considerable.

In the end, however, he had returned to his petty tribe, neglecting
larger opportunities, as Thomas learned, because of some woman to whom
he was attached at home. It seemed, however, that he might as well have
stayed away, since on his arrival he found that this woman had become
one of the Chief's wives, for which reason he afterwards killed that
Chief, Kosa's father, and possessed himself of the woman, who died
immediately afterwards, as Menzi suspected by poisoning. It was
principally for this reason that he hated Kosa, his enemy's son, and all
who clung to him; and partly because of that hatred and the fear that it
engendered Kosa and his people had turned Christian, hoping to protect
themselves thus against Menzi and his wizardries. Also for this dead
woman's sake, Menzi had never married again.

Thomas did not learn all these details, and others that need not be
mentioned, at once, but by the time he crept out from under that wagon
he had guessed enough to show that he was face to face with a very tough
proposition, and being the man he was, he girded his loins to meet it,
vowing that he would conquer Menzi or die in the attempt.

That very morning he called a council of the Christians and set to work
with a will. The first thing to do was to make the late missionary's
huts habitable, which did not take long, and the next to commence the
rebuilding of the church. Thomas, true to his principles, insisted on
beginning with the church and letting the mission-house stand over,
although Dorcas, small blame to her, complained at being obliged to live
for an indefinite time in a hut like a Kaffir woman. However, as usual,
she was obliged to give way.