"
"Have no fear, Nanea, he will surely wake, his hurts are not dangerous,"
answered another voice, that of Nahoon. "He fell heavily with the weight
of the tiger on top of him, and that is why his senses have been shaken
for so long. He went near to death, but certainly he will not die."
"It would have been a pity if he had died," answered the soft voice, "he
is so beautiful; never have I seen a white man who was so beautiful."
"I did not think him beautiful when he stood with his rifle pointed at
my heart," answered Nahoon sulkily.
"Well, there is this to be said," she replied, "he wished to escape from
Cetywayo, and that is not to be wondered at," and she sighed. "Moreover
he asked you to come with him, and it might have been well if you had
done so, that is, if you would have taken me with you!"
"How could I have done it, girl?" he asked angrily. "Would you have me
set at nothing the order of the king?"
"The king!" she replied raising her voice. "What do you owe to this
king? You have served him faithfully, and your reward is that within a
few days he will take me from you--me, who should have been your wife,
and I must--I must----" And she began to weep softly, adding between
her sobs, "if you loved me truly, you would think more of me and of
yourself, and less of the Black One and his orders.
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