The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1890-11-19
THE STRANGE STORY
Allan Quatermain'SWd
BY II. RIDER HAGGARD,
AUTHOR OF "SHE," "KING SoLoMoN's
MINES" "JEss," "CLEo-
PATRA," ETC.
AN AFRICAN ROMANCE.
CHAPTER N.-CoNTINUED.

CHAPTER N-CoNTINCED.
have little doubt that he was ad-
dressing his lost wife, some vision of
whom had flashed across his dying
senses. Stella, of course, was over
whelmed with grief at her loss Till 1
came her father had been her sole COM
panion, and therefore, as may be mag
ined, the tie between them was much
closer than is usual even in the case of
father and daughter. So deeply did she
mourn that began to fear for the eff
feet upon her health. Nor were we the
only ones to grieve; all the natives on
the settlement called Mr.. Carson ''fa-
ther," and as a father they lamented
him. The air resounded with the wall
ing 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. He said that it
was best that the Inkoos should die, for
what was life worth when one lay like
log?-moreover, that it would have been
we'll for all if he had died sooner.
On the following day we buried him in
the little graveyard near the waterfall.
1t was sad business, and Stella cried
very much, in spite of all could do to
comfort her.
That night as l sat outside the hut
smoking-for the weather was hot and
Stella was lying down inside-old india
ba-zimbi came up, saluted and squatted
at my feet.
''What is it. Indaba-zimbi?" said
'sThis, Macumazahn. When are you
going to trek towards the coast?"
81 don't know" l 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. 1t is nothing.
All will be we'll"
..Why do you say so? Why must we
go?"
.sFor this reason, Macumazahn," and
he looked cautiously round and spoke
low. The balloons have. come back in
thousands All the mountain is full of
them"
81 did not know that they had gone,
said.
YES he answered, ''they went after
the marriage, all but one or two; now
they are back, all the balloons in the
world, l think. saw whole cliff black
with them
SIS that ALP" said, for saw that he
had something behind. 81 am not
afraid of pack of balloons"
I'm 10 oil 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
haunted me somewhat, by degrees she
had to a great extent passed out of my
mind, which was fully preoccupied with
Stella and my father-in-law's illness. l
started violently. 'How do you know
this?" / asked.o
II know it because I saw her, Macu-
mazahn. She is disguised, she is
dressed UP in baboon skins, and her face
is stained dark. But though she was 4
long way off l knew her by her size, and
/ saw the white flesh of her arm when
the 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?'
''Yes,' / said; Though I don't see
how she and the balloons can harm US,
think that it will be better to 60. If
necessary we can camp the wagons
somewhere for awhile on the journey.
Hearken, Indaba-zimbi; say nothing of
this to the Star. I will not have her
frightened. And hearken again. Speak
to the head men, and see thai watchers
are set around all the huts and gardens,
and kept there night and day. To-mor-
row we will get the wagons ready, and
next day we will trek"
He nodded his white lock and went to
do my bidding, leaving me not little
disturbed-unreasona so, indeed. 1t
was strange story. That this woman
had the power of conversing with
balloons / 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 to me so Incredible thai, after
reflection, my fears grew light. Still l
determined to trek. After all, a jour
new in an OK wagon would not be such
a very terrible thing to strong woman
accustomed to roughing it, whatever
her state of health. And when all was
said and done did not like this tale of
the presence of Hendrika with count
less hosts of balloons.
So went to Stella, and without say
ing word to her of the baboon story,
told her 1 had been thinking matters
over, and had come to the conclusion
that 1t was our duty to follow her
fathers instructions to the letter, and
leave Babyan kraal at once. Into all
our talk need not enter, but the end
of it was that she agreed with me and
declared that she could quite we'll man
age the journey, saying, moreover,
that now that her dear father was dead