“Twelve moons,” she went on, “and, Macumazahn, not one of them has gone by but I have thought of you several times and wondered if we should ever meet again.  Where have you been all this while?”

“In many places,” I answered; “amongst others at the Black Kloof, where I called upon the dwarf, Zikali, and lost my looking-glass.”

“The Nyanga, Zikali!  Oh, how often have I wished to see him.  But, of course, I cannot, for I am told he will not receive any women.”

“I don’t know, I am sure,” I replied, “but you might try; perhaps he would make an exception in your favour.”

“I think I will, Macumazahn,” she murmured, whereon I collapsed into silence, feeling that things were getting beyond me.

When I recovered myself a little it was to hear Mameena greeting Saduko with much effusion, and complimenting him on his rise in life, which she said she had always foreseen.  This remark seemed to bowl out Saduko also, for he made no answer to it, although I noticed that he could not take his eyes off Mameena’s beautiful face.  Presently, however, he seemed to become aware of Masapo, and instantly his whole demeanour changed, for it grew proud and even terrible.  Masapo tendered him some greeting; whereon Saduko turned upon him and said: 

“What, chief of the Amasomi, do you give the good-day to an umfokazana and a mangy hyena?  Why do you do this?  Is it because the low umfokazana has become a noble and the mangy hyena has put on a tiger’s coat?” And he glared at him like a veritable tiger.

Masapo made no answer that I could catch.  Muttering some inaudible words, he turned to depart, and in doing so—­quite innocently, I think—­struck Nandie, knocking her over on to her back and causing the child to fall out of her arms in such fashion that its tender head struck against a pebble with sufficient force to cause it to bleed.

Saduko leapt at him, smiting him across the shoulders with the little stick that he carried.  For a moment Masapo paused, and I thought that he was going to show fight.  If he had any such intention, however, he changed his mind, for without a word, or showing any resentment at the insult which he had received, he broke into a heavy run and vanished among the evening shadows.  Mameena, who had observed all, broke into something else, namely, a laugh.

“Piff!  My husband is big yet not brave,” she said, “but I do not think he meant to hurt you, woman.”

“Do you speak to me, wife of Masapo?” asked Nandie with gentle dignity, as she gained her feet and picked up the stunned child.  “If so, my name and titles are the Inkosazana Nandie, daughter of the Black One and wife of the lord Saduko.”

“Your pardon,” replied Mameena humbly, for she was cowed at once.  “I did not know who you were, Inkosazana.”

“It is granted, wife of Masapo.  Macumazahn, give me water, I pray you, that I may bathe the head of my child.”