y, for,
above all things, he desired to be free from Zinita and her angry looks
for awhile; nor did he suspect a plot. Only he told her that Nada should
not go to the feast; and in a breath both Zinita and Nada answered that
is word was their will, as indeed it was, in this matter.

Now I, Mopo, saw the glamour that had fallen upon my fosterling, and
spoke of it with Galazi, saying that a means must be found to wake him.
Then I took Galazi fully into my mind, and told him all that he did not
know of Umslopogaas, and that was little. Also, I told him of my plans
to bring the Slaughterer to the throne, and of what I had done to that
end, and of what I proposed to do, and this was to go in person on a
journey to certain of the great chiefs and win them over.

Galazi listened, and said that it was well or ill, as the chance might
be. For his part, he believed that the daughter would pull down faster
than I, the father, could build up, and he pointed to Nada, who walked
past us, following Umslopogaas.

Yet I determined to go, and that was on the day before Zinita won leave
to celebrate the feast of women. So I sought Umslopogaas and told him,
and he listened indifferently, for he would be going after Nada, and
wearied of my talk of policy. I bade him farewell and left him; to Nada
also I bade farewell. She kissed me, yet the name of her husband was
mingled with her good-bye.

"Now madness has come upon these two," I said to myself. "Well, it will
wear off, they will be changed before I come again."

I guessed little, my father, how changed they would be.

CHAPTER XXXII. ZINITA COMES TO THE KING

Dingaan the king sat upon a day in the kraal Umgugundhlovu, waiting
till his impis should return from the Income that is now named the Blood
River. He had sent them thither to destroy the laager of the Boers, and
thence, as he thought, they would presently return with victory. Idly
he sat in the kraal, watching the vultures wheel above the Hill of
Slaughter, and round him stood a regiment.

"My birds are hungry," he said to a councillor.

"Doubtless there shall soon be meat to feed them, O King!" the
councillor answered.

As he spoke one came near, saying that a woman sought leave to speak to
the king upon some great matter.

"Let her come," he answered; "I am sick for tidings, perhaps she can
tell of the impi."

Presently the woman was led in. She was tall and fair, and she held two
children by the hand.

"What