Part 22 (2/2)

”I am now going to kill thee, s.h.i.+minya,” said John Ames, when he had selected, not all he wanted, but all he would be able to carry.

The wizard looked scared, for well he knew how richly he deserved death at the hand of every white man in the land, and this one he believed to be quite capable of carrying out his threat. But the cunning rogue shrewdly played upon his best stop, and kept reiterating all he had done for the _inkosikazi_ when she had appealed to him for protection, frightened and exhausted and alone.

”Yet it is necessary that I should slay thee, s.h.i.+minya, for although thou hast done this for the _inkosikazi_, I know that thou lovest me not; and if I spare thee, how long will it be before thou art running in front of Madula's people, and crying, 'This way hath Jonemi gone'?”

And turning to Nidia, he asked her to go outside, saying that he would join her in a moment. Then, being alone with his captive, he took up a heavy k.n.o.bkerrie.

”Now, s.h.i.+minya. Thy death is near,” he said, raising the club.

But the wizard was another instance to the contrary of the cut-and-dried idea that cruelty and cowardice are bound to go hand in hand. No further appeal for mercy did he make. Not a word did he utter. With a last look of hate glowing in his snaky eyes, he put forth his skull, as though to meet the blow. But the other lowered his weapon.

”I give thee thy life, s.h.i.+minya,” he said. ”Should the time ever come, remember that thy life lay within my hand and I gave it thee.”

The wizard murmured a.s.sent. Of a truth he felt that the jaws of Death had been opened very wide before him, and then closed.

”But I trust thee not, so I will leave thee here bound,” went on John Ames. ”It will not be long ere thy people find thee out.”

He tied his prisoner fast by the feet to the pole of the hut, and was just leaving him, when s.h.i.+minya exclaimed--

”_'Nkose_, make, I pray thee, the door very fast. Do not only tie it.

Thrust also a stout stick through the fastenings.”

”Why so?” said John Ames in amazement.

”Animals might get in. And I am helpless.”

”Lupiswana, for one?”

”_Au_! Jonemi knows everything,” replied the sorcerer, with a half smile.

”I see. Yes; I will see that the door is fast. _Hlala-gahle_, s.h.i.+minya.”

”Now we must leave,” he said, rejoining Nidia, and then setting to work to bar up the wizard in his own den. Then, as they stepped forth, he told her how he had designedly caused the latter to feel himself within the very portal of death, in order that he might the more thoroughly realise how entirely his life had been given him. If there was any good in the man he would appreciate this act of clemency, explained John Ames.

She looked at him in admiration.

”What an ingenious idea!” she said. ”But there must be some good in him or he would have killed me when I was in his power.”

”There is that in his favour. Yet I wish I could think that he had no worse object in view in not killing you. He is one of the Abantwana 'Mlimo, and I have had my eye on him for some time. The other man wore a police uniform, you say? You were not able to catch his name?”

”No. You see, I don't understand a word of the language.”

”H'm. That's a pity, for your description of him almost tallies with that of the greatest rascal unhung, and whom I hope will not very long remain unhung.”

”This is not the way I came in by,” said Nidia. ”Look. I don't remember that water-hole.”

They had gained the river-bed, and before them lay a still deep pool.

But the grisly remains which lay beneath its placid waters rose not up in judgment against the cruel murderer, who sat bound in his own den up above; and little did they who now pa.s.sed it dream of the shrieking tragedy of which it had more than once been the scene in the dead of night. And the wizard? At that moment even he was beginning to taste of some of the terror which he had delighted in meting out to his helpless victims, for he himself was now helpless, and the evil beast having returned, and being by some mysterious instinct aware of the fact, was tearing and scratching and growling at the fastenings of the hut door in order to get at its more evil master, who, for his part, in spite of the extra precaution, was momentarily growing more and more anxious lest it should succeed. One taste of white flesh he had promised his ”familiar”! The probability was that ere the day should close it would have gorged its fill of black.

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