aughter, till they melted into the sky, as they walked upon
their journey to Swaziland, and was very sad, because, having lost
Umslopogaas, he who in after days was named the Slaughterer and the
Woodpecker, I must lose them also.

CHAPTER X. THE TRIAL OF MOPO

Now I sat four days in the huts of the tribe whither I had been sent,
and did the king's business. And on the fifth morning I rose up,
together with those with me, and we turned our faces towards the
king's kraal. But when we had journeyed a little way we met a party of
soldiers, who commanded us to stand.

"What is it, king's men?" I asked boldly.

"This, son of Makedama," answered their spokesman: "give over to us your
wife Macropha and your children Umslopogaas and Nada, that we may do
with them as the king commands."

"Umslopogaas," I answered, "has gone where the king's arm cannot
stretch, for he is dead; and for my wife Macropha and my daughter Nada,
they are by now in the caves of the Swazis, and the king must seek them
there with an army if he will find them. To Macropha he is welcome, for
I hate her, and have divorced her; and as for the girl, well, there are
many girls, and it is no great matter if she lives or dies, yet I pray
him to spare her."

Thus I spoke carelessly, for I knew well that my wife and child were
beyond the reach of Chaka.

"You do well to ask the girl's life," said the soldier, laughing, "for
all those born to you are dead, by order of the king."

"Is it indeed so?" I answered calmly, though my knees shook and my
tongue clove to my lips. "The will of the king be done. A cut stick puts
out new leaves; I can have more children."

"Ay, Mopo; but first you must get new wives, for yours are dead also,
all five of them."

"Is it indeed so?" I answered. "The king's will be done. I wearied of
those brawling women."

"So, Mopo," said the soldier; "but to get other wives and have more
children born to you, you must live yourself, for no children are born
to the dead, and I think that Chaka has an assegai which you shall
kiss."

"Is it so?" I answered. "The king's will be done. The sun is hot, and I
tire of the road. He who kisses the assegai sleeps sound."

Thus I spoke, my father, and, indeed, in that hour I desired to die.
The world was empty for me. Macropha and Nada were gone, Umslopogaas was
dead, and my other wives and children were murdered. I had no heart to
begin to build up a new house, none were left for me to lo