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the　people　of　the　headman　would　demand　payment　for　the　assault　on　him。

I　learned；　moreover；　that　my　father　had　ordered　out　all　the　men　of　the

tribe　to　hunt　for　me　on　the　morrow　and　to　kill　me　wherever　they　found

me。　〃Ah！〃　I　thought；　〃you　may　hunt；　but　you　will　bring　nothing　home　to

the　pot。〃　Just　then　a　dog　that　was　lying　by　the　fire　got　up　and　began

to　sniff　the　air。　I　could　not　see　what　dog　it　wasindeed；　I　had

forgotten　all　about　the　dogs　when　I　drew　near　the　kraal；　that　is　what

comes　of　want　of　experience；　my　father。　The　dog　sniffed　and　sniffed；

then　he　began　to　growl；　looking　always　my　way；　and　I　grew　afraid。



〃What　is　the　dog　growling　at？〃　said　one　man　to　another。　〃Go　and　see。〃

But　the　other　man　was　taking　snuff　and　did　not　like　to　move。　〃Let　the

dog　go　and　see　for　himself；〃　he　answered；　sneezing；　〃what　is　the　good

of　keeping　a　dog　if　you　have　to　catch　the　thief？〃



〃Go　on；　then；〃　said　the　first　man　to　the　dog。　And　he　ran　forward；

barking。　Then　I　saw　him：　it　was　my　own　dog；　Koos；　a　very　good　dog。

Presently；　as　I　lay　not　knowing　what　to　do；　he　smelt　my　smell；　stopped

barking；　and　running　round　the　bush　he　found　me　and　began　to　lick　my

face。　〃Be　quiet；　Koos！〃　I　whispered　to　him。　And　he　lay　down　by　my

side。



〃Where　has　that　dog　gone　now？〃　said　the　first　man。　〃Is　he　bewitched；

that　he　stops　barking　suddenly　and　does　not　come　back？〃



〃We　will　see；〃　said　the　other；　rising；　a　spear　in　his　hand。



Now　once　more　I　was　terribly　afraid；　for　I　thought　that　they　would

catch　me；　or　I　must　run　for　my　life　again。　But　as　I　sprang　up　to　run；

a　big　black　snake　glided　between　the　men　and　went　off　towards　the

huts。　They　jumped　aside　in　a　great　fright；　then　all　of　them　turned　to

follow　the　snake；　saying　that　this　was　what　the　dog　was　barking　at。

That　was　my　good　Ehlose；　my　father；　which　without　any　doubt　took　the

shape　of　a　snake　to　save　my　life。



When　they　had　gone　I　crept　off　the　other　way；　and　Koos　followed　me。　At

first　I　thought　that　I　would　kill　him；　lest　he　should　betray　me；　but

when　I　called　to　him　to　knock　him　on　the　head　with　my　kerrie；　he　sat

down　upon　the　ground　wagging　his　tail；　and　seemed　to　smile　in　my　face；

and　I　could　not　do　it。　So　I　thought　that　I　would　take　my　chance；　and

we　went　on　together。　This　was　my　purpose：　first　to　creep　into　my　own

hut　and　get　my　assegais　and　a　skin　blanket；　then　to　gain　speech　with

Baleka。　My　hut；　I　thought；　would　be　empty；　for　nobody　sleeps　there

except　myself；　and　the　huts　of　Noma　were　some　paces　away　to　the　right。

I　came　to　the　reed　fence　that　surrounded　the　huts。　Nobody　was　to　be

seen　at　the　gate；　which　was　not　shut　with　thorns　as　usual。　It　was　my

duty　to　close　it；　and　I　had　not　been　there　to　do　so。　Then；　bidding　the

dog　lie　down　outside；　I　stepped　through　boldly；　reached　the　door　of　my

hut；　and　listened。　It　was　empty；　there　was　not　even　a　breath　to　be

heard。　So　I　crept　in　and　began　to　search　for　my　assegais；　my　water…

gourd；　and　my　wood　pillow；　which　was　so　nicely　carved　that　I　did　not

like　to　leave　it。　Soon　I　found　them。　Then　I　felt　about　for　my　skin

rug；　and　as　I　did　so　my　hand　touched　something　cold。　I　started；　and

felt　again。　It　was　a　man's　facethe　face　of　a　dead　man；　of　Noma；　whom

I　had　killed　and　who　had　been　laid　in　my　hut　to　await　burial。　Oh！　then

I　was　frightened；　for　Noma　dead　and　in　the　dark　was　worse　than　Noma

alive。　I　made　ready　to　fly；　when　suddenly　I　heard　the　voices　of　women

talking　outside　the　door　of　the　hut。　I　knew　the　voices；　they　were

those　of　Noma's　two　wives；　and　one　of　them　said　she　was　coming　in　to

watch　by　her　husband's　body。　Now　I　was　in　a　trap　indeed；　for　before　I

could　do　anything　I　saw　the　light　go　out　of　a　hole　in　the　hut；　and

knew　by　the　sound　of　a　fat　woman　puffing　as　she　bent　herself　up　that

Noma's　first　wife　was　coming　through　it。　Presently　she　was　in；　and；

squatting　by　the　side　of　the　corpse　in　such　a　fashion　that　I　could　not

get　to　the　door；　she　began　to　make　lamentations　and　to　cal　down　curses

on　me。　Ah！　she　did　not　know　that　I　was　listening。　I　too　squatted　by

Noma's　head；　and　grew　quick…witted　in　my　fear。　Now　that　the　woman　was

there　I　was　not　so　much　afraid　of　the　dead　man；　and　I　remembered；　too；

that　he　had　been　a　great　cheat；　so　I　thought　I　would　make　him　cheat

for　the　last　time。　I　placed　my　hands　beneath　his　shoulders　and　pushed

him　up　so　that　he　sat　upon　the　ground。　The　woman　heard　the　noise　and

made　a　sound　in　her　throat。



〃Will　you　not　be　quiet；　you　old　hag？〃　I　said　in　Noma's　voice。　〃Can　you

not　let　me　be　at　peace；　even　now　when　I　am　dead？〃



She　heard；　and；　falling　backwards　in　fear；　drew　in　her　breath　to

shriek　aloud。



〃What！　will　you　also　dare　to　shriek？〃　I　said　again　in　Noma's　voice；

〃then　I　must　teach　you　silence。〃　And　I　tumbled　him　over　on　to　the　top

of　her。



Then　her　senses　left　her；　and　whether　she　ever　found　them　again　I　do

not　know。　At　least　she　grew　quiet　for　that　time。　For　me；　I　snatched　up

the　rugafterwards　I　found　it　was　Noma's　best　kaross；　made　by　Basutos

of　chosen　cat…skins；　and　worth　three　oxenand　I　fled；　followed　by

Koos。



Now　the　kraal　of　the　chief；　my　father；　Makedama；　was　two　hundred　paces

away；　and　I　must　go　thither；　for　there　Baleka　slept。　Also　I　dared　not

enter　by　the　gate；　because　a　man　was　always　on　guard　there。　So　I　cut

my　way　through　the　reed　fence　with　my　assegai　and　crept　to　the　hut

where　Baleka　was　with　some　of　her　half…sisters。　I　knew　on　which　side

of　the　hut　it　was　her　custom　to　lie；　and　where　her　head　would　be。　So　I

lay　down　on　my　side　and　gently；　very　gently；　began　to　bore　a　hole　in

the　grass　covering　of　the　hut。　It　took　a　long　while；　for　the　thatch

was　thick；　but　at　last　I　was　nearly　through　it。　Then　I　stopped；　for　it

came　into　my　mind　that　Baleka　might　have　changed　her　place；　and　that　I

might　wake　the　wrong　girl。　I　almost　gave　it　over；　thinking　that　I

would　fly　alone；　when　suddenly　I　heard　a　girl　wake　and　begin　to　cry　on

the　other　side　of　the　thatch。　〃Ah；〃　I　thought；　〃that　is　Baleka；　who

weeps　for　her　brother！〃　So　I　put　my　lips　where　the　thatch　was　thinnest

and　whispered：



〃Baleka；　my　sister！　Baleka；　do　not　weep！　I；　Mopo；　am　here。　Say　not　a

word；　but　rise。　Come　out　of　the　hut；　bringing　your　skin　blanket。



Now　Baleka　was　very　clever：　she　did　not　shriek；　as　most　girls　would

have　done。　No；　she　understood；　and；　after　waiting　awhile；　she　rose　and

crept　from　the　hut；　her　blanket　in　her　hand。



〃Why　are　you　here；　Mopo？〃　she　whispered；　as　we　met。　〃Surely　you　will

be　killed！〃



〃Hush！〃　I　said。　And　then　I　told　her　of　the　plan　which　I　had　made。

〃Will　you　come　with　me？〃　I　said；　when　I　had　done；　〃or　will　you　creep

back　into　the　hut　and　bid　me　farewell？〃



She　thought　awhile；　then　she　said；　〃No；　my　brother；　I　will　come；　for　I

love　you　alone　among　our　people；　though　I　believe　that　this　will　be

the　end　of　itthat　you　will　lead　me　to　my　death。〃



I　did　not　think　much　of　her　words　at　the　time；　but　afterwards　they

came　back　to　me。　So　we　slipped　away　together；　followed　by　the　dog

Koos；　and　soon　we　were　running　over　the　veldt　with　our　faces　set

towards　the　country　of　the　Zulu　tribe。







CHAPTER　IV



THE　FLIGHT　OF　MOPO　AND　BALEKA



All　the　rest　of　that　night　we　journeyed；　till　even　the　dog　was　tired。

Then　we　hid　in　a　mealie　field　for　the　day；　as　we　were　afraid　of　being

seen。　Towards　the　afternoon　we　heard　voices；　and；　looking　through　the

stems　of　the　mealies；　we　saw　a　party　of　my　father's　men　pass　searching

for　us。　They　went　on　to　a　neighbouring　kraal　to　ask　if　we　had　been

seen；　and　after　that　we　saw　them　no　more　for　awhile。　At　night　we

travelled　again；　but；　as　fate　would　have　it；　we　were　met　by　an　old

woman；　who　looked　oddly　at　us　but　said　nothing。　After　that　we　pushed

on　day　and　night；　for　we　knew　that　the　old　woman　would　tell　the

pursuers　if　she　met　them；　and　so　indeed　it　came　about。　On　the　third

evening　we　reached　some　mealie　gardens；　and　saw　that　they　had　been

trampled　down。　Among　the　broken　mealies　we　found　the　body　of　a　very

old　man；　as　full　of　assegai　wounds　as　a　porcupine　with　quills。　We

wondered　at　this；　and　went　on　a　little　way。　Then　we　saw　that　the　kraal

to　which　the　gardens　belonged　was　burnt　down。　We　crept　up　to　it；　and

ah！　it　was　a　sad　sight　for　us　to　see！　Afterwards　we　became　used　to

such　sights。　All　about　us　lay　the　bodies　of　dead　people；　scores　of

themold　men；　young　men；　women；　children；　little　babies　at　the　breast

there　they　lay　among　the　burnt　huts；　pierced　with　assegai　wounds。

Red　was　the　earth　with　their　blood；　and　red　they　looked　in　the　red

light　of　the　setting　sun。　It　was　as　though　all　the　land　had　been

smeared　with　the　bloody　hand　of　the　Great　Spirit；　of　the　Umkulunkulu。

Baleka　saw　it　and　began　to　cry；　she　was　weary；　poor　girl；　and　we　had

found　little　to　eat；　only　grass　and　green　corn。



〃An　enemy　has　been　here；〃　I　said；　and　as　I　spoke　I　thought　that　I

heard　a　groan　from　the　other　side　of　a　broken　reed　hedge。　I　went　and

looked。　There　lay　a　young　woman：　she　was　badly　wounded；　but　still

alive；　my　father。　A　little　way　from　her　lay　a　man　dead；　and　before　him

several　other　men　of　another　tribe：　he　had　died　fighting。　In　front　of

the　woman　were　the　bodies　of　three　children；　another；　a　little　one；

lay　on　her　body。　I　looked　at　the　woman；　and；　as　I　looked；　she　groaned

again；　opened　her　eyes　and　saw　me；　and　that　I　had　a　spear　in　my　hand。



〃Kill　me　quickly！〃　she　said。　〃Have　you　not　tortured　me　enough？〃



I　said　that　I　was　a　stranger　and　did　not　want　to　kill　her。



〃Then　bring　me　water；〃　she　said；　〃there　is　a　spring　there　behind　the

kraal。〃



I　called　to　Baleka　to　come　to　the　woman；　and　went　with　my　gourd　to　the

spring。　There　were　bodies　in　it；　but　I　dragged　them　out；　and　when　the

water　had　cleared　a　little　I　filled　the　gourd　and　brought　it　back　to

the　woman。　She　drank　deep；　and　her　strength　came　back　a　littlethe

water　gave　her　life。



〃How　did　you　come　to　this？〃　I　asked。



〃It　was　an　impi　of　Chaka；　Chief　of　the　Zul