San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-08-25

fellow!
Now. making pretense to be angry, |
leaped at her with my kerrie up, and for
getting her courage she dropped her
spear and uttered little scream. But
she still held the shield before her face
l seized her by the arm and struck
blow upon the shield with my kerrie-it
would scarce have crushed fly, but this
brave warrior trembled sorely.
Where now is your val6r, you who
name me umfagozan?' | said, you who
cry like a maid and whose arm is soft as
a maids.
She made no answer, but Rugged heI
tattered blanket around her, and shifting
my grip from her arm | seized it and
rent it, showing her breast and shoulder
then let her go, laughing, and said:
"Lo! here is the warrior who would
beat an old umfagozan for his insolence
"a warrior we'll shaped for war. Now
my pretty maid, who wanders at night
in the garden of man, what tale have
you to tell? Swift with it lest | drag
you to the chief as his prize. The old
man seeks new wife, they tell me-"
Now when NADIA saw that | had dis
covered her she threw down the shield
after the spear as thing that was of no
more avail and hung her head sullenly.
But when | spoke of dragging her to the
chief then she flung herself upon the
ground and clasped my knees, for since
| called him old she thought that this
chief could not be Umslopogaas.
"Oh, my father" said the Lily, "oh,
my father, have pity on me; yes, yes!
am a girl-a girl, no wife-and you who
are old-you, perchance, have daughters
such as |, and in their name | ask for
pity My father. | have journeyed far
i have endured many things-to find
my way to a kraal where my brother
rules, and now it seems that have come
to the wrong kraal. Forgive me that /
spoke to you so, my father; it was but a
woman's feint, and was sore pressed to
hide my sex, for, my father, you know
it is i'll to be a lonely girl among strange
men,"
Now | said no word in answer for this
reason only, that when | heard NADIA
call me father, not knowing me, and
saw her clasp my knees and pray to me
in my daughters name |, who was child
less save for her, went nigh to weeping
But she thought that did not answer
because was angry and about to drag
her to this unknown chief and prayed
the more, even with tears.
MY father" she said, "dO not this
wicked thing by me; let me go and
show me the path that shall ask, you
who are old; you know that | am too
fair to be dragged before this chief of
yours. Hearken! all | knew are slain;
| am alone save for this brother whom
seek. Oh, if you betray me may such q
fate fall upon your own daughter also;
may she also know the day of slavery
and the love that she wills not" and she
ceased, sobbing.
Now turned my head and spoke to-
ward the hut. Chief" | said, your
Ehlose is kind to you tonight, for he has
given you maid fair as the Lily of the
Halakazi" Here NADIA glanced up wild
ly.) Come, then, and take the girl"
Now NADIA turned to snatch up the
assegai from the ground, but whether
to Stay me or the chief she feared so
much or herself that | know not; and as
she turned in her woe she called upon
the name of UmslopOgaas. She found
the assegai and Strengthened herself
again, and 10! there before her stood a
mighty man leaning on an AK, but the
old man who had threatened her, he
was gone--nOt very far, in truth, but
around the corner of the hut.
Now NADIA the Lily looked, then
rubbed her eyes and looked again.
Surely | DREAM" she said at last.
"But now | spoke to an old man, and in
his place there stands before me the
shape of one desire to see."
"Methought, maiden, that the voice of
a certain NADIA called upon one UNI
slopogaas," said he who leaned upon the
AK.
"Aye, called, but where is the old
man who treated me so i'll? Nay, what
does it matter where he is-there let him
stop. At least you are UmslOpogaas,
my brother, or &ould be by your great
ness and the ak. To the man | cannot
altogether swear in this light, but to the
ak can swear, for once it passed so
very near my eyes"
Thus she spoke on, gaining time, and
all the while she watched UmslOpogaas
till she was sure that it was he and no
other. Then she made an end of talk,
and finging herself ON him she kissed
him.
"Now l trust that Zinita sleeps
sound" murmured Umslopogaas, for
suddenly he remembered that NADIA was
no sister to him as she deemed.
Nevertheless he took her by the hand
and said, ENTER. sister; of all maidens
To be Continued.