San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-02-06
QUATERNAIN'S WIFE.
By II. RIDER HAGGARD.
author Of "Co'onet Quarttch, V. c." "lIr
Nelson's W-U" "A Tale Of Three
Lions" Allan quatermain,"
"She" Jess" etc

grave, lay the uroopIng mowers winch
Stella had been carrying, and there in
the fresh mold was the spoor of Totals
veldschoon, or hide slipper. But where
were they?
ran from the graveyard and called
aloud at the top of my voice, but no an
swer came. Meanwhile the native was
more protitably engaged in tracing their
spoor. He followed it for about hun
dred yards till he came to a clump of
mimOsa bush that was situated between
the stream and the ancient marble quar-
ries Just above the waterfall, and at the
mouth of the ravine. Here he stopped,
and heard him give a startled cry. |
rushed to the spot, passed through the
trees, and saw this. The little open
the scene of a struggle, There, in the
soft earth, were the marks of three hui
man feet-two shod, one naked-Stellas 5,
Totals and Hendricks. Nor was this all.
There, close by, lay the fragments of the
two dOgs-they were nothing mOre-and
one baboon, not yet quite dead, which
had been bitten in the throat by the
dogs. All round us was the spoor of
numberIcss balloons. The full horror of
what had happened flashed into my mind.
My wife and Tota had been carried of
by the balloons. AS yet they had not
been killed, for if SO their remains would
have been found with those of the dogs.
40 hnan off
acting under the direction of the woman
monkey, Hendrika, had dragged them
away to some secret den, there to keep
them till they died-or kill them!
For moment | literally staggered be-
meath the terror of the shock. Then
reused myself from my despair. babe
the native run and alarm the people at
the kraals, telling them to come armed,
and bring me guns and ammunition. He
went like the wind, and | turned to fol-
low the spoor. For few yards it was
plain enough-Stella had been dragged
along could see where her heels had
struck the ground; the child had pre-
sumed been carried-at least there were
no marks of her feet. At the waters
edge the 6pOor vanished. The water was
shallow, and they had gone along in it.,
or at least Hendrika and her victims
had, in order to Oblitcrate the trail
could see where moss grown stone had
been freshly turned over in the water
bed. ran along the bank some way up
the ravine, in the vain hope of catching
sight of them. Presently ! heard a
bark in tho cliffs above me; it was an
swCred by another, and then saw that
scores of balloons were hidden about
among the rocks on either side, and were
slowly swinging themselves down to bar
the path. To go on unarmed as | was
would be useless. | should only be torn
to pieces as the dogs had been. SO
turned and fled back toward the huts.
AS drew near could see that my mes
sengcr had reused the settlement, for
natives with spears and kerries in their
hands were running up towards the
kraalS. When reached the hut | met
old Indaba-zimbi, who wore a very seri-
Gus face.
so the evil has fallen. Marunlnzahn,"
he said
1t has fallen" | answered.
"kecpa good heart, Macumazahu, he
said again. She is not dead, nor is the
little maid, and before they die we shall
find them. Remember this, Hendrika
loves her. She will not harm her or al
low the babyans to harm her She will
try to hide her away from yOu-that is
all"
Pray God that we may find her."
groaned. The light is going fast"
The moon rises in three hours" he
answered. We will search bv moon.
light. 1t is useless to start now: see, the
sun sinks. Let us get the men together,
eat and make things ready. Hamba
CACHE Hasten slowly, Macumazahn."
AS there was no help took his advice.
could eat no food, but | packed some
up to take with us, and made ready
ropes and rough kind of litter. If we
found them they would scarcely be able
to walk All! if we found them! How
slowly the time passed. 1t seemed hours
before the moon rose. But at last it did
rise.
a hundred men, but we only mustered
hVe guns between us, my elephant roer
and four that had belonged to Mr. Car.
son.
CHAPTER XII.
"a NJ = E +: :' p: :s:!