The Globe-republican., 1890-10-15
CHAPTER VII.

! horses herer'
CHAPTER VII
Hendrika obeyed, leading the horses
to the side of the tree.
''Now, Mr.. Allan" said Stella, ''you
must ride on my horse, ard the old black
walk, and Hendrika will carry the little
child. Oh, do not be afraid, she is very
strong, she could carry you or me-"
Hendrika grunted assent. 1 am sor-
ry that 1 can not express her method
| of speech by any more polite term.
Sometimes she grunted like a monkey;
sometimes she clicked like bushman,
and sometimes she did both together,
when she became quite unintelligible.
l expostulated against this proposed
| arrangement, saying thatwe could walk,
which was fb, for / Go not think that
could have done mile; but Stella
would not listen, she would not even let
me carry my elephant gun, but took it
| herself. So we mounted with some diff
Guilty, and Hendrika took up the sleep
ing Tota in her long, sinewy arms.
run away into the mountains with the
little white one" said Indaba-zimbi to
me in kaffir, as he climbed on to the
horse.
Unfortunately Hendrika understood
his speech. Her face twisted and grew
livid with fury. She put down Tota and
literally sprang at Indaba-zimbi as a
monkey springs. But weary and worn
| as he was, the old gentleman was too
quick for her. With an exclamation of
genuine fright he threw himself from
the horse on the further side, with the
somewhat ludicrous result that all in a
| moment Hendrika was occupying the
seat that he had vacated. Just then
Stella realized the position.
'Come down, you savage, come down."
she said, stamping her foot.
The extraordinary creature flung her
self from the horse and literally grow
eled on the ground before her mistress
and burst into tears.
Pardon, Miss Stella" she clicked and
grunted in villainous English, but he
called me a 'babyan-frau' Cbaboon-
Tell your servant that he must not
use such words to Hendrika, Mr. Allan"
Stella said to me. If he does" she
added in whisper, ''Hendrika will GER
tainly kill him
1 explained this to Indaba-zimbi, who,
being considerably frightened, deigned
to apologize. But from that hour there
was hate and war between these two.
Harmony having been thus restored
we started, the dogs following us. A
small strip of desert interviewed between
us and the slope of the peak-perhaps it
was two miles wide. We crossed it and
reached rich grass lands, for here aconsid-
cradle stream gathered from the hills; but
it did not flow across the barren lands,
it passed to the east along the foot of the
hills. This stream we had to pass by
ford. Hendrika walked boldly through
it, holding Tota in her arms. Stella
leapt across from stone 70 stone like
roebuck; 1 thought to myself that she
was the most graceful creature that had
ever seen. After this the track passed
round pleasantIy-wooded shoulder of
the peak, which was, l found, known as
Babyan kap or Baboon Head. OF
course we could only go at foot pace,
SO our progress was slow. Stella walked
for some way in silence, then she
spoke.
Tell me. Mr.. Allan she said, chow
it was that came to find you dying in
the desert?"
So began and told her all. It took
an hour or more to do SO, and she list
ened intently, now and again asking
question.
SIT is all very wonderful she said
when 1 had done. very wonderful, in
deed Do you know 1 went out this |
morning with Hendrika and the dogs for |
a ride. meaning to get back home by mid |
day. for my father is i'll and do not like |
to leave him for long. But just as 1 was
going to turn when we were about where |
we are now-yes, this was the very bush |
an oribe got up and the dogs chased it.
I followed them for the gallop, and |
when We came to the river, instead of |
turning to the left as bucks generally |
do, the oribe swan the stream and took
to the bad lands beyond. followed it,
and within hundred yards of the big
tree the dogs killed it Hendrix
wanted me- to turn back at once, but I |
said that We would rest under the shade
Of the tree, for knew there was spring
Of water near. Well, we went; and there
l saw you all lying like dead; but Hen
drika, who Is very clever in some wsys.
said no-and you know the rest Yes,
it is very wonderful"
1T Is, Indeed, said" Now, tell ma.
Miss Stella. who Is Hendxiksr