San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-01-31

feet, and once more sprang at the one
above, caught it and swung herself into
il.
suppose that the lady saw my look of
establishment. "DO not wonder, SIR"
she said; ''Hendrika is not like other peo-
pie. She will not fall"
| made no answer, but watched the
progress of this extraordinary person
with the most breathless interest. On she
went, swinging herself from bough to
bough, and running along them like a
monkey. At last she got to the top and
began to swarm along a thin branch
towards the ripe fruit. When she was
near enough she shook the branch vio-
broke. shut my eyes, expecting to see
her crushed on the ground before me.
Don't be afraid" said the lady again
laughing gently. Look, she is quite
safe"
| looked, and so she was. She had
caught bough as She fell, chung to it,
and was now calmly dropping to an
other. Old Indaba-zimbi had also
watched this performance with interest,
but it did not seem to astOnish him over
much. "BaboOn woman he said, as
though such people We're common, and
then turned his attention to soothing
Tota, who was moaning for more water.
Meanwhile Hendrika came down the
tree with extraordinary rapdity, and
swinging by one hand from Il bOugh.
dropped about ten feet to the ground.
In another two minutes we were all
three sucking the pulpy fruit. In an or
dinarv way We should have found it
tastelesS enough; as it was | thought it
the most delicious thing had ever
tasted. After three days spent without
food or water. in the desert, one is not
particular. While we were still eating
the fruit, the lady of my vision set her
companion to work to partially tiay the
Oribe which her dogs had killed, and
busted herself in making a fire of fallen
boughS. As soon as it burned brightly
she took strips of the oribe flesh, toasted
them, and gave them to us on leaves.
We ate, and now we were allowed lit
tie more water After that she took lit
tie Tota to the spring and washed her,
which she sadly needed, poor child!
Next came our turn to wash, and oh,
the JOY of it!
came back to the tree, walking pam
fully indeed, but n changed man. There
sat the beautiful girl, with Tota on her
knees. She was lullng her to sleep, and
held up her finger to me enjoining 81
lence. vt last the child went off into i
sound. natural slumber--an example
that | should have been glad to follow
had it not been for my burning curiosity.
Then spoke:
May ask what your name is:' 1
said.
Stella" she answered.
Stella what" | said.
Stella nothing" she answered, in
some piQue. Stella is my name; it is
short and easy to remember, at any rate.
Ny fathers name is Thomas, and we live
up there" and she pointed round the
base of the great peak. | looked at her
astonishcd. Have you lived there long,
| asked.
Ever since | was seven years old.
We came there in a wagon. Before that
we came from England-from Oxford
shire; can show you the place on the
big map. 1t is called Garsingham."
Again thought I must be dreaming.
do you know, Miss Stella, said, sit
is very strange-so strange that it al
most seems rs though it could not be
true-but also came from Garsingham,
in Oxfordshire, many years ago"
She started up. Are you an Eng
Iish gentleman" she said "Ah, have
always longed to see an English gentle
man. have never seen an Englishman
since we lived here-nO white people at
all, indeed, except a few wandering
Beers, We live among black people and
baboons-Only have read about them
lots of boOks-poetry and noveA But
tell me what is your name? MaCuma-
zahn the black man called you, but you
must have a white name, too"
My name is Allan Quatermain,"
said.
Her face turned quite white, her rosy
lips parted, and she looked at me wildly
with her beautiful dark eyes.
"Do you know, it is very strange" she
said, ''but l have often heard that name
My father has told me how a little boy
called Allen Quatermain once saved my
life by putting out my dress when it was
on tire-see (and she pointed to faint
red mark upon her neck, here is the
scar of the burn"