which he had instinctively brought for his own
protection. He hesitated, and--was lost.

"What is that, brother?" said Nteseni, seizing, with a grip of iron, the
wrist of the hand which held the butt of the concealed revolver. At the
same time, Nxala who was seated on the other side had pinioned his arms.
Both were powerful men, and against them Teliso had not the ghost of a
chance, even if Babatyana had not taken the opportunity of slipping the
noose of a hitherto concealed thong round his ankles, and drawing it
tight. Clearly it was useless to struggle, and in a moment he was
securely bound.

"Was this needed among `thine own people,' dog of Ntwezi?" said Nteseni,
holding up the revolver which he had drawn from the prisoner's pocket.

"No longer am! Ntwezi's dog," answered the latter.

"And was it not wisdom to bring away a useful weapon against when the
time comes?"

"Ah--ah! `When the time comes.' But the time has come--for thee, dog
of Ntwezi," sneered the chief. "There are those who talk with the
tongue of the Amangisi who heard Ntwezi himself tell another of thine
errand here to-night."

"And that other?" queried the prisoner.

"I answer no questions," was the contemptuous reply. "Thy treachery
deserves a slow and lingering death, yet we will be merciful."

He called through the doorway in a low tone, and immediately there
entered two men.

"Take him away," said Nteseni.

A wooden gag was thrust into the unfortunate man's mouth and he was
dragged outside, the three chiefs following. The old witch-doctor
remained behind.

Teliso knew that doom awaited him, but now he could not even
expostulate. The thong which bound his feet was relaxed sufficiently to
admit of his taking short steps and thus he was hurried along--whither
he had not the remotest idea.

A red moon, appropriately like a huge globe of blood, was rising over
the great cliff which dominated the kraal. On the brink, silhouetted
against it, a hyena stood and howled.

"He scents meat," said Nxala grimly. "Well he will soon have plenty."

For about half an hour thus they proceeded, their way lighted by the
lurid glow of the blood moon. Then they halted.

They had come to the brink of a high cliff which overhung a wild
desolate ravine.

"I had intended thee to be slaughtered like a goat, Teliso," said
Nteseni. "The death of the spear is not for such as thee."

With a desperate effort the prisoner had managed to slip his g