All, all are traitors."

"No traitor am I, Black Elephant," I answered. "It is safer, however,
for the lion of Zulu to make his lair elsewhere."

In the glance which Dingane bent upon me was distrust, suspicion,
contempt by turns, but no sign of fear.

"What, Untuswa, and art thou faithful to me--thou, the wanderer--thou
who art not of us, while they whom my hand has fed have deserted me--
have turned their spears against me? _Whau_! It cannot be."

"Who am I to fill the ears of the Great Great One with words," I
answered. "Yet, my father--wanderer or no wanderer--I know of no man
whom the Lion of Zulu may more safely trust."

"What, then, are thy counsels, Untuswa?" said the King.

"This, Lion. Hard by is a place known to none, where thou canst sit
still in safety until the army is collected again. It was badly routed
in the more open plain, yet here in these fastnesses none will dare
venture--not even the Amabuna--until the trumpeting of the Elephant
shall scatter the traitors and rebels once more. Such is my counsel,
Ruler of the Great."

"I will even trust thee, Untuswa," said the King. "And now let us go
forth."

I picked up my shield and weapons, which, of course, I had let fall,
being in the royal presence, and we took our way thence, I walking in
advance and spying carefully around to guard against possible surprise.

For long we thus travelled, and when night came we sat and feasted upon
the meat of a young impala which I had killed by a lucky spear-cast; but