The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-07-12

the people Of the headman would de
mand payment for the assault ON him
l learned, moreover, that my father had
ordered all the men of the tribe out 10
hunt for me on the morrow, and to kill
me wherever they found me Abr /
thought, ''you may hunt. but you will
bring nothing home to the pot" Just
then a dog that was lying by the fire got
up and began to sniff the air. | could
not see what dog it was-iudeed l had
forgotten all about the dogs when | drew
near the l;raal; that Is what comes or
want of experience, my father. The
dog shifted and shifted, then he began
to growl, looking always my way, and
grew afraid.
What is the dog growing at?7 said
one man to another. Go and see.
But the other man was taking snuff and
did not like to move. Let the dog go
and see for himself" he answered. sneez-
ing; what Is the good of keeping a dog
If you have to catch the thief" go on,
then said the first uLau to the dog. and
he ran forward, barking. Then l saw
him, It was my own dog. Koos, very
good dog Presently, as I 10y not know
ing what to do, he sIuelied my smell,
stopped barking, and Running around
the bush he found me and began TO HEX
my face. BE quiet. Kocs," ] wins
pered to him. and he lay down by m.
side.
Where has that dog gone now?" said
the first man. is he bewItched, that
ne suddenly stops barking aud does not
come back"
we viii see" said the other, rising.
= smear III his hand.
Now / was once more terribly afraid,
fo- : thought that they would catch me
OF / must ran for my life again. But as
+ snraug MP to run big black snake
glided between the men and went of
. toward the nuts They jumped aside IL
/ q great fright. then all turned TO follow
/ the snake, saying that this was what
/ the dog was barking at.
/ When they had gone l crept off the
/ other way, and Koos followed me. At
/ first | thought that 1 would kill him,
| lest he should betray me; but when !
/ called him 10 me to knock him on the
/ head l could not do It. So l thought /
would take my chance, and we went ON
| together. This was my purpose: First
: t. creep into my own hut and get my
/ assegais and skin blanket, then to gain
/ speech with Baleka. l came to the reed
/ fence that surrounded the huts. No
! BODY was to be seen at the gate, which
was not shut with thorns as usual. That
was my duty, and | had not been there
to do it, So, bidding the dog lie down
outside, l stepped through boldly, came
to the door of my hut and listened. 1t
was empty; there was not even breath
to be heard. So l crept in and began TO
/ search for my assegais, my water gourd
and my wood pillow.
Now the 1raal of the chief, my father,
| Makedama, was two hundred PAGES
away, and there | must go, for there
BaleEa slept Also dared not enter by
the gate. because man was always On
guard there. So l cut my way through
the reed fence with my assegai and
crept to the hut where Baleka was with
some Of her half sisters. knew on what
side of the hut it was her custom to lie
and where her head would be. So lay
down on my side and gently, very gen
tly, began to bore hole i'll the gr;- s
covering Of the hut. Almost l gave il
over. thinking that | would fly alone,
when suddenly | heard a girl wake and
begin to cry on the other side of the
thaich All" thought, THAT is Bale
.a, who weeps for her brotherv So 1
put my lips where the thatch was thin
nest and whispered:
..GaleIla, my sister! Balella, do not
varr' J. Mono. am here. Say not a
rrE ugt rise. Come out of the hut,
.aag YOUR skin blanket"
.a Understood ana after awhile