shield full
in the way of Jikiza's feet. Then it came about that Jikiza, rushing
on blindly, caught his feet in the shield and fell headlong to earth.
Umslopogaas saw, and swooped on him like an eagle to a dove. Before men
could so much as think, he had seized the axe Groan-Maker, and with a
blow of the steel he held had severed the thong of leather which bound
it to the wrist of Jikiza, and sprung back, holding the great axe aloft,
and casting down his own weapon upon the ground. Now, the watchers saw
all the cunning of his fight, and those of them who hated Jikiza shouted
aloud. But others were silent.

Slowly Jikiza gathered himself from the ground, wondering if he were
still alive, and as he rose he grasped the little axe of Umslopogaas,
and, looking at it, he wept. But Umslopogaas held up the great
Groan-Maker, the iron chieftainess, and examined its curved points of
blue steel, the gouge that stands behind it, and the beauty of its haft,
bound about with wire of brass, and ending in a knob like the knob of
a stick, as a lover looks upon the beauty of his bride. Then before all
men he kissed the broad blade and cried aloud:--

"Greeting to thee, my Chieftainess, greeting to thee, Wife of my youth,
whom I have won in war. Never shall we part, thou and I, and together
will we die, thou and I, for I am not minded that others should handle
thee when I am gone."

Thus he cried in the hearing of men, then turned to Jikiza, who stood
weeping, because he had lost all.

"Where now is your pride, O Unconquered?" laughed Umslopogaas. "Fight
on. You are as well armed as I was a while ago, when I did not fear to
stand before you."

Jikiza looked at him for a moment, then with a curse he hurled the
little axe at him, and, turning, fled swiftly towards the gates of the
cattle kraal.

Umslopogaas stooped, and the little axe sped over him. Then he stood for
a while watching, and the people thought that he meant to let Jikiza go.
But that was not his desire; he waited, indeed, until Jikiza had covered
nearly half the space between him and the gate, then with a roar he
leaped forward, as light leaps from a cloud, and so fast did his feet
fly that the watchers could scarce see them move. Jikiza fled fast also,
yet he seemed but as one who stands still. Now he reached the gate of
the kraal, now there was rush, a light of downward falling steel, and
something swept past him. Then, behold! Jikiza fell in the gateway of
the cattle