Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1890-02-15

In which, Notwithstanding the rough
disguise of baboon skins and coloring
matter, she had no difficulty In recogniz-
ing Hendrika, and all about her were
numbers of balloons, rolling over and
over in two hideous heaps, of which the
centers were the two unfortunate dogs
now In process of being rent to frag-
ments.
"Hendrika," Stella cried, "what does
this mean? What are you doing with
Tota and those brutes?"
The woman heard her and looked IN
Then she saw that she was mad; mad
ness stared from her eyes. She dropped
tho child, which instantly flew to Stella
for protection. Stella clasped it, only to
be herself clasped by Hendrika, She
struggled fiercely, but it was of no use
the babyan-frau had the strength of ten.
She lifted her and Tota as though they
were nothing, and ran off with them,
following the bed OF the stream in order
to avoid leaving spoor. Only the ha-
boons who came with her, minus the one
the dogs had killed, would not take to
the water, but kept pace with them on
the bank.
Stella said that the night which fol-
lowed was more like hdeous night
mare than a reality. She was never able
to tell me all that occurred in It. She
had vague recollection of being borne
over rocks and along kloofs, whilearound
her echoed the horrible grunts and clicks
of the balloons. She spoke to Hendrika
in English and Kaffir, imploring her to
bet them go; but the woman, if I may
call her so, seemed in her madness tc
have entirely forgotten these tongues
When Stella spoke she would kiss her
and stroke her hair, but she did not seem
to understand what 1t was she said. On
the other hand, she could and did talk to
the balloons, that seemed TO obey her
implicitly. Moreover, she would not al
low them to touch either Stella or the
child in her arms. Once one of them
tried to do so, and she seized dead
stick and struck it so heavily on the head
that 1t fell senseless. Thrice Stella made
an attempt to escape, for sometimes even
Hendricks giant strength waned and she
had to set them down. But ON each DC
casion she caught them, and it was In
these struggles that Stella's clothes were
so torn.
AT length before daylight they reached
the cliff, and with the first break Of light
the ascent began. Hendrika dragged
them up the first stages, but when they
came to the precipitous place she tied
the strips of hide, of which she had
supply wound round her waist, beneath
Stella's arms. Steep Ms the place was
the balloons assembled IL easily enough,
springing from knob of rock to the
trunk OF the tree that grew on the edge
Of the crevasse. Henarika followed
them, holding the end of the hide rein
In her teeth, one of the balloons hanging
down from the tree to assist her ascent.
Il was while she was ascending that
Stella bethought her of letting fall her
handkerchief In the faint hope that some
searcher might see it. !.
By this time Hendrika was on a tree,
and grunting out orders to the balloons
which clustered about Stella below. Sud
denly these seized her and little Tota
who was in her arms, and lifted her from
tho ground. Then Hendrika above, aid
&C 5y other balloons, put out all her great
strength and pulled the two of them up
the rock. Twice Stella swung heavily
against the cliff. After the second blow
she felt her senses going, and was con-
sumed with terror lest she should drop
Tota- But she managed to cling to her,
and together they reached the cliff I
From that time," Stella went on, 81
remember no more till woke to find
myself in gloomy cave resting on bed
of skins. My legs were bound, and Hen
drika sat near me watching me, while
round the edge of the cave peered the
heads Of those horrible balloons. Tota
was still In my arms, and half dead from
terror; her means were pitiful TO hear
spoke to Hendrika, imploring her to re- I
lease us; but either she had lost all Under I
standing of human speech, or she pre-
tended to have done so. All she would
do was to caress me, and even kiss my
hands and dress with extravagant signs
Of affection. As she did so, Tota shrunk
away closer to me. This Hcndrika cav
and glared so savagely at the child that
feared lest she was going to kill her. /
diverted her attention by making signs
that wanted water, ana tins she gave
me in a wooden bowl. AS you saw, the
cave was evidently Hendricks dwelling
place. There are stores of fruit in it
and some strips of dried flesh. She
gave me some of the fruit and Tota a
little, and made Tota eat some. You
can never know what went through,
Allan. saw now that Hendrika was
quite mad, and but little removed from
the brutes to which she is akin, and over
which she has such unholy power. The
only trace of humanity left about her
was her affection for me. Evidently her
idea was to keep me here with her, to
keep me away from you, and TO carry
out this idea she was capable of the ex-
ercise of every artifice and cunning. In
that way she was cane enough. but il