ity had
assembled to see the usurper shot,--this being the manner of death that
had been awarded to him.

The prisoner was rather a good-looking man, apparently about thirty-five
years of age. No evil propensity was expressed in his features; and our
heroes could not help thinking that he had been guilty of no greater
crime than a too hasty ambition.

"Can we not save him from this cruel fate?" asked Hans, speaking to
Groot Willem. "I think you have some influence with the chief."

"There can be no harm in trying," answered Willem. "I'll see what I can
do."

Sindo was to be shot with his own musket. The executioner had been
already appointed, and all other arrangements made for carrying out the
decree, when Willem, advancing towards Macora, commenced interceding for
his life.

His argument was, that the prisoner had not committed any great crime;
that had he conspired against his chief for the purpose of placing
himself in authority, it would have been a different affair. Then he
would have deserved death.

Willem further urged, that had he, Macora, really been lost, some one of
the tribe would have become chief, and that Sindo was not to blame for
aspiring to resemble one who had ruled to the evident satisfaction of
all.

Macora was then entreated to spare the prisoner's life, and the entreaty
was backed by the promise of a gun to replace the one lost in the river,
on condition that Sindo should be allowed to live.

For a time Macora remained silent, but at length made reply, by saying
that he should never feel safe if the usurper were allowed to remain in
the community.

Groot Willem urged that he could be banished from the kraal, and
forbidden to return to it on penalty of death.

Macora hesitated a little longer; but remembering that he had promised
to grant any favour to the one who had released him from imprisonment in
the tree, he yielded. Sindo's life should be spared on condition of his
expatriating himself at once and forever from the kraal of Macora.

On granting this pardon, the chief wished all distinctly to understand
that it was done out of gratitude to his friend, the big white hunter.
He did not wish it to be supposed that the prisoner's life had been
purchased with a gun.

All Macora's subjects, including the condemned man himself, appeared
greatly astonished at the decision, so contrary to all precedent among
his fellow-countrymen.

The exhibition of mercy, along with the refus