as the hatred borne towards them, and soon the whole ground
in front of the King was converted into a hideous and writhing
torture-chamber. Yet it was not that the Inswani held these people's
trade in especial abhorrence; far from it, for they took a hand at it
themselves upon occasion. But what they could not pardon was the fact
of the Arab raiders seizing and enslaving their own men, and towards
Mushad and his followers their vengeful hatred was now kindled to white
heat, and they gloated over the anguish of these whose power had
hitherto been able to rival their own.

"Hold!" cried the King at last. "They, too, have had enough. Take
yonder ten," designating those who looked the lowest in standing of the
party, "and impale them on the stockade. The rest will follow in due
time."

A roar of delight greeted these words. The miserable wretches were
seized and dragged off, and presently were writhing each on a hard
stake, pointing outward from the stockade, crowds of the savages dancing
round and taunting them. Indeed, it seemed as though the whole nation
had gone mad in its lust for blood. The expression of even the King's
countenance had grown indescribably cruel and ferocious, and beholding
it, our two friends felt that their peril was hardly less than it had
been when they were in the hands of Mushad.

"Go ye," he said, pointing at them. "Go, lest my mind changes. Let
them be given a house for the present. Hold! Who is this?"

He had for the first time remembered the presence of Kumbelwa, who
sufficiently resembled the Inswani to escape notice.

"_Inkose! Nkulu'nkulu, Inyoka 'mninimandhla_!" began the Zulu,
crouching low, and breaking forth into the _sibonga_ of his race. "The
servant of the Royal House of Inswani is a Zulu of the tribe of
Umtetwa."

"Of Umtetwa!" echoed the King. "That which the House of Senzangakona
swallowed. Thou shouldst be a great fighter," running his eyes
appreciatively over Kumbelwa's fine stature.

"I wielded a spear in the ranks of the Umbonambi, father, when we fought
the English, although now we are friends."

"Good," said the King. "Thou hast the look of a warrior indeed, and
thou shalt wield thy spear in the ranks of my army now. See now,
Kumbelwa. Take charge of these two white men, whose servant thou
wouldst seem to be. I will talk with thee later. Go."

Thus dismissed, Haviland and Oakley breathed more freely. It was a
respite at any rate. Yet with t