"By all the laws of white men," he said, "I have done wrong to Sandi, because he has told me I must not fight, and, behold, I have destroyed my uncle, who was a dog, and I have driven the chief of the Akasava into the forest. But Sandi told me also that I must do what was just, and that I have done according to my lights, for I have destroyed a man who put my people to shame. Now, it seems to me that there is only one thing to do, and that is to go to Sandi, telling the truth and asking him to judge." "Lord king," said the oldest of his councillors, "what if Sandi puts you to the chain-gang?" "That is with to-morrow," quoth the king, and gave orders for preparations to be made for departure. Half-way to headquarters the two met; King Peter going down and Sanders coming up. And here befell the great incident. No word was spoken of Peter's fault before sunset; but when blue smoke arose from the fires of Houssa and warrior, and the little camp in the forest clearing was all a-chatter, Sanders took the king's arm and led him along the forest path. Peter told his tale and Sanders listened. "And what of the chief of the Akasava?" he asked. "Master," said the king, "he fled to the forest cursing me, and with him went many bad men." Sanders nodded again gravely. They talked of many things till the sun threw long shadows, and then they turned to retrace their footsteps. They were within half a mile of the camp and the faint noise of men laughing, and the faint scent of fires burning came to them, when the chief of the Akasava stepped out from behind a tree and stood directly in their path. With him were some eight fighting men fully armed. "Lord king," said the chief of the Akasava, "I have been waiting for you." The king made neither movement nor reply, but Sanders reached for his revolver. His hand closed on the butt, when something struck him and he went down like a log. "Now we will kill the king of the Isisi, and the white man also." The voice was the chief's, but Sanders was not taking any particular interest in the conversation, because there was a hive of wild bees buzzing in his head, and a maze of pain; he felt sick. "If you kill me it is little matter," said the king's voice, "because there are many men who can take my place; but if you slay Sandi, you slay the father of the people, and none can replace him." "He whipped you, little king," said the chief of the Akasava mockingly. "I would throw him into the river," said a strange voice after a long interval; "thus shall no trace be found of him, and no man will lay his death to our door." "What of the king?" said another. Then came a crackling of twigs and the voices of men. "They are searching," whispered a voice. "King, if you speak I will kill you now." "Kill!" said the young king's even voice, and shouted, "Oh, M'sabo! Beteli! Sandi is here!" That was all Sandi heard. * * * * *