that he who disputed my orders in the field of
battle tasted death that moment. Still Mgwali held the child aloft,
gazing at me in wonder. But at a further glance from me he set it down.

"See!" I said. "This is not a child of the Amabuna. It has the look
of a child of a race of kings!"

The little thing sat on the ground, staring at the ring of grim faces
and bloody weapons, trembling, and too frightened even to cry. And
there was a look about it which moved me to spare its life. Its eyes
were blue as the heavens above, and its soft skin and pink cheeks, and
red, flower-like mouth marked it off as quite a different race to the
leather-skinned herd we had just slain. So I began to speak it fair and
soft, and found that it understood a few of my words, and, lo! it crept
over to me, and began to hide behind my shield, hoping to shut out the
fierce faces of the warriors who stood looking on, uttering many a
deep-throated gasp of amazement. And well they might, _Nkose_; for here
was I, the fiercest fighter of all that blood-stained _impi_--I, who had
slain with my own hand as many of the foe as any other could boast of--
and yet here was this little thing, with the eyes of heaven, and hair
like a stream of sunlight, shrinking up against me for protection and
shelter, as though I were her father. In truth, it was strange.

Not now, however, was the time for indulging in any further softness of
this kind; so, placing the little one in the care of Mgwali, and making
it known that whoever should attempt to harm her should pay the penalty
with his life, I went to muster the warriors, who were busy plundering
the wagons. Great stores of _gwai_ were there, and sacks of corn and
flour, and all manner of things which were good. Such, however, were
spoil for the Great Great One, to whom, of course, we had despatched
runners immediately, announcing our victory.

Now we mustered our ranks to return in triumph to the King. _Whau_! we
had lost many. In heaps our slain lay around--for the long guns of the
Amabuna shot quickly and true. And there, in the midst of their
wagon-fort, lay the ripped corpses of the Amabuna; and already the
vultures were gathering in clouds overhead. Then as we marched, black
and terrible, to the place where the Great Great One awaited, with the
thunder of one loud and mighty voice, the warriors sang--

"_Ningepinde nimhlab 'Umzilikazi,
Leyo 'Nkunzi mnyama,
Leyo 'Bubese mninima