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〃Hearken； O King！〃 she cried； 〃the tale is not yet all told。 This man；
Bulalio； plots against thy throne with Mopo； son of Makedama； who was
thy councillor。〃
〃He plots against my throne； woman？ The lizard plots against the cliff
on which it suns itself？ Then let him plot； and as for Mopo； I will
catch him yet！〃
〃Yes； O King！ but that is not all the tale。 This man has another name
he is named Umslopogaas； son of Mopo。 But he is no son of Mopo： he
is son to the Black One who is dead； the mighty king who was thy
brother； by Baleka； sister to Mopo。 Yes； I know it from the lips of
Mopo。 I know all the tale。 He is heir to thy throne by blood； O King；
and thou sittest in his place。〃
For a little while Dingaan sat astounded。 Then he commanded Zinita to
draw near and tell him that tale。
Now behind the stool on which he sat stood two councillors； nobles
whom Dingaan loved； and these alone had heard the last words of
Zinita。 He bade these nobles stand in front of him； out of earshot and
away from every other man。 Then Zinita drew near； and told Dingaan the
tale of the birth of Umslopogaas and all that followed； and； by many a
token and many a deed of Chaka's which he remembered； Dingaan the king
knew that it was a true story。
When at length she had done； he summoned the captain of the regiment
that stood around： he was a great man named Faku； and he also summoned
certain men who do the king's bidding。 To the captain of the impi he
spoke sharply； saying：
〃Take three companies and guides； and come by night to the town of the
People of the Axe； that is by Ghost Mountain； and burn it； and slay
all the wizards who sleep therein。 Most of all； slay the Chief of the
People； who is named Bulalio the Slaughterer or Umslopogaas。 Kill him
by torture if you may； but kill him and bring his head to me。 Take
that wife of his； who is known as Nada the Lily； alive if ye can； and
bring her to me； for I would cause her to be slain here。 Bring the
cattle also。 Now go； and go swiftly； this hour。 If ye return having
failed in one jot of my command； ye die； every one of youye die； and
slowly。 Begone！〃
The captain saluted； and； running to his regiment； issued a command。
Three full companies leapt forward at his word； and ran after him
through the gates of the kraal Umgugundhlovu； heading for the Ghost
Mountain。
Then Dingaan called to those who do the king's bidding； and； pointing
to the two nobles； his councillors； who had heard the words of Zinita；
commanded that they should be killed。
The nobles heard； and； having saluted the king； covered their faces；
knowing that they must die because they had learned too much。 So they
were killed。 Now it was one of these councillors who had said that
doubtless meat would soon be found to feed the king's birds。
Then the king commanded those who do his bidding that they should take
the children of Zinita and make away with them。
But when Zinita heard this she cried aloud； for she loved her
children。 Then Dingaan mocked her。
〃What？〃 he said； 〃art thou a fool as well as wicked？ Thou sayest that
thy husband； whom thou hast given to death； is born of one who is
dead； and is heir to my throne。 Thou sayest also that these children
are born of him； therefore； when he is dead； they will be heirs to my
throne。 Am I then mad that I should suffer them to live？ Woman； thou
hast fallen into thine own trap。 Take them away！〃
Now Zinita tasted of the cup which she had brewed for other lips； and
grew distraught in her misery； and wrung her hands； crying that she
repented her of the evil and would warn Umslopogaas and the Lily of
that which awaited them。 And she turned to run towards the gates。 But
the king laughed and nodded； and they brought her back； and presently
she was dead also。
Thus； then； my father； prospered the wickedness of Zinita； the head
wife of Umslopogaas； my fosterling。
Now these were the last slayings that were wrought at the kraal
Umgugundhlovu； for just as Dingaan had made an end of them and once
more grew weary； he lifted his eyes and saw the hillsides black with
men； who by their dress were of his own impimen whom he had sent out
against the Boers。
And yet where was the proud array； where the plumes and shields； where
the song of victory？ Here； indeed； were soldiers； but they walked in
groups like women and hung their heads like chidden children。
Then he learned the truth。 The impi had been defeated by the banks of
the Income； thousands had perished at the laager； mowed down by the
guns of the Boers； thousands more had been drowned in the Income； till
the waters were red and the bodies of the slain pushed each other
under； and those who still lived walked upon them。
Dingaan heard； and was seized with fear； for it was said that the
Amaboona followed fast on the track of the conquered。
That day he fled to the bush on the Black Umfolozi river； and that
night the sky was crimson with the burning of the kraal Umgugundhlovu；
where the Elephant should trumpet no more； and the vultures were
scared from the Hill of Slaughter by the roaring of the flames。
* * * * *
Galazi sat on the lap of the stone Witch； gazing towards the wide
plains below； that were yet white with the moon； though the night grew
towards the morning。 Greysnout whined at his side； and Deathgrip
thrust his muzzle into his hand； but Galazi took no heed； for he was
brooding on the fall of Umslopogaas from the man that he had been to
the level of a woman's slave； and on the breaking up of the People of
the Axe； because of the coming of Nada。 For all the women and the
children were gone to this Feast of Women； and would not return for
long； and it seemed to Galazi that many of the men had slipped away
also； as though they smelt some danger from afar。
〃Ah； Deathgrip；〃 said Galazi aloud to the wild brute at his side；
〃changed is the Wolf King my brother； all changed because of a woman's
kiss。 Now he hunts no more； no more shall Groan…Maker be aloft； it is
a woman's kiss he craves； not the touch of your rough tongue； it is a
woman's hand he holds； not the smooth haft of horn； he； who of all
men； was the fiercest and the first； for this last shame has overtaken
him。 Surely Chaka was a great king though an evil； and he showed his
greatness when he forbade marriage to the warriors； marriage that
makes the heart soft and turns blood to water。〃
Now Galazi ceased； and gazed idly towards the kraal of the People of
the Axe； and as he looked his eyes caught a gleam of light that seemed
to travel in and out of the edge of the shadow of Ghost Mountain as a
woman's needle travels through a skin； now seen and now lost in the
skin。
He started and watched。 Ah！ there the light came out from the shadow。
Now； by Chaka's head； it was the light of spears！
One moment more Galazi watched。 It was a little impi； perhaps they
numbered two hundred men； running silently； but not to battle； for
they wore no plumes。 Yet they went out to kill； for they ran in
companies； and each man carried assegais and a shield。
Now Galazi had heard tell of such impis that hunt by night； and he
knew well that these were the king's dogs； and their game was men； a
big kraal of sleeping men； otherwise there had been fewer dogs。 Is a
whole pack sent out to catch an antelope on its form？ Galazi wondered
whom they sought。 Ah！ now they turned to the ford； and he knew。 It was
his brother Umslopogaas and Nada the Lily and the People of the Axe。
These were the king's dogs； and Zinita had let them slip。 For this
reason she had called a feast of women； and taken the children with
her； for this reason so many had been summoned from the kraal by one
means or another： it was that they might escape the slaughter。
Galazi bounded to his feet。 For one moment he thought。 Might not these
hunters be hunted？ Could he not destroy them by the jaws of the wolves
as once before they had destroyed a certain impi of the king's？ Ay； if
he had seen them but one hour before； then scarcely a man of them
should have lived to reach the stream； for he would have waylaid them
with his wolves。 But now it might not be； the soldiers neared the
ford； and Galazi knew well that his grey people would not hunt on the
further plain； though for this he had heard one reason only； that
which was given him by the lips of the dead in a dream。
What； then； might be done？ One thing alone： warn Umslopogaas。 Yet how？
For him who could swim a rushing river； there was； indeed； a swifter
way to the place of the People of the Axea way that was to the path
of the impi as is the bow…string to the strung bow。 And yet they had
travelled well…nigh half the length of the bow。 Still； he might do it；
he whose feet were the swiftest in the land； except those of
Umslopogaas。 At the least； he would try。 Mayhap； the impi would tarry
to drink at the ford。
So Galazi thought in his heart； and his thought was swift as the
light。 Then with a bound he was away down the mountain side。 From
boulder to boulder he leapt like a buck； he crashed through the brake
like a bull； he skimmed the level like a swallow。 The mountain was
travelled now； there in front of him lay the yellow rive