r that he should die, than that he
should live and perchance stir up another conspiracy against me, to be
suppressed only at the cost of many more lives. A chief is not like
ordinary men; he wields power, influence, authority; as he thinks, so do
his followers; and if he were to call his people to arms against even
me, they would obey him, and the country would thus be involved in a
civil war, resulting in much slaughter. For the sake of my people I
must prevent this; and the only way to do this is to remove the
disaffected. Is not this the truth, O Healer?"

"Undoubtedly," answered Dick. "It is better that a few should die than
many; and those who foment rebellion, stir up strife, and incite to acts
of violence and murder are even more guilty than the misguided
individuals who listen to them and act upon their suggestions."

The king nodded his agreement with this expression of opinion.

"Therefore," said he, "in order to prevent the stirring up of strife and
the incitement to bloodshed, Sekosini, Mapela, Amakosa, and N'Ampata
must die. But as to the others I am not so sure. They have conspired
against me, it is true; they consented to the slaying of seven of my
most trusted chiefs and counsellors; and they would have brought anarchy
upon the people; therefore must they also be punished. Yet Ingona,
Lambati, Moroosi, and Sekukuni have all been my friends; they have aided
me with valuable counsel when I have been confronted with problems of
great difficulty and danger; and never until now have they shown the
least sign of disloyalty. They are valuable servants whom it would be
most difficult if not altogether impossible to replace; and, above all,
I feel almost certain that in their hearts they are not disloyal, but
that, as Ingona said, they have been bewitched and led astray by the
craft of Sekosini. I think that, the head Witch Doctor and his evil
influence removed, they would henceforward be, as they were aforetime,
true, loyal subjects; and I would not destroy them if they may otherwise
be safely dealt with. What does your wisdom advise in their case, O
Healer?"

It was a very difficult and delicate question upon which to advise, and
Dick never, perhaps, felt more heavily handicapped by his youth and
inexperience than he did at that moment; yet it was evident that this
savage king, himself at a loss how to deal with the problem, was
practically leaving the decision as to the fate of those four men in h