Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1890-02-08

Qrlka VINO were struggling, ana, WHAT
was more, the woman was getting the
better of the man, strong as he was. /
rushed toward them. Now she was up
permost, now she had wrenched herself
from his fierce grip, and now the great
knife she had in her hand flashed up.
But was behind her, and, getting my
hands beneath her arms, jerked with all
my strength. She fell backwards, and,
| in her effort to save herself, most for
tunately dropped the knife. Then we
flung ourselves upon her. Heavens! the
strength of that she devil! Nobody who
has not experienced it could believe i.
| She fought and scratched and bit, and
at one time nearly mastered the two Of
us. AS it was she did break loose.
She rushed at the bed, sprung on it, and
bounded thence straight up at the roof
of the hut. l never saw such a jump,
and could not conceive what she meant
to do. In the roof We're the peculiar
holes which l have described. They
were designed to admit light, and COW
cred with overhanging caves. She sprung
straight and true like a monkey, and,
catching the edge of the hole with her
hands strove to draw herself through it.
But here her strength, exhausted with
the long struggle, failed her. For mo-
ment she swung, then dropped to the
ground and fell senseless.
Our gasped Indaba-zimbi. LET us
tie the devil up before she comes to life
again"
l thought this a good counsel, so we
took rein that lay in the ccrner cf the
room, and dashed her hands and feet in
such a fashion that even she could
scarcely escape. Then we carried her
into the passage, and Indaba-zimbi sat
over her, the knife in his hand, for did
not wish to raise an alarm at that hour
of the night.
"Do you know how caught her, Macu-
mazahn?" he said. "For several nights
have slept here with one eye open, for
I thought she had made a plan. To-
night kept wide awake, though pre-
tended to be asleep. An hour after you
got into the blankets the moon rose, and
! saw beam Of light come into the hut
through the hole in the roof. Presently
l saw the beam of light vanish. AT first
l thought that cloud was passing over
the moon, but listened and heard a
noise as though some one was squeezing
himself through a narrow place. Pres
emily he was through and hanging by
his hands. Then the light came in again,
and in the middle of it 1 saw the babyan-
frau swinging from the roof, and about
to drop into the hut She chung by both
hands, and in her mouth was a great
knife. She dropped, and ran forward
to seize her as she dropped, and gripped
her round the middle. But she heard
me come, and, seizing the knife, struck
at me in the dark and missed me. Then
we struggled, and you know the rest.
You were very nearly dead tonight,
Macumazahn."
every nearly, indeed" I answered,
still painting and arranging the rags of
my night dress around me as best
might. Then the memory of my horrid
dream flashed into my mind. Doubtless
it had been conjured up by the sound of
Hendrika dropping to the foor--in my
dream it had been a grave that she
dropped into. All Of it had been expert
enced in that second of time. Well
dreams are swift; perhaps time itself is
nothing but a dream, and events that
| seem far apart really occur simultane-
ously.
We passed the rest of the night watch
ing Hendrika. Presently she came to
herself and struggled furiously 10 break
the rein. But it was too strong even fol-
her, and, moreover, Indaba-zimbi uncer.
enormously sat upon her to keep hel
| qaiet. At last she gave 1t up.
| Undue course the day broke-my mar.
riage day. Leaving Indaba-zimbi tc
watch my would-be murderess, went
| and fetched some natives from the
stables, and with their aid bore Hen.
drika to the prison hut--that same hut
in which she had been confined when
she had been brought baboon child
from the rocks. Here we shut her up
and, leaving Indaba-zimbi to watch out
side, / returned to my sleeping place
and dressed in the best garments thai
babyan kraals could furnish. But wher
looked at the reflection of my face,
was Mortified. 1t was covered with
scratches inflicted by the nails of Hen
/ drika. l doctored them up as best
could, and went out for walk to calm
my nerves, which, what between the
events of the past night and of those
pending that day, were not a little dis
| turbed.
When returned it was breakfast time
went into the dining hut, and there
Stella was waiting to greet me, dressed
in simple white and with orange flowers
on her breast. She came forward to me
shyly enough; then, seeing the condition
of my face, started back.
"Why, Allan! what have you beer
doing to YOURSELF" she asked.
AS was about to answer, her father
came in leaning on his stick, and catch
ing sight of me instantly asked the same
question.
| Than fold than aUaryfhino both n,