The Globe-republican., 1890-09-10
AN AFRICAN ROMANCE.

CHAPTER IL-CoNTNuED.
Greater or not, thou dog, he shall
die" he cried, land so shalt thou if
thou singest his praises so loudly"
said nothing, but thinking it proba-
BILE that Indaba-zimbi had shared the
fate of his enemy, went to look. But /
could see nothing of him; and at length,
being thoroughly chilled with the wet,
started back to my wagon to get change
of clothes. On reaching it was rather
surprised to see a strange Kafir seated
on the driving box wrapped up in a
blanket.
''Hullo! come out Of that" said.
The figure on the box slowly unrolled
the blanket, and with great deliberation
took pinch Of snuff.
1T was good freight, white man,
was it not?' said Indaba-zimbi, in his
high, cracked voice. ''But he never had
a chance against me, poor boy. He
knew nothing about it. See, white man,
what comes of presumption in the
young. 1t is sad, very sad, but made
the flashes fly, didn't -"
''You old humbug," I said, ''unless
you are careful you will soon learn what
comes of presumption in the old, for
your chief is after you with an assegai,
and it will take all your magic to dodge
that
NOW, you don't say So" said Indaba-
zimbi, clambering of the wagon with
rapidity; '!and all because of this
wretched upstart- There's gratitude
for you, white man. expose him, and
they want to kill me. Well, l thank you
for the hint. We shall meet again be-
fore long" And he was gone like shot,
and not too soon, for just then some
men came up to the wagon.
On the following morning started
homeward. The first face saw on ar
irving at the station was that of Indaba-
zimbi.
ssHow do you do, Macumazahnw he
said, holding his head on one side and
nodding his white lock. 81 hear you
are Christians here, and want to try
new religion. Mine must be a bad one,
seeing that my people wanted to kill
me for exposing an impostor."
CHAPTER III.
make no apology to myself, or to
anybody who may happen to read this
narrative in future, for having set out
the manner of my meeting with Indaba-
zimbi; first because it was curious, and
secondly, because he takes some hand in
the subsequent events. If that old man
was a humbug, he was a very clever one.
What amount Of truth there was in his
pretensions Of supernatural powers it is
not for me to determine, though I may
have my own opinion on the subject.
But there was no mistake as to the ex-
traordinary influence he exercised over
his fellow natives. Also he got quite
round my poor father. AT first the old
gentleman declined to have him at the
station, for he had a great horror of
these Kaffir wizards or witch-6nders.
But Inc aba-zimbi persuaded himthat he
was anxious to investigate the truths of
Christianity and challenged him to dis
cussion. The argument lasted for two
years-to the time of my father death,
indeed. At the conclusion of each stage
Indaba-zimbi would remark, in the
words Of the Roman Governor: almost
praying, white man, thou persuadest
me to become a Christian" but he never
quite became one-indeed, / do not
think he ever meant to. 1t was to him
that my father addressed his Letters to
Native Doubter" This work, which,
unfortunately, remains in manuscript,
is full of wise saws and learned in
stances. It ought to be published to
gether with precis of the doubter's an
swers, which were verbal.
So the talk went on. If my father
had lived l believe it would be going on
now, for both the disputants were quite
inexhaustible. Meanwhile Indaba-zimbi
was allowed to live in the station
on condition that he practised no witch
craft, which my father firmly believed
to be a vile of the devils. He said that
he would not but for all that there was
never an OK lost, or a sudden death, but
he was consulted by those interested
When he had been with US year a
deputation came to him from the tribe
he had left asking him to return.
Things had not gone we'll with them
since he went away, they said, and now
the chief, his enemy, was dead. Old
Indaba-zimbi listened to them till they
had done, and, as he listened, raked
sand into little heap with his toes.
Then he spoke, pointing to the little
heap. There is your tribe to-day" he
said. Then he lifted his heel and
stamped the heap fat There is your
tribe before three moons are gone.
Nothing is left Of it You drove me
away; will have no moro to do with
you; but when you are being killed think
Of my words"
The messengers went Three months
afterwards heard that the whole COM
munity had been wiped out by an Impi
Of raidirg PondeR