The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-04-23
AN AFRICAN ROMANCE.
cHApTER vIII-CoNr1Nurp.


Sho was very simply dressed in loose
hue dress, with wide collar, and Cir
Died In at the waist by little leather
belt In the bosom Of her robe was
bunch OF orange blooms, and her rip
ping hair was tied in single knot be-
hind her shapely head. She greeted me
with smile, asking me how had slept,
and then held Tota up for me to kiss
Under her loving care the child had
been quite transformed. She was neatly
dressed In garment Of the same blue
stuff that Stella wore, her fair hair was
brushed; indeed, had it not been for the
sunblisters on her face and hands one
would scarcely have believed that this
was the same child whom Indaba-zimbi
and l had dragged for hour after hour
through the burning, waterless desert.
Wemust breakfast alone, Mr.. Allan, +"
she said; my father is so upset by your
arrival that he will not get up yet Oh,
you can not tell how thankful | am that
you have come. have been so anxious
,zbout him OF late. He grows weaker
snd weaker; 1t seems to me as though
tho strength were ebbing away from
him. Now he scarcely leaves the l5raal;
a have to manage every thing about the
farm, and he does nothing but read and
think"
just then Hendrika entered, bearing a
Jug OF coffee in one hand and of milk
in the other, which she sat down under
the table, casting look Of little love at
me as she did so.
"Be careful, Hendrika; you are spill
ing the coffee, " said Stella. Don't you
wonder how we come to have coffee
here, Mr.. Allan? l will tell you've
grow 1t. That was my idea. Oh, have
dots OF things to show you. You don't |
know what We have managed TO do in the |
time that we have been here. You see |
we have plenty OF labor, for the people |
shout look upon my father as their chief"
Yes" said, but how do you get all |
of these luxuries OF civilizationp" and I |
pointed TO the books, the crockery and
tho knives and forks.
VERY simply. Most OF the books my
father brought with him when we first
trekked into the wilds; there was nearly
D wagon-load Of them. But every three
years we have sent an expedition OF
these wagons right down to Port Natal.
The wagons are loaded with ivory and
other goods, and come back with all
kinds Of things that have been sent out
rom England for us. You see, although
Ee 1.-Two In this wild place, we are not
altogether cut of. We can send runners
10 Natal and back in three months, and
fhe wagons get there and back in year.
The last lot arrived quite safe about
hree months ago. Our servants are
Tery faithful and some Of them speak
Dutch we'll" .
'Haye you ever been with the wagons9"
asked. ....
"Sinoe I was child have never been
moro than thirty miles from Babyans
Peak" she answered. "Do you know,
hr. Allan, that you are, with one excep-
hon, the hrst Englishman that have
rnovn out oia book. Isuppose that I must
Ieem very Wild and savage 10 you, but
lave had one advantage, . good educa-
don. My father has Taught me every
hing, and perhaps know some things
hat you don't I can read French and
for instance. think that my
hthers first idea was 10 let me run Wild
ftogether. but he gave It up"
sAnd don't you wish TO 60 into tho
vprldY' asked.
s-Sometimes," she said, "when I get
onely. But perhaps my father 10 right
perhaps II would frighten and bewil-
or me. At any rate he would never re-
urn 10 civilization. 1t Is his idea, you ,
now, though am sure I do not know ,
lhere he got It from, nor why he can
ot bear that our name should be spoken.
n short Mr.. Quatermain, we do not !
,aks our lives, we must take them a. ,
70 hnd them. Have you done your
realrfAst7 Let Us 60 out and I will
bow you our domain"
! rose and wentto my sleeping-plaoe
, fetch my hat When I returned Mr..
prson-for after all that was his name, 4
lough he would never allow II 10 be 4
poken--hsd como into the hut He folt
Dtter now. he said. and would accom- !,
Any ~ On our walk II Stella would giys :
Inn IN arm. ona .Nd sti +.
Do w started, and after US came Hen 4
fiks With Tcts and old Indsbs- -zimbi, y
bonn ! found sitting outside as fresh ~ !.
lint Nothing could tire that old man, A
The yiew from the platform was al !,
Dst q beaptiful ~ that from the lower
'osaA hooking % = shs pssi. The