The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-09-20
CHAPTER XVI.

q
Ere the cords had left his lips the Sl0ugII-
tercr Jedpcd.
"How are you named?' said Dingaan.
eve are named Bulalio the Slaugh-
terer and Galazi the Wolf. o king" said
UmslopOgaas.
"Was it thou who didst send certain
message to the Black One who is dead.
Bulalio?''
yes, o king, l sent message. but
from all l have heard Masilo, my mes
senger. gave more than the message, for
he stabbed the Black One. Masilo had
an evil heart"
Now Dipgaan WINGED, for he knew
well that he himself and one Umbova
had stabbed the Black One. but he
thought that this outland chief had not
heard that tale, so he said no more OF
the message.
How is it that We dare to come be-
fore me armed? Know We not the rule
that he who comes armed before the
king dies?"
I'VE have not heard that rule. .
king said UmslopOgaas. Moreover.
there is this to be told-by virtue of the
AK | bear | rule alone. If l am se"u
without the AK then may any man take
my place who can, for the ax is chief of
the People of the Ak, and he who holds
it is the servant"
"a strange law" said Dingaan, but
let it pass. And thou, Wolf, what hast
thou to say of that great club of thine
There is this to be told of the club
| o king" answered Galazi, by virtue
of the club guard my life; if am seen
without the club then may any man take
my life who can. for the club is my
Watcher, not l watcher of the club.
Never vast thou nearer TO the losing
of both club aud life" said bingham
angrily.
1T may be so, o king" answered the
Wolf. When the hour. is then without
a doubt shall the Watcher cease from
his watching"
''Ye are a strange pair" quoth Din
gaan. Where have we been now, and
what is your business at the Place of the
ELEPHANT
| we have been in far land. o king
answered UmslOpogaas. We have
| wandered in Il far land to search for a
! flower to be a gift to king, and in our
searching we have trampled a SwaZ!
| garden fiat, and yonder are some Of
those who tended it," and he pointed to
the captives. and without are the cattle
! that pl0wed it.
Good! Slaughterer, l see the gar
! deners and hear the lowing of the cattle.
but what of the flower? Where is this
! flower You went so far to dig III swan
soil? Was it a lily bloom, perchance|
at was lily bloom. . king, and yet.
alas. the lily has withered. Nothing :
! left but the stalk. white and withered iss
| are the bones of men"
What meanest thouT' said DinGaan,
starting to his feet.
That the king shall learn" answered
Umslopogaas. and turning he spoke d
word to the captains who were behind
him. Presently the ranks opened up
and from the rear of the companies four
men ran forward. On their shoulders
they bore a stretcher, and on the stretch
er lay something wrapped about with
raw OK hides and bound around with
rimpis The men saluted and laid the
stretcher before the king.
"Openr' said the Slaughterer, and
they opened, and there within the hide
packed in salt, lay the body Of girl
who once was tall and fair.
Here lies the lily stalk, o king" said
Umslopogaas, pointing with the ak.
but if her flower blooms on any air IT IS
not here"
Now Dingaan stared.
Take away this carIiOn and cast 1t to
the dogs!- he cried. Take it away, and
thou, Slaughterer. tell me now how IT
| came about that the maid was slain. 1t
will be well for thee if thou hast "A good
answer, for know thy life hangs on the
words"
So Umpslopogaas told the king all
that tale which had been made ready
against the wrath of Dingaan. And
when he had finished GalaZi told his tale
of how he had seen the soldier shay the
maid and i'll his wrath had slain the sol
der. Then certain of the captains who
had seen the soldier and the maid lying
in one death came forward and spoke
to it.
Now Dingaan was sorely angered.
Get you hence, you and your peo-
pie" he said to the Wolf Brethren. Il
take the cattle and the captives. Be
thankful that take not all your lives
also-first because ye have dared to
make war without my word and second
" because, having made war. ye have
SO brought it about that though ye bring
me the body of Der / sought ye do not
bring the life"
Now, when the king spoke of taking
the lives of all the People of the Ak
U1nslopogaas smiled grimly and glanced
at his companies. Then salutirg the