Nada the Lily

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

ed 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 them-old men, young men, women, children, little babies at the breast-there they lay among t

ounded, 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 bodie

e said. "Have you not

stranger and did n

e said; "there is a sprin

it, but I dragged them out, and when the water had cleared a little I filled the gourd and brought

come to thi

band, with him who lies there, and the children. We all ran out. My husband had a spear and shield. He was a brave man. See! he died bravely: he killed three of the Zulu devils before he himself was dead. Then they caught

gave a great

found out the path of the Great Spirit, that is all. I was a chicken in those days, my father; afterwards I got used to such sights. They did not stir me any more, not one whit. But then in the days of Chaka the rivers ran blood-yes, we had to look at t

t they should do so; men were looking for their wives, and mothers for their children. But we were afraid that they might be angry with us for being there, so we clung togeth

Baleka said that we had better sit down and die, for then there would be no more trouble. So we sat down by a spring. But I did not wish to die yet, though Baleka was right, and it would have been well to do so. As we sat, the dog Koos went to a bush that was near, and presently I heard him spring at something and the sound of struggling. I ran to the bush-he had caught hold of a duiker buck, as big as himself, that was asleep in it. Then I drove my spear into the buck and shouted for joy, for here was food. When the buck was dead I skinned him, and we took bits of the flesh, washed them in the water, a

at in this direction lay the kraal of Chaka. We ran for the river-where else were we to run? And after us came the warriors. They gained on us; they were strong, and they were angry because they had come so far. Run as we would, still they gained. Now we neared th

what shall we d

swered; "perish on the spears o

water than on ir

head of the pool. We threw away our blankets-everything except an assegai, which I held in my teeth-and we plunged in, wading as far as we co

drown; and if you do not drown we know a ford, and we will catch you and kill you-yes! if we must run over the edge of

ravely; but the water pushed her down below me, and I could do nothing to help her. I got my foot upon the rock and looked round. There she was, and eight paces from her the broken water boiled. I could not go back. I was too weak, and it seemed that she must perish. But the dog Koos saw. He swam towards her, barking, then turned round, heading for the shore. She grasped him by the tail with her right hand.

saw that we had crossed, they shouted th

said: "they have

e die!" sh

on as fast as we could up the long rise. For two hours we walked, or more, till a

d. "See, there is t

waits us there? Death is behind us and b

had travelled. We followed the path till at last we were but half an hour's journey from the kraal. Then w

soldiers growling, his hair standing up on his spine. They tried to kill him with spears and kerries, but he jumped round them, biting at them, and kept them back. At last a man hit him, and he sprang up and seized the man by the throat. There he clung, man and dog ro

ust. The four soldiers, leaving the dead dog and the dying man, came after us swiftly. I saw that they must catch us before we reached the gate, for now Baleka could go but slowly. T

e of the kraal. But I sat down on the veldt to get my breath again, for I was about to fight four men till I was killed. My heart beat and the blood drummed

d he also thrust, but over me, his spear only cutting the flesh of my shoulder-see! here is its scar; yes, to this day. And my assegai? Ah! it went home; it ran through and through his middle. He rolled over and over on the plain. The dust hid him; only I was now weaponless, for the haft of my spear-it was but a light throwing assegai-broke in two, leaving nothing but a little bit of stick in my hand. And the other one was upon me. Then in the darkness I saw a light. I fell on to

enseless, and I stood by her. And there, too, I should have been killed, had not this chanced, since the other two men, having stayed one instant by their dead fellows, came on against me mad with rage. For at that moment the gate of the kraal opened, and

g was going on, and ran up j

to kill at the gate of the Elephant's

rs who have done wickedness and murder in our kraal. See! but now two of us are d

the soldiers; "ask too that he

still quite young in years. For he was taller by a head than any round him, and his chest was big as the ch

tir up dust at the gates of m

s, bending himself double before him, "the men say that th

ed. "Let them sla

, great chief!" said those men of

d and turned loose to seek their way home, because they have dared to lift a spear within the Zulu gates. Now praise on, my child

ried out in fear, for they did

s asleep and helpless. Kill her! What? you hesitate? Nay, then, if you will have time for thought, I give it. Take these men, smear them with honey, and pin them over ant-heaps; b

I spoke, for the soldi

"I am Mopo, and this

hout of laughter went up

" said Chaka, grimly. "Good-morning to

o, when we were both little. Then thou badest me come to thee when thou hadst grown great, vowing that thou wouldst protect me

are no liars," he said. "Welcome, Mopo! Thou shalt be a dog in my hut, and feed from my hand. But of thy sister

ef!" I answered, boldly; "also because

said Chaka. And they d

rant thee the boon. She also shall lie in my hut, and be of the num

but one thing-that he would that the dog Koos had not been killed; since, if he had still been a

rder-perhaps you two saw it as you travelled. This man and three others attacked a soldier of that kraal who defended his wife and children. The man fought well-he slew three of my people. Then this dog was afraid to meet him face to face. He killed him with a throwing assegai, and afterwards he stabbed the woman. That is nothing; but he should have fought the

each of them was willing to die that the other might go free. Therefor

falls uppermost the tall man shall go free; if the shaft falls uppermost, then life is to the short one, so!" And he sent the

and say to him, Thus says Chaka, the Lion of the Zulu-ka-Malandela, 'Years ago thy tribe r

dog to climb the roof of a hut. The saying conve

ther by the hand, and went, b

hey had praised the prince they fought fiercely, and the end of it was that the man of my people conquered the Zul

peed slowly. There was only one good thing in the cruel heart of Chaka, that he would always save the life of a brave man if he could do so without making his word nothing