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probably to spy out the land。 Down he came in ever…narrowing turns；
till he reached the appointed spot for the plunge； and； according to the
immemorial custom of these birds； hung a while before he pounced with
his head to the south and his great； spreading tail towards me。
This was my chance； and； rejoicing in having so large a mark； I got the
sight upon him and pulled。 The bullet thudded； some feathers floated
from his belly； showing that it had gone home； and I looked to see him
fall as the others had done。 But alas！ he did not fall。 For a few
seconds he rocked to and fro upon his great wings； then commenced to
travel upwards in vast circles； which grew gradually more narrow； till
he appeared to be flying almost straight into the empyrean。 I stared
and stared。 Everybody stared； till that enormous bird became； first a
mere blot upon the blue； and at length but a speck。 Then it vanished
altogether into regions far beyond the sight of man。
〃Now there is an end；〃 I said to Hans。
〃Ja； baas；〃 answered the Hottentot between his chattering teeth； 〃there
is an end。 You did not put in enough powder。 Presently we shall all be
dead。〃
〃Not quite；〃 I said with a bitter laugh。 〃Hans； load the rifle； load it
quick。 Before they die there shall be another king in Zululand。〃
〃Good； good！〃 he exclaimed as he loaded desperately。 〃Let us take that
fat pig of a Dingaan with us。 Shoot him in the stomach； baas； shoot him
in the stomach； so that he too may learn what it is to die slowly。 Then
cut my throat； here is my big knife； and afterwards cut your own； if you
have not time to load the gun again and shoot yourself； which is
easier。〃
I nodded； for it was in my mind to do these things。 Never could I stand
still and see those poor Boers killed； and I knew that Marie would look
after herself。
Meanwhile； the Zulus were coming towards me； and the soldiers who had
charge of them were driving up Marais's people； making pretence to
thrust them through with their assegais； and shouting at them as men do
at cattle。 Both parties arrived in the depression at about the same
time； but remained separated by a little space。 In this space lay the
corpses of the murdered men and the two dead aasvogels； with Hans and
myself standing opposite to them。
〃Well； little Son of George；〃 puffed Dingaan； 〃you have lost your bet；
for you did but kill two vultures out of five with your magic； which was
good as far as it went； but not good enough。 Now you must pay； as I
would have paid had you won。〃
Then he stretched out his hand； and issued the dreadful order of 〃Bulala
amalongu！〃 （Kill the white people）。 〃Kill them one by one； that I may
see whether they know how to die； all except Macumazahn and the tall
girl； whom I keep。〃
Some of the soldiers made a dash and seized the Vrouw Prinsloo； who was
standing in front of the party。
〃Wait a little； King；〃 she called out as the assegais were lifted over
her。 〃How do you know that the bet is lost？ He whom you call
Macumazahn hit that last vulture。 It should be searched for before you
kill us。〃
〃What does the old woman say？〃 asked Dingaan； and Halstead translated
slowly。
〃True；〃 said Dingaan。 〃Well； now I will send her to search for the
vulture in the sky。 Come back thence； Fat One； and tell us if you find
it。〃
The soldiers lifted their assegais； waiting the king's word。 I
pretended to look at the ground； and cocked my rifle； being determined
that if he spoke it； it should be his last。 Hans stared upwardsI
suppose to avoid the sight of deaththen suddenly uttered a wild yell；
which caused everyone； even the doomed people； to turn their eyes to
him。 He was pointing to the heavens； and they looked to see at what he
pointed。
This was what they saw。 Far； far above in that infinite sea of blue
there appeared a tiny speck； which his sharp sight had already
discerned； a speck that grew larger and larger as it descended with
terrific and ever…growing speed。
_It was the king vulture falling from the heavensdead！_
Down it came between the Vrouw Prinsloo and the slayers； smashing the
lifted assegai of one of them and hurling him to the earth。 Down it
came； and lay there a mere mass of pulp and feathers。
〃O Dingaan；〃 I said in the midst of the intense silence that followed；
〃it seems that it is I who have won the bet； not you。 I killed this
king of birds； but being a king it chose to die high up and alone； that
is all。〃
Dingaan hesitated； for he did not wish to spare the Boers； and I； noting
his hesitation； lifted my rifle a little。 Perhaps he saw it； or perhaps
his sense of honour； as he understood the word； overcame his wish for
their blood。 At any rate； he said to one of his councillors：
〃Search the carcase of that vulture and see if there is a bullet hole in
it。〃
The man obeyed； feeling at the mass of broken bones and flesh。 By good
fortune he found； not the hole； for that was lost in the general
destruction of the tissues； but the ball itself； which； having pierced
the thick body from below upwards； had remained fast in the tough skin
just by the back…bone where the long； red neck emerges from between the
wings。 He picked it out； for it was only hanging in the skin； and held
it up for all to see。
〃Macumazahn has won his bet；〃 said Dingaan。 〃His magic has conquered；
though by but a very little。 Macumazahn； take these Boers； they are
yours； and begone with them out of my country。〃
CHAPTER XV
RETIEF ASKS A FAVOUR
Now and again during our troubled journey through life we reach little
oases of almost perfect happiness； set jewel…like here and there in the
thorny wilderness of time。 Sometimes these are hours of mere animal
content。 In others they are made beautiful by waters blowing from our
spiritual springs of being； as in those rare instances when the material
veil of life seems to be rent by a mighty hand； and we feel the presence
and the comfort of God within us and about us； guiding our footsteps to
the ineffable end； which is Himself。 Occasionally； however； all these；
physical satisfaction and love divine and human； are blended to a whole；
like soul and body； and we can say； 〃Now I know what is joy。〃
Such an hour came to me on the evening of that day of the winning of my
bet with Dingaan； when a dozen lives or so were set against my nerve and
skill。 These had not failed me； although I knew that had it not been
for the inspiration of the Hottentot Hans （who sent it； I wonder？） they
would have been of no service at all。 With all my thought and
experience； it had never occurred to me that the wonderful eyes of the
vultures would see the flash of the powder even through the pervading
sunlight； and swerve before the deadly bullet could reach them。
On that night I was indeed a hero in a small way。 Even Henri Marais
thawed and spoke to me a