will ask how this thing happened. And they will answer,
because a woman interfered with his plans. The son will know that it
was his mother who brought this evil on the place because she
thought she could do better than Ngonyama."

"It is true; it is true," she wailed, beating her breast. "So tell
me, great one, how this evil may be put right, but it must be done
quickly, for the Arab has brought canoes up, and his men are in the
valley ready to seize the women and children."

This was startling news indeed. "Canoes in the valley?"

"In the valley itself; and our men are scattered here and there on
the ridges at the mercy of these wolves, though they fight hard.
Ngonyama, tell me!"

"There is only one thing to do," said Venning, joining in.

"I listen," she cried, leaning forward. "Quick, wise one. You who
played with the little ones at the huts, you who talk to the ants,
tell me."

"The one thing to do is to let the water in."

"Ye mock me," she cried fiercely.

"Let in the water, and the canoes will be dashed to pieces; the
women and the little ones saved." "But how can this be done?"

"You know this place and the secrets of it. Those holes behind you
that look out on the valley were made by hands. Is there no place
where the wall is thin?"

The woman lifted up her hands and shouted a cry of exultation, then
she ran swiftly, and they saw her presently standing above the V-
shaped wedge in the wall, a deep scar in the cliff made by the fall
of a portion of the rock. With wonderful agility she climbed down to
the apex and set to work on the face of the rock with a kind of
maniacal fury. When she climbed out to the top they saw she had
drawn a square, with a mark at each corner plainly visible.

"Ngonyama, for the sake of the little ones and the women, for your
own sakes, if ye wish to live, send a bullet to each mark."

"By Jove!" said Venning, "that's a good notion. The rock must be
thin there, and the force of the bullet should crack it."

"Quick, white one. I can hear the death-song of our warriors. Quick,
if ye would see the sun again."

Mr. Hume raised his Express. He saw the need as well as she for
swift measures, and he planted each smashing shot on the little
white mark at each corner of the square.

The square was starred with cracks from side to side, and before the
echoes of the reports had ceased to roll and rumble through the
vaults, there was a dark stain on the rock.

The water was