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THE LOSS OF UMSLOPOGAAS.
Now, after the smelling out of the witch-doctors, Chaka caused a watch to be kept upon his mother Unandi, and his wife Baleka, my sister, and report was brought to him by those who watched, that the two women came to my huts by stealth, and there kissed and nursed a boy--one of my children.

Then Chaka remembered the prophecy of Nobela, the dead Isanusi, and his heart grew dark with doubt.

But to me he said nothing of the matter, for then, as always, his eyes looked over my head.

He did not fear me or believe that I plotted against him, I who was his dog.
Still, he did this, though whether by chance or design I do not know: he bade me go on a journey to a distant tribe that lived near the borders of the Amaswazi, there to take count of certain of the king's cattle which were in the charge of that tribe, and to bring him account of the tale of their increase.