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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
whom he kills with the axe。〃
〃Does he； then； slay many？〃 asked Umslopogaas。
〃Of late years； few indeed；〃 she said； 〃for none dare stand against
himno； not with all to win。 For； holding the axe Groan…Maker； he is
unconquerable； and to fight with him is sure death。 Fifty…and…one have
tried in all； and before the hut of Jikiza there are piled fifty…and…
one white skulls。 And know this； the axe must be won in fight； if it
is stolen or found； it has no virtuenay； it brings shame and death
to him who holds it。〃
〃How； then； may a man give battle to Jikiza？〃 he asked again。
〃Thus： Once in every year； on the first day of the new moon of the
summer season； Jikiza holds a meeting of the headmen。 Then he must
rise and challenge all or any to come forward and do battle with him
to win the axe and become chief in his place。 Now if one comes
forward； they go into the cattle kraal； and there the matter is ended。
Afterwards； when the head is hewn from his foe； Jikiza goes back to
the meeting of the headmen； and they talk as before。 All are free to
come to the meeting； and Jikiza must fight with them if they wish it；
whoever they be。〃
〃Perhaps I shall be there；〃 said Umslopogaas。
〃After this meeting at the new moon； I am to be given in marriage to
Masilo；〃 said the maid。 〃But should one conquer Jikiza； then he will
be chief； and can give me in marriage to whom he will。〃
Now Umslopogaas understood her meaning； and knew that he had found
favour in her sight； and the thought moved him a little； for women
were strange to him as yet。
〃If perchance I should be there；〃 he said； 〃and if perchance I should
win the iron chieftainess； the axe Groan…Maker； and rule over the
People of the Axe； you should not live far from the shadow of the axe
thenceforward； maid Zinita。〃
〃It is well； Wolf…Man； though some might not wish to dwell in that
shadow； but first you must win the axe。 Many have tried； and all have
failed。〃
〃Yet one must succeed at last；〃 he said； 〃and so； farewell！〃 and he
leaped into the torrent of the river； and swam it with great strokes。
Now the maid Zinita watched him till he was gone； and love of him
entered into her hearta love that was fierce and jealous and strong。
But as he wended to the Ghost Mountain Umslopogaas thought rather of
axe Groan…Maker than of Maid Zinita； for ever； at the bottom；
Umslopogaas loved war more than women； though this has been his fate；
that women have brought sorrow on his head。
Fifteen days must pass before the day of the new moon； and during this
time Umslopogaas thought much and said little。 Still； he told Galazi
something of the tale； and that he was determined to do battle with
Jikiza the Unconquered for the axe Groan…Maker。 Galazi said that he
would do well to let it be； and that it was better to stay with the
wolves than to go out seeking strange weapons。 He said also that even
if he won the axe； the matter might not stay there； for he must take
the girl also； and his heart boded no good of women。 It had been a
girl who poisoned his father in the kraals of the Halakazi。 To all of
which Umslopogaas answered nothing； for his heart was set both on the
axe and the girl； but more on the first than the last。
So the time wore on； and at length came the day of the new moon。 At
the dawn of that day Umslopogaas arose and clad himself in a moocha；
binding the she…wolf's skin round his middle beneath the moocha。 In
his hand he took a stout fighting…shield； which he had made of buffalo
hide； and that same light moon…shaped axe with which he had slain the
captain of Chaka。
〃A poor weapon with which to kill Jikiza the Unconquerable；〃 said
Galazi； eyeing it askance。
〃It shall serve my turn；〃 answered Umslopogaas。
Now Umslopogaas ate； and then they moved together slowly down the
mountain and crossed the river by a ford； for he wished to save his
strength。 On the farther side of the river Galazi hid himself in the
reeds； because his face was known； and there Umslopogaas bade him
farewell； not knowing if he should look upon him again。 Afterwards he
walked up to the Great Place of Jikiza。 Now when he reached the gates
of the kraal； he saw that many people were streaming through them； and
mingled with the people