murmured the old witch-doctor,
pleasantly. "Yet we will hear what he has to say."

"We will hear," echoed Babatyana, getting out his snuff-box, and passing
it round. Nxala prodded the fire with a stick, and the embers flared
up. There was silence as the four sat, taking snuff, the firelight
glinting on the shine of their headrings. Suddenly the raucous yaps of
a superannuated cur were heard outside.

"Here is the man from Ntwezi's, brother," said Babatyana turning to
Nxala. "Go out to him or he may be afraid."

He addressed obeyed. Those within the hut could hear the murmur of deep
tones. Then Nxala reappeared, followed by the stranger.

The latter was clad in European attire. As he stooped through the low,
arched doorway Nteseni gave the fire a vigorous kick. It flared up anew
in a sudden bright light. Nteseni had seen something--a something which
he had expected to see.

The newcomer saluted the chiefs, nor was his greeting of old Zisiso any
less respectful. The latter handed him snuff--then added humorously:

"_Ou_! I am old, I am forgetting. Those who are young, and who dwell
among the whites, take their _gwai_ in the form of smoke. Here is some,
my son," searching for a bag, "and doubtless thou hast a pipe. Fill it
then, and we will talk."

The other murmured a word of acknowledgment, and did as he was told.
Then, from the packet of his jacket--which bulged--he drew forth a
bundle. This he proceeded to undo, revealing many fragments of baked
clay, in short the fragments of a black drinking bowl.

"Here is what I promised my father," he said, addressing the
witch-doctor. "_Whau_! I put another in its place, and now I think the
_Dokotela_ will believe that Ntwezi is laughing at him."

"Yet it were better to have brought it whole," said Nteseni.

"That could I not do," answered the visitor, who was no other than
Elvesdon's native detective, Teliso. "The shape would have betrayed
it."

"M-m!" hummed the listeners.

Now Nteseni took the fragments and with extraordinary ingenuity and
patience began piecing them together. As to the latter--well they had
the whole night before them!

"There is not a piece missing," he pronounced, "no, not even a small
piece. To have left such would have been dangerous."

"Would it not, my father? But I desire the ruin of Ntwezi. He has
reduced my pay, and I would be revenged. Further, he has promised to
thrash me. I will not go back to him."

"N