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

nervous presentlment that Stella was in
curing danger by staying there, and
also because the state of her health rem.
dered it desirable that we should reach
civilized region as soon as possible.
At length the end came very suddenly.
We were sitting one evening by Mr..
Carson's bedside in his hut, when to oul
establishment he sat up and spoke.
II hear you," he said. eyes, yes.
forgive you. Poor womanl you too have
suffered" and he fell back dead.
have little doubt that he was address
ing his lost wife, some vision of whom
had flashed across his dying senses.
Stella, of course, was overwhelmed with
grief at her loss. Till came her father
had been her sole companion, and there
fore, as may be imagined, the tie be
tween them was much closer than il
usual even in the case of father and
daughter. So deeply did she mourn that
began to fear for the effect upon her
health. Nor were we the only ones to
grieve; all the natives on the settlement
called Mr.. Carson "father, and as a
father they lamented him. The air re-
sounded with the wailing of women,
and the men went about with bowed
heads, saying that "the sun had set in
the heavens, now only the Star (Stella)
remained" Indaba-zimbi alone did not
mourn. lie said that it was best that
the Inkoos should die, for what was life
worth when one lay like log?-more.
ovor tbat n xvnuld how, l,aa,, xx,a1i fe,. ~
IL he had died sooner.
On the following day Ws buried HIN
in the little graveyard near the water
fall 1t was sad business and Stella
cried very much, in spite Of all could
do to comfort her.
That night as / sat outside the hat
smoking-for the weather was hot ard
Stella was lying down inside--old Indaba-
zimbi came up, saluted and squatted at
my feet.
"What is it, Indaba-zimbi9 I said.
"This, Macumazahn. When are you
going to trek towards the COAST
81 don't know" answered THE Star
is not fit to travel now; we must wait
awhile"
mo, Macumazahn, you must not wait
you must go, and the Star must take her
chance. She is strong. It is nothing.
All will be we'll"
"Why do you say so? Why must we
go?'
"For this reason, Macumazahn, and
he looked cautiously round and spoke
low. "The balloons have come back il
thousands. All the mountain Ia full Of
them"
Il did not know that they had gone"
I said.
eyes," he answered, "they went after
the marriage, all but ono or two; now
they are back, all tho balloons in the
world, | think. saw whole cliff
black with them"
"Is that all?" / said. for saw that he
had something behind. II am not afraid
of pack of balloons"
"No, Macumazahn, 1t Is not all. Tho
babyan-frau, Hendrika. Is with them"
Now, nothing had been heard or seen
of Hendrika since her expulsion, and
though at first she and her threats had
haunted me somewhat, by degrees she
had to great extent passed out Of my
mind. which was fully preoccupied with
Stella and my father-in-law's illness. !
started violently. Glow do you know
thisf" asked.
II know it because saw her, Macu-
mazahn. She is disguised, she is dressed
up in baboon skins, and her face Is stain
ed dark. But though she was long
way off / knew her by her size, and
A.. - lon.
skins slipped aside. She has come back,
Macumazahn, with all the balloons in
the world, and she has come back to do
evil. Now do you understand why you
should trek?'
eyes," said, ''though don't see how
she and the balloons can harm us.
think that it will be better to so. If nee
essary we can camp the wagons some
where for while on the journey. Heark
en-, Indaba-zimbi: say nothing of this to
the Star; will not have her frightened
And hearken again. Speak to the head
men, and see that watchers are set all
around the huts and gardens, and kept
there night and day Tomorrow we will
get the wagons ready, and the next day
we will trek"
He nodded his white lock and went tc
do my bidding, leaving me not little
disturbed so, indeed. II
was strange story. That this woman
had the power of conversins with ba
boons l knew. That was not SO very
wonderful, seeing that the Bushmen
claim to be able to do the same thing, and
she had been nurtured by them. But
that she had been able to muster them,
and by the strength of her human will
and intelligence muster them in order to
forward her ends of revenge, seemed tc
me 80 incredible that after reflection my
fears grew light. Still determined te
trek.
So went into Stella, and without say.
ing word to her Of the baboon story,
told her / had been thinking matters
over, and had come to the conclusion
that il was our duty to follow her fathers