become his fashion, to be protected from warlocks and witches,
amongst other things, and went to sleep.
Before I turned in I visited Umslopogaas's room to see that all was well with him and his people, and found him standing in the doorway staring at the star-spangled sky.
Greeting, Macumazahn,
he said, you who are white and wise and I who am black and a fighter have seen many strange things beneath the sun, but never such a one as we have looked upon to-night. Who and what is that chieftain-tainess, Macumazahn?
I do not know,
I said, but it is worth while to have lived to see her, even though she be veiled.
Nor do I, Macumazahn. Nay, I do know, for my heart tells me that she is the greatest of all witches and that you will do well to guard your spirit lest she should steal it away. If she were not a witch, should I have seemed to behold the shape of Nada the Lily who was the wife of my youth, beneath those white robes of hers, and though the tongue in which she spoke was strange to me, to hear the murmur of Nada's voice between her lips, of Nada who has gone further from me than those stars. It is good that you wear the Great Medicine of Zikali upon your breast, Macumazahn, for perhaps it will shield you from harm at those hands that are shaped of ivory.
Zikali is another of the tribe,
I answered, laughing, although less beautiful to see. Also I am not afraid of any of them, and from this one, if she be more than some white women whom it pleases to veil herself, I shall hope to gather wisdom.
Yes, Macumazahn, such wisdom as Spirits and the dead have to give.
Mayhap, Umslopogaas, but we came here to seek Spirits and the dead, did we not?
Aye,
answered Umslopogaas, these and war, and I think that we shall find enough of all three. Only I hope that war will come the first, lest the Spirits and the dead should bewitch me and take away my skill and courage.
Then we parted, and too tired even to wonder any more, I threw myself down on my bed and slept.
I was awakened when the sun was already high, by the sound of Robertson, who was on his knees, praying aloud as
