Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-11-01
MAIWA'S REVENGE
Bv Il. RIDER HAGGARD.

tale to the headmen, and this she did most
simply and effectively. She reminded them
that she had gone as an unwilling bride to
Wambe; that no cattle had been paid for her,
because Wambe had threatened war if she
was not sent as free gift since she had
entered the kraal of Wambe her days had
been days Of heaviness, and her nights nights
of weeping. She had been beaten, she had
been neglected, and made to do the work of
low born wife-she, a chiefs daughter.
She had borne a child and this was the story
of the child Then, amidst dead silence,
she told them the awful tale which she had
already narrated to me. When she had fin
ished, her hearers gave loud ejaculation.
Our they said-'ou, Maiwa, daughter of
Nalap
SAY, she went on, with flashing eyes
say, it is true My mouth is as full of truth
as flower Of honey, and for tears my eyes
are like the dew upon the grass at dawn. 1t
is true; | saw the child die. Here is the
proof Of it, councilors;' and she drew forth
the little dead hand, and held it before them.
"'Our they said sgain-'oul it is the dead
hand
Eyes she continued, lit is the dead hand
of my dead child, and l bear it with me that
may never forget, never Tor one short hour,
that may see Wambe die and be avenged.
Will you bear with it, my father, that your
daughter and your daughters child should
be SO treated by Matukul VIM We bear it,
men OF my own peopleF
emo said an old Induna, rising; sit is
not to be borne Enough have We suffered
at the hands of these Matuku dogs and their
loud tongued chief Let Us put it to the
issue
at is not to be borne indeed, said Nala;
but how can we make head against so great
peopleP
"'Ask of him-ask of Macumazahn the
wise white man. said Maiwa, pointing to
me.
"'How can we overcome Wambe, Macu
mazahn the hunterP
"'How does the jackal overreach the lion,
NalaF
"'By cleverness, Macumazahn.'
$50 shall you overcome Wambe, Nala.'
"At this moment an interruption occurred.
A man entered, and said that messengers had
arrived from Wambe.
H'What is their messenger asked Nala
"'They come TO ask that thy daughter
Maiwa be sent back, and with her the white
hunter
How shall make answer to this, Macu-
mazahnP said Nala, when the man had with
drawn.
Thus shalt thou answer | said, after re-
Election. Say that the woman shall be sent
and with her, and then bid the messengers
begone. Stay; Twill hide myself here in the
hut that the men may not see me- And
did.
''Shortly afterward, through crack in
the hut, | saw the messengers arrive, and
great truculent looking fellows they were.
There were four Of them, and they had evil
IDENTIFY Travelled hard They entered with
swagger and squatted down before Nala.
" Your businessp said Nala, frowning.
"'We come from Wambe. bearing the or
ders of Wambe to Nala his servant an
swered the spokesman of the party
"'Speak, said Nala, with a curious twitch
of his nervous looking mouth.
''These are the words of Wambe, "Send
back the woman, my wife, who has run away
from my kraal, and send with her the white
man who has dared to hunt in my country
without my leave and to Stay my soldiers"
These are the words of Wambe'
"'Aud il l say 1 will not send themF
asked Nala
"'Then, on behalf of Wambe, we declare
war upon you. Wambe will eat you up. He
will wipe you out. Your kraals shall be
stamped hat-so;' and with an expressive
gesture, he drew his hand across his mouth
TO show complete would be the humiliation
of the chief who dared to defy Wambe.
"These are heavy words said Nala Let
me think before give an answer
"Then followed a little piece of acting that
was really very creditable to the untutored
savage mind. The heralds withdrew, but
not out Of sight, and Nala went through the
show of earnestly consulting his lndunas
The girl, Maiwa, too flung herself at his
feet, and appeared TO weep and implore his
protection, while he wrung his hands as
though in doubt and tribulation Of mind At
length he summoned the messengers to draw
near and addressed them, while Maiwa sob
bed very realistically at his side.
"'Wambe is a great chief said Nala, and
this woman is his wife, whom he has a right
to claim. She must return to him, but her
feet are sore with walking. She cannot como
now. In eight days from this day shc shall
be delivered at the kraal of Wambc / will |
send her with party of my men. As for
the w4ite hunter and his men, have naught |
to do with them, and cannot answer for their |
misdeeds. They have wandered hitler I'M
asked by me, and will deliver them back |
whence they came, that Wambe may judge |
them according to his law. They shall be |
sent with the girl. For you, 60 your ways. 1
Food shall be given you without the luaal |
ana present for Mambe in atonement Of /
the ill-doing Of my daughter. have spoken l
''At first the heralds seemed inclined to in
sist upon Maiwas accompanying them then
and there, but ultimately, on being shown /
the swollen condition of her feet, they gave /
up the point and departed
when they were well out of the way /
emerged from the hut, and we went on to
discuss the situation and make our plans
First of all, as 1 was careful to explain to
Nala, was not going to give him my expert
ence and services for nothing. heard that
Wambe had a stockade round his kraal made
of elephant tusks These tusks, in the event
of our succeeding in our enterprise, | should
claim as my perquisite, with the proviso that
Nala should furnish me with men to carry
them down TO the coast.
$40 this modest request he and the head
men gave an unqualified and hearty assent,
the more hearty, perhaps, because they
never expected to finger them.
No. - 4 I