in Zikali's hut whither by permission I had
come to ask the latest news, when suddenly Nombe appeared and
crouched down before him.

"Who gave you leave to enter here, and what is your business?" he
asked angrily.

"Home of Spirits," she replied in a humble voice, "be not angry
with your servant. Necessity gave me leave, and my business is
to tell you that strangers approach."

"Who are they that dare to enter the Black Kloof unannounced?"

"Cetewayo the King is one of them, the others I do not know, but
they are many, armed all of them. They approach your gate;
before a man can count two hundred they will be here."

"Where are the white chief and the lady Heddana?" asked Zikali.

"By good fortune they have gone by the secret path to the
tableland and will not be back till sunset. They wished to be
alone, so I did not accompany them, and Macumazahn here said that
he was too weary to do so." (This was true. Also like Nombe I
thought that they wished to be alone.)

"Good. Go, tell the king that I knew of his coming and am
awaiting him. Bid my servants kill the ox which is in the kraal,
the fat ox that they thought is sick and therefore fit food for a
sick king," he added bitterly.

She glided away like a startled snake. Then Zikali turned to me
and said swiftly--

"Macumazahn, you are in great danger. If you are found here you
will be killed, and so will the others whom I will send to warn
not to return till this king has gone away. Go at once to join
them. No, it is too late, I hear the Zulus come. Take that
kaross, cover yourself with it and lie among the baskets and
beerpots here near the entrance of the hut in the deepest of the
shadows, so that if any enter, perchance you will not be found.
I too am in danger who shall be held to account for all that has
happened. Perhaps they will kill me, if I can be killed. If so,
get away with the others as best you can. Nombe will tell you
where your horses are hidden. In that case let Heddana take
Nombe with her, for when I am dead she will go, and shake her off
in Natal if she troubles her. Whatever chances, remember,
Macumazahn, that I have done my best to keep my word to you and
to protect you and your friends. Now I go to look on this
pricked bladder who was once a king."

He scrambled from the hut with slow, toad-like motions, while I
with motions that were anything but slow, grabbed the grey
catskin kaross and ensconced myself among the b