Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-02-20

siderable possessions quite sufficiently
large to enable Us to follow any plan OF
life we found agreeable. As | lay and
reflected on all this / grew afraid of my
good fortune. Ola Indaba-zmbi's mel
ancholy prophecies came into my mind.
Hitherto he had always prophesied truly.
What If these Should be true also? /
turned cold as thought OF il, and
prayed to the Power above 70 preserve
US both to live and love together. Never
was prayer more needed. While its
words were still upon my lips | dropped
asleep and dreamed a most dreadful
dream.
dreamed that Stella ana l we're stand
ing together 10 be married She was
dressed in white, and radiant with
beauty, but IL was q wild, spiritual
beauty which frightened me. Her eyes
shone like stars. a pale fame played
about her features, and the wind that
blew did not stir her hair. Nor was this
all, for her white robes were death wrap
pings, and the altar at which we stood
was formed of the piled-up earth from
an open grave that yawned between us,
So we stood waiting for one To wed us,
but no one came. Presently from the
open grave sprang the form Of Hendnka.
In her hand was a knife, with which
she stabbed at me, but pierced the heart
Of Stella, who, without cry, fell back
wards into the grave, still looking at
me as she fell Then Hendrika leaped
after her in the grave | heard her feet
strike heavily.
"Adoake, Macpmasaa,st atcake.t' cried
the voice of Indaba-zimbi.
awoke and bounded from the bed,
the cold perspiration pouring from me.
In the darkness on the other side OF the
hut heard sounds q furious struggling.
Luckily, kept my head. Just by me
was a chair on which were matches and
q rush taper. struck a match and held
it to the taper. Now in the glowing
light could see two forms rolling one
over the other on the floor and from be-
tween them came the flash Of steel.
The fat melted and the light burned up.
1t was Indaba-zimbi ami the woman
Hendrika who were struggling, and,
what was more, the woman was getting
the better OF the man, strong as he was.
/ rushed toward them. Now she was
uppermost. Now She had wrenched her
self from his fierce grasp, and now the
great knife she had in her hand flashed
up.
But was behind heg, and, getting my
hands beneath her arms. jerked with all
my strength She fell backwards and.
in her effort to save herself, most fort
unately dropped the knife Then we
flung ourselves upon her Heayensl
the strength Of that she-deyil Nobody
who has not experienced it could be-
lieve 1t. She fought and scratched and
bit, and at one time nearly mastered the
two of us. As il WAS she did break
loose. She rushed AT the bed, sprung
on it, and bounded thence straight up
at the roof of the hut never saw such
jump. and could MOI conceive what She
meant to do In the roof were the pecul-
lar holes which have described. They
were designed to admit light, aud COW
cred with oyerhanging caves. She
sprung straight and true like a monkey,
and, catching the edge OF the hole with
her hands stroye 70 draw herself through
it, But here her strength. exhausted
with the long struggle, failed her. For
a moment she swung, then dropped to
the ground ana fell senseless.
"Ou! gasped tndaba-zimbi. "Let us
tie the devil up before she comes to life
again.
l thought this good counsel so we
took rein that lay in the corner Of the
room and dashed her hands and feet in
such a fashion that even she could
scarcely escape Then We carried her
into the passage, and Indaba-zimbi sat
over her, the knife in his hand for | did
not wish to raise an alarm at that hour
of the night.
DO you know how | caught her,
Macumazahn?" ne said. For several
nights have slept here with one ego
open, for thought she had made q
plan. Tonight kept wide awake,
though pretended to be asleep. An
hour after you got into the blankets the
moon rose, and | saw a beam Of light
come into the hut through the hole in
the roof Presently saw the beam of
light vanish. At first | thought that a
cloud was passing over the moon, but
listened and heard a noise as though
some one was squeezing himself through
a narrow place Presently he was
through and hanging by his hands.
Then the light came in again, and in
the middle OF it saw She babyan-frau
swinging from the roof, and about to
drop into the hut She chung by both
hands, and in her mouth was great
knife. She dropped, and ran forward
to seize her as she dropped, and gripped
her round the middle. But she heard
me come, and. Selling the knife, struck
at me in the dark and missed me. Then
we struggled, and you know the rest
You were very nearly dead tonight,
Macumazahn.
Very nearly. indeed answered,
still painting, and arranging the rags Of
my night-dress round me as best ! might.
Then the memory of my horrid dream
flashed into my mind Doubtless it had
been conjured up out the sound OF
Hendrika dropping to the floor in my
dream it had been a grave that shC
dropped into All Of it had been ex
perienced in that second OF time. Well
-I~Mz7%>A