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but it wasor rather is； for I have it stilla wonderfully good
portrait of her； for whether Zikali was or was not a wizard； he was
certainly a good artist。 There she stands； her body a little bent； her
arms outstretched； her head held forward with the lips parted； just as
though she were about to embrace somebody； and in one of her hands； cut
also from the white sap of the umzimbiti； she grasps a human
heartSaduko's； I presume； or perhaps Umbelazi's。
Nor was this all； for the figure was wrapped in a woman's hair； which I
knew at once for that of Mameena； this hair being held in place by the
necklet of big blue beads she used to wear about her throat。
* * * * *
Some five years had gone by； during which many things had happened to me
that need not be recorded here； when one day I found myself in a rather
remote part of the Umvoti district of Natal； some miles to the east of a
mountain called the Eland's Kopje； whither I had gone to carry out a big
deal in mealies； over which； by the way； I lost a good bit of money。
That has always been my fate when I plunged into commercial ventures。
One night my wagons； which were overloaded with these confounded
weevilly mealies； got stuck in the drift of a small tributary of the
Tugela that most inopportunely had come down in flood。 Just as darkness
fell I managed to get them up the bank in the midst of a pelting rain
that soaked me to the bone。 There seemed to be no prospect of lighting
a fire or of obtaining any decent food； so I was about to go to bed
supperless when a flash of lightning showed me a large kraal situated
upon a hillside about half a mile away； and an idea entered my mind。
〃Who is the headman of that kraal？〃 I asked of one of the Kafirs who had
collected round us in our trouble； as such idle fellows always do。
〃Tshoza； Inkoosi；〃 answered the man。
〃Tshoza！ Tshoza！〃 I said； for the name seemed familiar to me。 〃Who is
Tshoza？〃
〃Ikona ＇I don't know＇； Inkoosi。 He came from Zululand some years ago
with Saduko the Mad。〃
Then； of course； I remembered at once； and my mind flew back to the
night when old Tshoza； the brother of Matiwane； Saduko's father； had cut
out the cattle of the Bangu and we had fought the battle in the pass。
〃Oh！〃 I said； 〃is it so？ Then lead me to Tshoza； and I will give you a
'Scotchman。'〃 （That is； a two…shilling piece； so called because some
enterprising emigrant from Scotland passed off a vast number of them
among the simple natives of Natal as substitutes for half…crowns。）
Tempted by this liberal offerand it was very liberal； because I was
anxious to get to Tshoza's kraal before its inhabitants went to bedthe
meditative Kafir consented to guide me by a dark and devious path that
ran through bush and dripping fields of corn。 At length we arrivedfor
if the kraal was only half a mile away； the path to it covered fully two
milesand glad enough was I when we had waded the last stream and found
ourselves at its gate。
In response to the usual inquiries； conducted amid a chorus of yapping
dogs； I was informed that Tshoza did not live there； but somewhere else；
that he was too old to see anyone； that he had gone to sleep and could
not be disturbed； that he was dead and had been buried last week； and so
forth。
〃Look here； my friend；〃 I said at last to the fellow who was telling me
all these lies； 〃you go to Tshoza in his grave and say to him that if he
does not come out alive instantly； Macumazahn will deal with his cattle
as once he dealt with those of Bangu。〃
Impressed with the strangeness of this message； the man departed； and
presently； in the dim light of the rain…washed moon； I perceived a
little old man running towards me； for Tshoza； who was pretty ancient at
the beginning of this history； had not been made younger by a severe
wound at the battle of the Tugela and many other troubles。
〃Macumazahn；〃 he said； 〃is that really you？ Why； I heard that you were
dead long ago； yes； and sacrificed an ox for the welfare of your
Spirit。〃
〃And ate it afterwards； I'll be bound；〃 I answered。
〃Oh！ it must be you；〃 he went on； 〃who cannot be deceived； for it is
true we ate that ox； combining the sacrifice to your Spirit with a
feast； for why should anything be wasted when one is poor？ Yes； yes； it
must be you； for who else would come creeping about a man's kraal at
night； except the Watcher…by…Night？ Enter； Macumazahn； and be welcome。〃
So I entered and ate a good meal while we talked over old times。
〃And now； where is Saduko？〃 I asked suddenly as I lit my pipe。
〃Saduko？〃 he answered； his face changing as he spoke。 〃Oh！ of course he
is here。 You know I came away with him from Zululand。 Why？ Well； to
tell the truth； because after the part we had playedagainst my will；
Macumazahnat the battle of Endondakusuka； I thought it safer to be
away from a country where those who have worn their karosses inside out
find many enemies and few friends。〃
〃Quite so；〃 I said。 〃But about Saduko？〃
〃Oh； I told you； did I not？ He is in the next hut； and dying！〃
〃Dying！ What of； Tshoza？〃
〃I don't know；〃 he answered mysteriously； 〃but I think he must be
bewitched。 For a long while； a year or more； he has eaten little and
cannot bear to be alone in the dark； indeed； ever since he left Zululand
he has been very strange and moody。〃
Now I remembered what old Zikali had said to me years before to the
effect that Saduko was living with a ghost which would kill him。
〃Does he think much about Umbelazi； Tshoza？〃 I asked。
〃O Macumazana； he thinks of nothing else； the Spirit of Umbelazi is in
him day and night。〃
〃Indeed；〃 I said。 〃Can I see him？〃
〃I don't know； Macumazahn。 I will go and ask the lady Nandie at once；
for； if you can； I believe there is no time to lose。〃 And he left the
hut。
Ten minutes later he returned with a woman； Nandie the Sweet herself；
the same quiet； dignified Nandie whom I used to know； only now somewhat
worn with trouble and looking older than her years。
〃Greeting； Macumazahn；〃 she said。 〃I am pleased to see you； although it
is strange； very strange； that you should come here just at this time。
Saduko is leaving uson a long journey； Macumazahn。〃
I answered that I had heard so with grief； and wondered whether he would
like to see me。
〃Yes； very much； Macumazahn； only be prepared to find him different from
the Saduko whom you knew。 Be pleased to follow me。〃
So we went out of Tshoza's hut； across a courtyard to another large hut；
which we entered。 It was lit with a good lamp of European make； also a
bright fire burned upon the hearth； so that the place was as light as
day。 At the side of the hut a man lay upon some blankets； watched by a
woman。 His eyes were covered with his hand； and he was moaning：
〃Drive him away！ Drive him away！ Cannot he suffer me to die in peace？〃
〃Would you drive away your old friend； Macumazahn； Saduko？〃 asked Nandie
very gently； 〃Macumazahn； who has come from far to see you？〃
He sat up； and； the blankets falling off him； showed me that he was
nothing but a living skeleton。 Oh！ how changed from that lithe and
handsome chief whom I used to know