of it all, to prove the good faith of his
messenger, was a box of calomel pills! However, it served the purpose as
well as anything else.

Maputa and I drew aside, for I saw that he wished to speak with me
alone.

"O Macumazana," he said, when we were out of hearing of the others,
"these are the words of Panda to you: 'I understand that you,
Macumazahn, have promised to accompany Saduko, son of Matiwane, on an
expedition of his against Bangu, chief of the Amakoba. Now, were anyone
else concerned, I should forbid this expedition, and especially should I
forbid you, a white man in my country, to share therein. But this dog of
a Bangu is an evil-doer. Many years ago he worked on the Black One who
went before me to send him to destroy Matiwane, my friend, filling
the Black One's ears with false accusations; and thereafter he did
treacherously destroy him and all his tribe save Saduko, his son, and
some of the people and children who escaped. Moreover, of late he has
been working against me, the King, striving to stir up rebellion against
me, because he knows that I hate him for his crimes. Now I, Panda,
unlike those who went before me, am a man of peace who do not wish to
light the fire of civil war in the land, for who knows where such fires
will stop, or whose kraals they will consume? Yet I do wish to see Bangu
punished for his wickedness, and his pride abated. Therefore I give
Saduko leave, and those people of the Amangwane who remain to him,
to avenge their private wrongs upon Bangu if they can; and I give you
leave, Macumazahn, to be of his party. Moreover, if any cattle are
taken, I shall ask no account of them; you and Saduko may divide them as
you wish. But understand, O Macumazana, that if you or your people
are killed or wounded, or robbed of your goods, I know nothing of the
matter, and am not responsible to you or to the white House of Natal; it
is your own matter. These are my words. I have spoken.'"

"I see," I answered. "I am to pull Panda's hot iron out of the fire and
to extinguish the fire. If I succeed I may keep a piece of the iron when
it gets cool, and if I burn my fingers it is my own fault, and I or my
House must not come crying to Panda."

"O Watcher-by-Night, you have speared the bull in the heart," replied
Maputa, the messenger, nodding his shrewd old head. "Well, will you go
up with Saduko?"

"Say to the King, O Messenger, that I will go up with Saduko because I
promised him that I would,