Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-07-10
THE FINDING OF NADIA.


Umslopogaas marshaled his compa-
MES. Little light is left" he said,
"but it must serve us to start these CO.
MES from their burrows. Come, my
brother Galazi, you know where the
comics hide; then take my place and
lead US"
So Galazi led the impi. Turning q
corner of the glen he came with them TO
a great open space that had fountain
in the midst OF it. and this place was
full of thousands of cattle. Then he
turned again to the left and brought
them to the inner side Of the mountain
where the cliff hung over, and here was
the mouth of great cave. Now the
cave was dark, but by, the door OF the
cave was stacked a pile OF reslnous
wood to serve as torches.
"Here is that which shall give US
light" said Galazi, and one man OF
every two took torch and lighted Ii at
a fire that burned near the mouth OF the
cave. Then they rushed in, waving the
flaring torches and assegais aloft. Here
for the last time the Halakazi stood
against them, and the torches fioated up
and down upon the wave OF war. But
they did not stand for very long. The
People of the AK drove them out into
the open ana finished them by starlight
among the cattle.
In one corner OF the cave Umslopo-
gaas saw knot OF men clustered around
something as though to guard 1t. He
rushed at the men and with him went
GaIazi and Others. Very soon most OF
them had spoken their last, for Groan-
maker clave through them as an assegai
cleaves the air, and there were others to
deal with those he left. But when UNI
sopogaas was through by the light or
his torch he saw man, tall md slen-
der, who leaned against the wall OF the
cave and held a shield before his face.
"You are coward!" he cried. and
smote with Groanmaker. The great ak
pierced the hide, but missing the head
behind rang loud against the rock, and
as il rang q sweet voice said:
"Ah! my brother, slay me not.
Wherefore are you angry with me?"
Vow the shield had come away from
the holders hands upon the blade OF
the ak, and there was something In the
notes of the voice that caused Umslopo-
gaas to smile no more. II was as though
a memory of childhood had come to him
In dream. His torch was burning low,
but he thrust it forward to look on him
who crouched against the rock. The
dress was the dress Of man, but this
was no mans form. Nay, rather that
of a woman lovely to look on and well
nigh white in color. She dropped her
hands from before her face, and now he
saw her we'll. He saw eyes that shone
as stars, hair that curled and fell upon
the shoulders, and such beauty as was
not known among our people. And as
the voice had spoken to him OF some
thing that was lost, so did the eyes
seem to shine across the blackness OF
many years and the beauty 10 bring
back he knew not what.
He looked on her in all her beauty
and she looked on him in his fierceness
and his might, red with war aud
wounds. They both looked, while the
torchIight flaredson them, on the walls
of the cave and the broad blade OF the
Groanmaker, and from around rose the
sounds of the Staying.
.sHow are you named who are so lair
TO see?" he asked at length.
81 am named the Lily now. Once /
had another name. NADIA, daughter OF
Umboya, was once, but name and all
else are dead and i go to join them.
Slay me and make an end. / will shut
my eyes that may not see the great
Ak fash.
Now Unslopogaas sssed upon her