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and； hurling him on high； cast him dead at the feet of Dingaan； crying
in a great voice：
〃Take thy servant； King！ Surely he 'sleeps in thy shadow'！〃
Then there was silence； only through the silence was heard a gasp of
fear and wonder； for no such deed as this had been wrought in the
presence of the kingno； not since the day of Senzangacona the Root。
Now Dingaan spoke； and his voice came thick with rage； and his limbs
trembled。
〃Slay him！〃 he hissed。 〃Slay the dog and all those with him！〃
〃Now we come to a game which I can play；〃 answered Umslopogaas。 〃Ho；
People of the Axe！ Will you stand to be slaughtered by these singed
rats？〃 and he pointed with Groan…Maker at those warriors who had
escaped without hurt in the fire； but whose faces the fire had
scorched。
Then for answer a great shout went up； a shout and a roar of laughter。
And this was the shout：
〃No； Slaughterer； not so are we minded！〃 and right and left they faced
to meet the foe； while from all along the companies came the crackling
of the shaken shields。
Back sprang Umslopogaas to head his men； forward leaped the soldiers
of the king to work the king's will； if so they might。 And Galazi the
Wolf also sprang forward； towards Dingaan； and； as he sprang； swung up
the Watcher； crying in a great voice：
〃Hold！〃
Again there was silence； for men saw that the shadow of the Watcher
lay dark upon the head of Dingaan。
〃It is a pity that many should die when one will suffice；〃 cried the
Wolf again。 〃Let a blow be struck； and where his shadow lies there
shall the Watcher be； and lo！ the world will lack a king。 A word；
King！〃
Now Dingaan looked up at the great man who stood above him； and felt
the shadow of the shining club lie cold upon his brow； and again he
shookthis time it was with fear。
〃Begone in peace！〃 he said。
〃A good word for thee； King；〃 said the Wolf； grinning； and slowly he
drew himself backwards towards the companies； saying； 〃Praise the
king！ The king bids his children go in peace。〃
But when Dingaan felt that his brow was no longer cold with the shadow
of death his rage came back to him； and he would have called to the
soldiers to fall upon the People of the Axe； only I stayed him；
saying：
〃Thy death is in it； O King； the Slaughterer will grind such men as
thou hast here beneath his feet； and then once more shall the Watcher
look upon thee。〃
Now Dingaan saw that this was true； and gave no command； for he had
only those men with him whom the fire had left。 All the rest were gone
to slaughter the Boers in Natal。 Still； he must have blood； so he
turned on me。
〃Thou art a traitor； Mopo； as I have known for long； and I will serve
thee as yonder dog served his faithless servant！〃 and he thrust at me
with the assegai in his hand。
But I saw the stroke； and； springing high into the air； avoided it。
Then I turned and fled very swiftly； and after me came certain of the
soldiers。 The way was not far to the last company of the People of the
Axe； moreover； it saw me coming； and； headed by Umslopogaas； who
walked behind them all； ran to meet me。 Then the soldiers who followed
to kill me hung back out of reach of the axe。
〃Here with the king is no place for me any more； my son；〃 I said to
Umslopogaas。
〃Fear not； my father； I will find you a place；〃 he answered。
Then I called a message to the soldiers who followed me； saying：
〃Tell this to the king： that he has done ill to drive me from him； for
I； Mopo； set him on the throne and I alone can hold him there。 Tell
him this also； that he will do yet worse to seek me where I am； for
that day when we are once more face to face shall be his day of death。
Thus speaks Mopo the inyanga； Mopo the doctor； who never yet
prophesied that which should not be。〃
Then we marched from the kraal Umgugundhlovu； and when next I saw that
kraal it was to burn all of it which Dingaan had left unburnt； and
when next I saw Dingaanah！ that is to be told of； my father。
We marched from the kraal； none hindering us； for there were none to
hinder； and after we had gone a little way Umslopogaas halted and
said：
〃Now it is in my mind to return whence we came and slay this Dingaan；
ere he slay me。〃
〃Yet it is well to leave a frightened lion in his thicket； my son； for
a lion at bay is hard to handle。 Doubt not that every man； young and
old； in Umgugundhlovu now stands armed about the gates； lest such a
thought should take you； my son； and though just now he was afraid；
yet Dingaan will strike for his life。 When you might have killed you
did not kill； now the hour has gone。〃
〃Wise words！〃 said Galazi。 〃I would that the Watcher had fallen where
his shadow fell。〃
〃What is your counsel now； father？〃 asked Umslopogaas。
〃This； then： that you two should abide no more beneath the shadow of
the Ghost Mountain； but should gather your people and your cattle； and
pass to the north on the track of Mosilikatze the Lion； who broke away
from Chaka。 There you may rule apart or together； and never dream of
Dingaan。〃
〃I will not do that； father；〃 he answered。 〃I will dwell beneath the
shadow of the Ghost Mountain while I may。〃
〃And so will I；〃 said Galazi； 〃or rather among its rocks。 What！ shall
my wolves lack a master when they would go a…hunting？ Shall Greysnout
and Blackfang； Blood and Deathgrip； and their company black and grey；
howl for me in vain？〃
〃So be it； children。 Ye are young and will not listen to the counsel
of the old。 Let it befall as it chances。〃
I spoke thus； for I did not know then why Umslopogaas would not leave
his kraals。 It was for this reason： because he had bidden Nada to meet
him there。
Afterwards； when he found her he would have gone； but then the sky was
clear； the danger…clouds had melted for awhile。
Oh！ that Umslopogaas my fosterling had listened to me！ Now he would
have reigned as a king； not wandered an outcast in strange lands I
know not where； and Nada should have lived； not died； nor would the
People of the Axe have ceased to be a people。
This of Dingaan。 When he heard my message he grew afraid once more；
for he knew me to be no liar。
Therefore he held his hand for awhile； sending no impi to smite
Umslopogaas； lest it might come about that I should bring him his
death as I had promised。 And before the fear had worn away； it
happened that Dingaan's hands were full with the war against the
Amaboona； because of his slaughter of the white people； and he had no
soldiers to spare with whom to wreak vengeance on a petty chief living
far away。
Yet his rage was great because of what had chanced； and； after his
custom； he murdered many innocent people to satisfy it。
CHAPTER XXIX
MOPO TELLS HIS TALE
Now afterwards； as we went upon our road； Umslopogaas told me all
there was to tell of the slaying of the Halakazi and of the finding of
Nada。
When I heard that Nada； my daughter； still lived； I wept for joy；
though like Umslopogaas I was torn by doubt and fear； for it is far
for an unaided maid to travel from Swaziland to the Ghost Mountain。
Yet all this while I said nothing to Umslopogaas of the truth as to
his birth； because on the journey there were many ar