Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-02-06
THE STRANGE STORY
Or
Allan Quatermain'S Wife
BY H. RIDER HAGGARD,
AUTHOR or "SHE," KING SoLoMoN's
NIINEs," JESS" CLEO
PATRA," Ere.
A NEW AFRICAN ROMANCE.
CHAPTER VII.


Hendrika obeyed, leading the horses
to the side of the tree.
"Now, Mr.. Allan" said Stella, you
must ride on my horse, and tho old black
man must ride on the other | will
walk, and Hendrika Will carry the little
child. Oh, do not be afraid, she IS very
strong, she could carry you or me-"
Hendrika grunted assent. | am sor-
ry that ! can not express her method
of speech by ans more polite term.
Sometimes she grunted like monkey;
sometimes she clicked like bushman,
ana sometimes she did both together,
when she became quite unintelligible.
| expostulated against this proposed
arrangement, saying that we could walk,
which was a fib, for | do not think that
/ could have done a mile; but Stella
would not listen, she would not even let
me carry my elephant gun, but took 1t
herself. SO we mounted with some diff
Guilty, and Hondrika took up the sleep
ing Tota in her long, sinewy arms.
''See that the 'baboon-woman' does not
run away into the mountains with the
little white ONE said Indaba-zimbi to
me in Kaffir, as he climbed on to the
horse.
Unfortunately Hcndrika understood
his speech. Her face twisted and grew
livid with fury. She put down Tota and
literally sprang at Indaba-zimbi as
monkey springs. But weary and worn
as he was, the old gentleman was too
quick for her With an exclamation of
f.3r III
the horse on the further side, with the
somewhat ludicrous result that all in a
moment Hendrika was occupying the
seat that no had vacated. just then
Stella realized the position.
Come down, you savage, come down."
she said, stamping her foot.
The extraordinary creature flung her
self from tho horse and literally grow
eled on the ground before her mistress
and burst into tears.
Pardon, Miss Stella, she clicked and
grunted in villainous English, "but he
called me 'babyan-frau' (baboon-
woman)."
Tell your servant that he must not
use such words to Hendrika, Mr. Allan"
Stella said to me. IF he does" she
added in whisper, "Hendrika will GER
tainly kill him
Iexplained this to Indaba-zimbi, who,
being considerably frightened, deigned
to apologize But from that hour there
was hate and war between these two.
Harmony having been thus restored
we started, the dogs following US. A
small stripof desert intervened between
us and the slope of the peak-perhaps it
was two miles wide We crossed it and
reached rich grass lands, for here aconsid-
cradle stream gathered from the hills; but
it did not flow across the barren lands,
it passed to the east along the foot of the
hills. This stream we had to pass by a
ford. Hendrika walked boldly through
1t, holding Tota in her arms. Stella
leapt across from stone to stone like a
roebuck; / thought to myself that she
was the most graceful creature that had
ever seen. After this the track passed
round a pleasantly-wooded shoulder of
the peak, which was, found, known as
Babyan Kap or Baboon Head. OF
course we could only go at foot pace,
so our progress was slow. Stella walked
for some way in silence, then she
spoke.
"Tell me, Mr.. Allan. she said, ''how
it was that came to find you dying in
the desert?"
So began and told her all. 1t took
an hour or moro to do so, and she list
ened intently, now and again asking
question.
ut is all very wonderful" she said
Wen / had done, very wonderful, in
deed Do you know l went out this
morning with Iendrika and the dogs for
ride, meaning to get back home by mid
day. for my father III and do not like
to leave him for long. But just as was
going to turn when we were about where
we are now yes, this was the very bush
--an oribe got UP and the dogs chased II.
I followed them for the eallop, and
when We came to the river, instead OF
turning to the left as bucks generally
do, the oribe swan the stream and took
10 the bad lands beyond. followed 1t,
and within hundred yards Of the big
tree the dogs killed il. Hendrika
wanted me 70 turn back al once, but I
said that we would rest under the shade
~ --At N-Nt.- 4eA hiAtN NAltEe n - . : ttEAIt-
Of water near. Well, we went; and there
l saw you all lying like dead; but Hem
drika, Who is very clever in some ways.
said no-and son know the rest Yes,
it j. very wonderful
1T is, indeed. I said. Now, tell me,
Miss Stella. who is ilendrika?r
She looked round before answering to
see that the woman was not near.