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〃Say； captain；〃 quoth Umslopogaas； drawing back his hood of wolf's
hide so that the moonlight fell upon his face； 〃is this the face of
that youth whom you sought？〃
〃It is the face；〃 answered the captain； astonished。
〃Ay；〃 laughed Umslopogaas； 〃it is the face。 Fool！ I knew your errand
and heard your words； and thus have I answered them。〃 And he pointed
to the dead。 〃Now choose； and swiftly。 Will you run for your life
against my wolves？ Will you do battle for your life against these
four？〃 And he pointed to Greysnout and to Blackfang； to Blood and to
Deathgrip； who watched him with slavering lips； 〃or will you stand
face to face with me； and if I am slain； with him who bears the club；
and with whom I rule this people black and grey？〃
〃I fear ghosts； but of men I have no fear； though they be wizards；〃
answered the captain。
〃Good！〃 cried Umslopogaas； shaking his spear。
Then they rushed together； and that fray was fierce。 For presently the
spear of Umslopogaas was broken in the shield of the captain and he
was left weaponless。 Now Umslopogaas turned and fled swiftly； bounding
over the dead and the wolves who preyed upon them； and the captain
followed with uplifted spear； and mocked him as he came。 Galazi also
wondered that Umslopogaas should fly from a single man。 Hither and
thither fled Umslopogaas； and always his eyes were on the earth。 Of a
sudden； Galazi； who watched； saw him sweep forward like a bird and
stoop to the ground。 Then he wheeled round； and lo！ there was an axe
in his hand。 The captain rushed at him； and Umslopogaas smote as he
rushed； and the blade of the great spear that was lifted to pierce him
fell to the ground hewn from its haft。 Again Umslopogaas smote： the
moon…shaped axe sank through the stout shield deep into the breast
beyond。 Then the captain threw up his arms and fell to the earth。
〃Ah！〃 cried Umslopogaas； 〃you sought a youth to slay him； and have
found an axe to be slain by it！ Sleep softly； captain of Chaka。〃
Then Umslopogaas spoke to Galazi； saying： 〃My brother； I will fight no
more with the spear； but with the axe alone； it was to seek an axe
that I ran to and fro like a coward。 But this is a poor thing！ See；
the haft is split because of the greatness of my stroke！ Now this is
my desireto win that great axe of Jikiza； which is called Groan…
Maker； of which we have heard tell； so that axe and club may stand
together in the fray。〃
〃That must be for another night；〃 said Galazi。 〃We have not done so
ill for once。 Now let us search for pots and corn； of which we stand
in need； and then to the mountain before dawn finds us。〃
Thus； then； did the Wolf…Brethren bring death on the impi of Chaka；
and this was but the first of many deaths that they wrought with the
help of the wolves。 For ever they ravened through the land at night；
and； falling on those they hated； they ate them up； till their name
and the name of the ghost…wolves became terrible in the ears of men；
and the land was swept clean。 But they found that the wolves would not
go abroad to worry everywhere。 Thus； on a certain night； they set out
to fall upon the kraals of the People of the Axe； where dwelt the
chief Jikiza； who was named the Unconquered； and owned the axe Groan…
Maker； but when they neared the kraal the wolves turned back and fled。
Then Galazi remembered the dream that he had dreamed； in which the
Dead One in the cave had seemed to speak； telling him that there only
where the men…eaters had hunted in the past might the wolves hunt to…
day。 So they returned home； but Umslopogaas set himself to find a plan
to win the axe。
CHAPTER XVI
UMSLOPOGAAS VENTURES OUT TO WIN THE AXE
Now many moons had gone by since Umslopogaas became a king of the
wolves； and he was a man full grown； a man fierce and tall and keen； a
slayer of men； fleet of foot and of valour unequalled； seeing by night
as well as by day。 But he was not yet named the Slaughterer； and not
yet did he hold that iron chieftainess； the axe Groan…Maker。 Still；
the desire to win the axe was foremost in his mind； for no woman had
entered there； who when she enters drives out all other desireay； my
father； even that of good weapons。 At times； indeed； Umslopogaas would
lurk in the reeds by the river looking at the kraal of Jikiza the
Unconquered； and would watch the gates of his kraal； and once as he
lurked he saw a man great； broad and hairy； who bore upon his shoulder
a shining axe； hafted with the horn of a rhinoceros。 After that his
greed for this axe entered into Umslopogaas more and more； till at
length he scarcely could sleep for thinking of it； and to Galazi he
spoke of little else； wearying him much with his talk； for Galazi
loved silence。 But for all his longing he could find no means to win
it。
Now it befell that as Umslopogaas hid one evening in the reeds；
watching the kraal of Jikiza； he saw a maiden straight and fair； whose
skin shone like the copper anklets on her limbs。 She walked slowly
towards the reeds where he lay hidden。 Nor did she top at the brink of
the reeds； she entered them and sat herself down within a spear's
length of where Umslopogaas was seated； and at once began to weep；
speaking to herself as she wept。
〃Would that the ghost…wolves might fall on him and all that is his；〃
she sobbed； 〃ay； and on Masilo also！ I would hound them on； even if I
myself must next know their fangs。 Better to die by the teeth of the
wolves than to be sold to this fat pig of a Masilo。 Oh！ if I must wed
him； I will give him a knife for the bride's kiss。 Oh！ that I were a
lady of the ghost…wolves； there should be a picking of bones in the
kraal of Jikiza before the moon grows young again。〃
Umslopogaas heard； and of a sudden reared himself up before the maid；
and he was great and wild to look on； and the she…wolf's fangs shone
upon his brow。
〃The ghost…wolves are at hand； damsel；〃 he said。 〃They are ever at
hand for those who need them。〃
Now the maid saw him and screamed faintly； then grew silent； wondering
at the greatness and the fierce eyes of the man who spoke to her。
〃Who are you？〃 she asked。 〃I fear you not； whoever you are。〃
〃There you are wrong； damsel； for all men fear me； and they have cause
to fear。 I am one of the Wolf…Brethren； whose names have been told of；
I am a wizard of the Ghost Mountain。 Take heed； now； lest I kill you。
It will be of little avail to call upon your people； for my feet are
fleeter than theirs。〃
〃I have no wish to call upon my people； Wolf…Man；〃 she answered。 〃And
for the rest； I am too young to kill。〃
〃That is so； maiden；〃 answered Umslopogaas； looking at her beauty。
〃What were the words upon your lips as to Jikiza and a certain Masilo？
Were they not fierce words； such as my heart likes well？〃
〃It seems that you heard them；〃 answered the girl。 〃What need to waste
breath in speaking them again？〃
〃No need； maiden。 Now tell me your story； perhaps I may find a way to
help you。〃
〃There is little to tell；〃 she answered。 〃It is a small tale and a
common。 My name is Zinita； and Jikiza the Unconquered is my step…
father。 He married my mother； who is dead； but none of his blood is in
me。 Now he would give me in marriage to a certain Masilo； a fat man
and an old； whom I hate； because Masilo offers many cattle for me。〃
〃Is there； then； another whom you would wed； maiden？〃 asked
Umslopogaas。
〃There is none；〃 answered Zinita； looking him in the eyes。
〃And is there no path by which you may escape from Masilo？〃
〃There is only one path； Wolf…Manby death。 If I die； I shall escape；
if Masilo dies； I shall escape； but to little end； for I shall be
given to another； but if Jikiza dies； then it will be well。 What of
that wolf…people of yours； are they not hungry； Wolf…Man？〃
〃I cannot bring them here；〃 answered Umslopogaas。 〃Is there no other
way？〃
〃There is another way；〃 said Zinita； 〃if one can be found to try it。〃
And again she looked at him strangely； causing the blood to beat
within him。 〃Hearken！ do you not know how our people are governed？
They are governed by him who holds the axe Groan…Maker。 He that can
win the axe in war from the hand of him who holds it； shall be our
chief。 But if he who holds the axe dies unconquered； then his son
takes his place and with it the axe。 It has been thus； indeed； for
four generations； since he who held Groan…Maker has always been
unconquerable。 But I have heard that the great…grandfather of Jikiza
won the axe from him who held it in his day； he won it by fraud。 For
when the axe had fallen on him but lightly； he fell over； feigning
death。 Then the owner of the axe laughed； and turned to walk away。 But
the forefather of Jikiza sprang up behind him and pierced him through
with a spear； and thus he became chief of the People of the Axe。
Therefore； it is the custom of Jikiza to hew off the heads of those