Part 21 (1/2)

That was a scene--the wild, quavering gasp of horror that went up fro like a wild beast, in the grasp of those who had seized her;the shi+eld with the poisoned dart sticking through it--exactly as I flung it between the Great Great One and certain death And the only tere co hi taken a pinch of snuff ”I think that would have ht forhard! Yet thou hast saved e, too, that thou shouldst have been the one to do it, seeing that she was thine _inkosikazi_!”

There was suspicion in the tone--deadly suspicion--as the King sat looking atsoftly withal

”It is not strange, Father, seeing that I was the one who alone understood the Bakoni witch-song,” I replied

”Ha! And what said that?”

”'A coil of blue veils the serpent's breath' Also, 'Now the White Bull's hide may the Black Bull save' And, indeed, was it not so, Black Bull, Whose horns gore notthou wouldst have conveyed, thou strange sorceress,” said the King, pausing a moment, while shouts of amazereat But of this witch first The alligators are hungry; but their teeth are not sharp enough for such royal prey as this The stake of impalement is a still sharper tooth Aith her! Yet for the alligators ill find some meat It seems that Untusives are of a bad disposition--at any rate, after dwelling side by side with yonder witch, they will have drunk in some of her evil ators”

Now, _Nkose_, er wives, ere ever laughing and pleasant, and needed not to be told twice to do a thing But these, as the slayers sprang forward to drag the the

”Spare us, Father!” howled Fu to us”

”We only live by the light of the King's presence,” groaned Nxope

”Spare us, Great Great One!” wept Fumana

”We are only o!” screa ”Well, Untuswa! And thou! What hast thou to say? Do not these deserve to die?”

That was soht cost aFor did I not at once agree, after what had happened, the people would howl for 's life, just made by my chief wife; and I suspected the question was put to try me Yet I was fond of these tomen, who had always done well by me; nor did I ever err on the side of timidity in those days So I made answer--

”I think these two are innocent of the other's evil-doing, Great Great ONE The wisdoreat, and his justice is terrible Yet I would crave the boon of their lives; for I have never known them do or think harm So, too, shall I be left without wives at all, if these are taken from me”

”Neives shall be found for thee, Untuswa--and better than the old ones,” answered Umzilikazi, half in_Whau_! A bowl of _tywala_, when fresh, is needful and pleasant; but if kept too long, it grows sour and unwholesome, even harmful, and is only fit to be throay So it is with a woh to discover serpent's fangs beneath a witch's girdle--what sayest thou? Is it well that these two should live?”

I looked at Lalusini and saw that her eyes were full of pity for these two horribly frightened wo, and then I knew that her heart was not dark and fierce as that of Nangeza, else had they certainly been dead

”I think it well they should live, Great Great One, for they are innocent of the other's ill-doing,” she answered

”Ha! sayest thou so? Well, I give ye your lives, ye two Begone! For the other, it see ready”

This dreadful forst us, so Meanwhile, all crying aloud in praise of the King'sherself frorasp of those who held her, and before any could stay her--so lithe and active was she-- she was darting across the plain in leaps and bounds, fleeing with the speed of a buck

”To the alligators!” she cried, laughing wildly ”The alligators are hungry They round was open, the way but short Before any could coing the pool She turned and stood facing us, and there, in sight of all, shrieked out a last curse upon the King, upon me, and upon the whole nation; then, just as the fore herself backward from the brink There was a loud splash, but no cry, and they who hurried to look declared that the water was lashed into a red-and-white foa it lih this is a hideous death enough, it is but a ony of the stake of ieza, my _inkosikazi_, she whom I had stolen fro so had thrust my head deep within the red jaws of death Now she died thus, brave, fierce, defiant to the last; and, _Nkose_--I think it was about time she did

CHAPTER NINETEEN

THE WHITE shi+ELD