came, singing the mimic war-song, and forcing
the defeated side to _konza_. She reigned among them as a little queen.
Even my two younger wives, who had the care of her, she seemed to rule.
They would not, however, allow her to run wild with our children, but,
as her clothing wore out, they made her garments of the softest of
dressed fawn-skins, ornamented largely with the most valued of beads.
And now, as in obedience to the word of the King, I led the little one
forth into his presence, and the stranger looked for the first time upon
the fair skin and flower-like little face--the heaven-blue eyes, and
hair like a stream of sunlight falling down the beaded robe of the
child--he made as though he would have leaped from his seat.

"See now, my father," said the King, as the little one put up her hand
and cried the _Bayete_, "here is one of thine own colour, though but a
tiny child. See now if thy story of the God of Peace is known in any
way to her."

Now the white _isanusi_ hardly waited for the word of the King, and the
change which came upon him was strange indeed. He sprang to his feet,
and advanced to the little one, who stared at him with her great blue
eyes, yet did not shrink from him as in fear of a stranger. Then he put
his hand over her head, and, looking upward and then down at her, his
lips moved.

"_Au_! he is placing a spell upon her," growled one who sat near me.

"It is not a spell that will harm," murmured another in reply. But no
more was said, for now the stranger was talking quick and fast in his
own language, and the little one might have been his own child, long,
long lost; for tears stood in his eyes as he talked, and soon rolled
down upon his great beard. _Haul_ It was a strange sight. He wept,
this white man who knew not fear: yes, here, in the presence of the
King, and of we _izinduna_ and war-captains, he wept, and that at the
sight of a little blue-eyed child!

But here was another strange thing. The little one's face wore a blank
look. Clearly she did not understand a word of what he was saying.
Truly a strange thing! These two white people--the old man and the tiny
girl--meeting thus by chance in the midst of our nation, understood not
each other's tongue!

"Speak to her with the tongue of the Amabuna, my father," said the King.

But of this language the white _isanusi_ had but scant knowledge, and in
the end the only tongue with which these two whites could converse was