ed to such power as M'Pusa
enjoyed during the reign of M'Bongwele, when he and not M'Bongwele
actually ruled the Makolo people. It is enough; I have said!"

"Take him away to his hut; set a guard over him; and see that he escape
not," ordered the king. "If he be not forthcoming when wanted, the
officer and guard who have him in charge shall be crucified. Lambati,
you too are implicated in this conspiracy. Have you aught to say in
your defence?"

"Nay, O Great One!" answered Lambati; "I could but repeat the words of
Ingona; and what would that avail me? Nothing! I, too, have said!"

"Let him also be taken away, and watched as carefully as Ingona,"
ordered the king. "Mapela, have you aught to say in justification of
your conspiracy against me?"

"Ay, that have I," answered Mapela, springing to his feet and speaking
in a defiant tone of voice. "My justification, O Lobelalatutu! is that
under your governance the Makolo, formerly the most powerful and warlike
nation in the world, is fast becoming a nation of women, and the
contempt and laughing-stock of our neighbours. Soon shall we forget the
art of war, our young men will sicken at the sight and smell of blood,
and we shall become the prey of the first nation that dares attack us.
Are not these sufficient reasons for our desire to see thee removed, and
a man placed upon the throne in thy stead?"

A low murmur, whether of approval or the reverse it was difficult to
say, ran round the line of assembled chiefs at this defiant speech from
the mouth of one of the most powerful chiefs of the nation, but it
subsided again instantly.

"Have you aught further to say, O Mapela?" demanded the king.

"Nay," answered Mapela, still in the same defiant tone of voice. "What
I have already said should surely be sufficient."

"It is," answered the king dryly, as he signed the guards to remove the
rebel. "Is there anyone present who thinks and feels as does Mapela?"

"Yea!" answered two of the implicated chiefs, named respectively Amakosa
and N'Ampata, as they simultaneously sprang to their feet.

"And have you, Amakosa, anything to add to, or take from, what Mapela
has said?" demanded the king.

"Nothing!" briefly answered Amakosa.

"Or you, N'Ampata?" pressed the king.

"Only this, O Great One! that I think it would have been better had we
approached thee and opened our minds to thee before conspiring against
thee. But the plan was Sekosini's, and he would listen