that of the Amazulu. No, _Nkose_, not as yours was the tongue in which
that _isanusi_ spake. It was quicker--far quicker--and accompanied with
more movements, like that of ourselves.

"There, my father," said Umzilikazi. "The little one is of thine own
colour. Now begin with her, and teach her about this strange God, which
seems to me to be teaching more fitted for her than for us black ones."

The white man's face lighted up with joy at this permission, and he
poured forth many words of praise for the goodness of the King. And we,
too, we echoed the words of _bonga_ with a loud voice. And the little
one, she too seemed glad because of those words; and not long after, in
the presence of the King, and all who were then at Kwa'zingwenya, the
white _isanusi_ performed strange ceremonies over her, of which the
principal seemed the sprinkling of water, and declared she was now
especially a child of that great God of whom he had spoken. This
Umzilikazi was very willing to sanction, for was not the child white--
and a girl? But when it came to teaching warriors a belief that peace
was better than war--_Au_! that was a very different matter.

Now I had been kept so busy all this while, attending to the affairs of
the King and the nation, that no time had I to visit the mountain of
death and her who dwelt in the secret chamber thereof. Yet my mind was
ever in flight thither as I beheld its flat top standing out through the
haze afar off. Wherefore I resolved, for good or for ill, to journey
thither, as though to hunt.

Once well beyond the last outpost of our people I began to run,
travelling with a speed worthy the days when I was the King's chief
runner. At length I stood beneath the mountain and began to ascend its
slopes, and I sang softly to myself a song of gladness and of love as I
thought how soon I should be drinking in the strange sweet sorcery of
Lalusini's words and looks.

I had nearly gained the summit when a loud and savage growl brought me
up motionless in my own footprints, and, taking the great Assegai in my
right hand and advancing my small shield forward a little in the left, I
peered eagerly in search of the enemy.

Not a moment had I to look. The flaming eyes, the long, yellow shape,
the shaggy mane, almost blurred up as they were by the brown of the
mountain-side, represented nothing less than a lion--an enormous one,
crouching for a spring. There was no turning aside. Face to face we
h