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"Efobi of the Isisi has stolen goats, and because he is the brother of the chief's wife goes unpunished; T'mara of the Akasava has put a curse upon the wife of O'femo the headman, and she has burnt his hut; N'kema of the Ochori will not pay his tax, saying that he is no Ochori man, but a true N'gombi; Bosambo's men have beaten a woodman of B'limi Saka, because he planted trees on Ochori land; the well folk are on the edge of the N'gomb forest, building huts and singing "
"M'gani," said he, at parting, "where do you go now? tell me that I may send cunning men to guard you, for there is a bad spirit in this land, especially amongst the people of Lombobo, because I have offended B'limi Saka, the chief." "No soldiers do I need, O Bosambo," said the other. "Yet I tell you this that I go to quiet places to learn that which will be best for my people." He turned to go.
But Bosambo set himself to enlarge his borders by a single expedient. Wherever his hunters came upon a red gum tree they cut it down. B'limi Saka, the chief of the sullen Lombobo, retaliated by planting red gum saplings on the country between the forest and the river a fact of which Bosambo was not aware until he suddenly discovered a huge wedge of red gum driven into his lawful territory.
"I have given my word that the red gum lands are the territory of B'limi Saka, and since you have only your cunning to thank Oh, cutter of trees I cannot help you!"
B'limi Saka, the chief of the land, himself a believer in devils, was especially perturbed lest the Silent Walker should be a spy of Government, for he had been guilty of practices which were particularly obnoxious to the white men who were so swift to punish. Lamalana, with her man shoulders and her flat face, peered at her grizzled father sideways.
There was a whisper of terror "The Walker of the Night! " and the people fell back ... a woman screamed and fell into a fit. "O woman," said M'gani, "deliver to me these little children who have done no evil." Open-mouthed the half-demented daughter of B'limi Saka stared at him.
"Devils hear hearts," she said huskily, "and when they talk of killings and sacrifices are not all devils pleased? Now I tell you this, my father, that I wait for sacrifices which you swore by death you would show me." B'limi Saka looked round fearfully.
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