THE PASSING OF OWEN Once she was outside of Owen's house, Noma did not tarry.

First she returned to Hokosa's kraal, where she had already learnt from his head wife, Zinti, and others the news of his betrayal of the plot of Hafela, of his conversion to the faith of the Christians, and of the march of the _impi_ to ambush the prince.

Here she took a little spear, and rolling up in a skin blanket as much dried meat as she could carry, she slipped unnoticed from the kraal.

Her object was to escape from the Great Place, but this she did not try to do by any of the gates, knowing them to be guarded.

Some months ago, before she started on her embassy, she had noted a weak spot in the fence, where dogs had torn a hole through which they passed out to hunt at night.