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He struck at me with his stick； but I caught the blow upon my little
shield； and hit back。 Wow！ I did hit！ The skull of Noma met my kerrie；
and down he fell dead at my feet。 I yelled again； and rushed on at the
headman。 He threw an assegai； but it missed me； and next second I hit
him too。 He got up his shield； but I knocked it down upon his head；
and over he rolled senseless。 Whether he lived or died I do not know；
my father； but his head being of the thickest； I think it likely that
he lived。 Then； while the people stood astonished； I turned and fled
like the wind。 They turned too； and ran after me； throwing spears at
me and trying to cut me off。 But none of them could catch meno； not
one。 I went like the wind； I went like a buck when the dogs wake it
from sleep； and presently the sound of their chase grew fainter and
fainter； till at last I was out of sight and alone。
CHAPTER III
MOPO VENTURES HOME
I threw myself down on the grass and panted till my breath came back；
then I went and hid in a patch of reeds down by a swamp。 All day long
I lay there thinking。 What was I to do？ Now I was a jackal without a
hole。 If I went back to my people； certainly they would kill me； whom
they thought a thief。 My blood would be given for Noma's； and that I
did not wish； though my heart was sad。 Then there came into my mind
the thought of Chaka； the boy to whom I had given the cup of water
long ago。 I had heard of him： his name was known in the land； already
the air was big with it； the very trees and grass spoke it。 The words
he had said and the vision that my mother had seen were beginning to
come true。 By the help of the Umtetwas he had taken the place of his
father Senzangacona； he had driven out the tribe of the Amaquabe； now
he made war on Zweete； chief of the Endwande； and he had sworn that he
would stamp the Endwande flat； so that nobody could find them any
more。 Now I remembered how this Chaka promised that he would make me
great； and that I should grow fat in his shadow； and I thought to
myself that I would arise and go to him。 Perhaps he would kill me；
well； what did it matter？ Certainly I should be killed if I stayed
ehre。 Yes； I would go。 But now my heart pulled another way。 There was
but one whom I loved in the worldit was my sister Baleka。 My father
had betrothed her to the chief of a neighbouring tribe； but I knew
that this marriage was against her wish。 Perhaps my sister would run
away with me if I could get near her to tell her that I was going。 I
would tryyes； I would try。
I waited till the darkness came down； then I rose from my bed of weeds
and crept like a jackal towards the kraal。 In the mealie gardens I
stopped awhile； for I was very hungry； and filled myself with the
half…ripe mealies。 Then I went on till I came to the kraal。 Some of my
people were seated outside of a hut； talking together over a fire。 I
crept near； silently as a snake； and hid behind a little bush。 I knew
that they could not see me outside the ring of the firelight； and I
wanted to hear what they said。 As I guessed； they were talking of me
and called me many names。 They said that I should bring ill…luck on
the tribe by having killed so great a witch…doctor as Noma； also that
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