bewitched.

"The stroke of Sopuza has fallen," she answered simply. "The spirit of
Tshaka the Mighty no longer roars aloud for blood. What then?"

"What then?" I repeated, now quite bewildered. "What then?"

But Lalasini laughed, a low, sweet, bewitching laugh.

"Art thou going to deliver me to be torn in pieces by the cubs of the
Lion who is dead, Untuswa?"

For some moments I gazed at her as though I were changed into a stone.
Then I turned away.

"_Hlala gahle_, Lalusini," I said, over my shoulder. Again she laughed.

"_Hamba gahle_, son of Ntelani," she said. "We shall again be together,
but not great together--not great--ah, no!--never now."

Her words seemed to beat within my brain as I took my way backward
through the forest, and there was that in them which I liked. No, in
truth I could not deliver her over to vengeance; any other person--but
Lalusini--ah, no! I could not do it.

"The stroke of Sopuza" had indeed fallen, and these, _Nkose_, were the
words of a prophecy uttered long before by an old magician as to the
manner in which death should one day find out Dingane, and for this
reason fierce war had been waged upon the tribe which owned Sopuza for
chief, and whose dwelling was upon the Swazi border. But, secure in its
mountain fastnesses, our _impis_ had not always been able to reach it.

Quickly I took my way back to the kraal. The King was not dead, and had
been inquiring for me; and when I entered the royal house, he spoke
drowsily, calling me by name. I found that he had received several
stabs, one of them cleaving his entrails in a frightful manner. He
would hardly see the rising of another sun.

"Hither, Untuswa," he murmured. "Didst thou make an end of those
scorpions?"

"An end, indeed, Black Elephant," I answered.

"All of them?"

"That is yet to be done, father. There will shortly be howling
throughout the Swazi nation, for of that race are those who struck the
Great Great One."

"Yet I thought--or dreamed--that the hand of a woman was in it," said
the King.

"Ha! the women of the Amaswazi shall help to pay the penalty, then," I
answered, fearful lest the Great Great One should have recognised
Lalusini, whom I would fain save.

"No matter, the stroke of Sopuza has fallen--ah, yes, it has fallen at
last," he murmured. "And now, Untuswa, send and gather together all the
warriors. Bid that they come in full array of war; for I desire to
feast my eyes upon the s