Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-05-16
CHAPTER K.

On the following morning had a con-
versatiou with Indaba-zimbi. First of
all, told him that was going to marry
Stella.
OH he said, Il thought so, Macuma-
zahn. Did | not tell you that you would
find happiness on this journey? Most
men must be content to watch the Star
from a long way Off-to you it is given to
wear her on your heart. But remember,
Macumazahn, remember that stars set"
Can you not stop your croaking even
for a day?' 1 answered, angrily, for his
words sent thrill of fear through me.
"A true prophet must tell the i'll as well
as the good MacumaZahn. l only speak
what is on nv mind. But what of it?
What is life but loss, loss upon loss, till
life itself be lost? But in death we may
find all the things that we have lost. So
YOUR father taught, MacumaZahn. and
there was wisdom in his gentleness. Oh,
l do not believe in death; it is change,
that is all, MacumaZahn. Look now, the
rain falls-the drops of rain that were
once water n the clouds fail side by side.
They sink into the ground; presently the
sun will come out, the earth will be dry,
the drops will be gone. fool looks aud
says the drops are dead. they will never
be one again, they will never again fall
side by side.
But am a rain-maker, and know the
WAYS of rain. 1t is not true. Tie drops
will drain into the river and will be one
water there. They will go up into the
clouds again in the mists of morning, and
there viii again be Us they have been. We
gre the drops of rain. MacumazIhn.
When we fall that is our life. When we
sink into the ground that is death, aud
when we are drawn up again to the sky,
what Is that, Macumazahn? No! no! when
we find we lose, and when we seem to
lose, then we shall really find. l alp not
Il Christian, Macumazahn, but | am old,
and have watched and seen things that
erhaps Christians do not see.
There. have spoken. Be happy with
your star, and if it sets, wait, Macuma-
zahn, wait till it rises again. 1t will not
be long; one day you will go to sleep,
then your eyes will open on another sky,
and there your star will be shining, Ma
cumazahn."
made no answer at the time. | could
not bear to talk of such IL thing But Of
ten and often in the after Years | have
thought of Indaba-Zimbi and his beautiful
smile and gathered comfort from it. He
was strange man, this old rain-makiug
savage, and there was more wisdom in
him than in many learned atheists-those
spiritual destroyers who in the name of
progress and humanity, would divorce
hope from life, and leave US wandering in
a lonesome, self-COnsecrated hell.
"Indaba-Zimbi," | said, changing the
subject, 81 have something to say" and
| told him of the threats of Hendrka.
He listened with an unmoved face, noA-
ding his white lock at intervals as the mar
ratIve went on. But | saw that he was
disturbed by it.
''Macumazahn," he said at length, az
have told you this is an evil woman. She
was nourished on baboou milk, and the
balloon nature is in her veins. Such crea-
lures should he killed, not kept. She will
make You mischief if she can. But l will
watch her, Macumazahn. Look, the Star
IL waiting for you; go, or she will hate me
as lIendrka hates you"
So went, nothing loath, for attractive
rs WAS the wisdom of Indaha-Zimbi. |
found n deeper meaning in StellH'j sim
pleSt word. All the rest of that day
passed i'll her company, and the greater
part of the two following DAYS. AT last
came Saturday night, the eve of our mar
rage. 1t rained that night, so we did not
90 out, but spent the evening in the hut.
We sat hand in hand, saying little, but
Mr.. Carson talked a good deal, telling us
tales of his youth and of countries thu he
had visited
Then he read aloud from the Bible, and
babe us good night. ! also kissed Stella
and went 70 bed. | reached NV hut by
the covered way, and before | undreS>e ed
opened the door to see what the night was
like. 1t was very dark. and rain was still
falling, but as the light strcamed ont into
the gloom | fanCied that caught sight of
duSl>y form gliding away
The Thought of Hendrika flashed into
my mind could She he skulking about
outside there? Now | had said nothing
of Hendrika and her threats either to Mr..
Carson or Stella because | did not wish
to alarm them. Also | knew that Stella
was attached to this strange person,
and did not wish to shake her conf
dence in her unless it was absolutely ne
ceSSary.
For minute or two | stood hesftatfng,
then. rejecting that if it was Hendrika
out there. there she should stop, went in
and put up the stout wooden bar that was
used to secure the door For the last few
nights old Indaba-zimbi had made a habit
of sleeping in the covered passage, which
was the only other possible way Of access.
AS | came to bed | had stepped over him
rolled up in his blanket. and to all appear
anCe fast asleep. So it being evident that
l had nothing to fear, promptly dismissed
the matter from my mind, which, as may
be imagined, was indeed fully occupied
with other matters.
got into bed, and for awhile lay awake
thinking of the great happiness in store
for me. and Of the providential course of
events that had brought it within my
reach. A few weeks since and was wan
deriug in the desert a dying man, bearin 9
a dying child and with scarcely posses
sion left in the world except store of
buried ivory that never expected to see
again
And now | was about to we'd one of the
sweetest and loveliest women in the whole
wOUld-a woman whom | loved more than
l could have thought possible, and who
loved me back again. Also, rs though
that were not good fortune enough, | was
to acquire with her considerable posses
sious quite sufficiently large to enable US
to follow any plan of life we found agree
able.
As lay and reflected on all this l grew
atrlil of my good fortune. Old ludaba-
zmbi's n.elaucholy prophecies came into
my mind. Hitherto he had always proph-
esied truly. What if these should be true
also' l turned cold as l thought of it,
and prayed to the Power above to pre-
serve us both TO live and love together.
Never was prayer more needed. While
its words were still upon my lips, drop
ped asleep and dreamed a most dreadful
dream.
dreamed that Stella and l were stand
ing together to be married. She was
dressed in white, and Iadiant with beauty,
but it was wild, spiritual beauty which
frightened ME. Her eyes shone like stars,
pale flame played about her features,
and the wind that blew did not stir her
hair. Nor was this all, for her white robes
were death wrappings, and the altar at
which we stood was formed of the piled
up earth from an open grave that yawned
between us. So we stood waiting for one
10 wed Us, but no one came.
Presently from the opel grave sprang
the form of Heudrika. Il ner hand was
knife. with which she tabled at me-.
but pierced the heart of s ella, who, with
out a CRY, fell backwards into the grave,
still looking at me as she fell. Then Hen
drika le3ped after her into the grave. l
heard hcc feet strike heavily.
''AlCdlse, MdctmdzdhRl dlCdkcr' cried
the voice of Indaha-Zimbi