She started back, flushing with anger, less at the robbery than at the ruffianly manner of its perpetration, but her anger was dashed with a chill, sinking feeling of terror. She was so entirely within the power of these two savages. Then she remembered how John Ames had laid down, in the course of one of their numerous conversations, that in dealing with natives it never did to let them think you were afraid of them. "Why did you do that?" she said, looking him straight in the face, her eyes showing more contempt than anger. "You--a policeman? I would have given you all that money if you had asked me, and more, too, when you had taken me where I wanted to go." Her utterance was purposely slow, clear and deliberate. The big native had sufficient knowledge of English to enable him to understand at any rate the gist of her rebuke. But he only scowled, and made no reply. Then the small man began to address her volubly in Sindabele, but to each of his remarks or questions Nidia could only shake her head. She understood not one word of them. Having satisfied himself to that extent, he left off talking to her, and, turning to the other, began a long and earnest discussion, of which it was just as well that Nidia could not understand a word. "See, Nanzicele," the short man was saying. "This woman has walked right into our hands. The whites are all killed. Now, kill her." But the other shook his head with a dissentient grunt. "One blow of that heavy stick in thy belt, and that head will fly to pieces like a pumpkin rolling down a hill. Or why not cut that white throat and see the red blood flow? _Au_! The red blood, flowing over a white skin--a skin as white as milk--and the red of the blood--ah--ah! It will be acceptable to Umlimo, that blood. See, Nanzicele, thou hast a knife that is sharp. The red blood will flow as it did from the throat of the wife of thy captain in the hut but two nights ago." Again the tall barbarian grunted dissent. "I like not this killing of women, Umtwana 'Mlimo," he answered. "This woman has never harmed me. I will not kill her." "What about Nompiza?" said the small demon, with his head on one side. "_Au_! thou didst laugh when she splashed into the water-hole in the moonlight." "She did harm me, in that she scorned and mocked me. Yet, I liked not that deed either, Shiminya." "Yonder dogs, shall we call them and set them on to devour this white witch?" went on the sorcerer. "They are hungry, and she is defenceless. We shall laugh at her face of terror when they attack her on all sides, and then, when they rend her limb from limb--they shall eat white meat for once. _Au_! It will be a sacrifice pleasing to Umlimo."