San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-26
Che 1ailu Eight.
TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1892.

they We're.
Now the man was much pleased, and
said that if my magic was good. and he
found the cattle, the gift should be
taken from Mona and given to me.
Noma was very angry. 1t was a big
herd of ca;:le. and if they were found
where | had said, then all men would
hold me the greater wizard. Now the
headman said that at the first light he
would go with me to the spot where my
snake said the cattle We're.
/, too, went into my hut and lay down
to sleep. Suddenly | awoke, feeling a
weight upon my breast. tried to start
up, but something cold pricked my
throat. | fell back again and looked.
The door of the hut was open. The
moon lay low on the sky, like a ball of
fire far away. | could see it through
the door, and its light crept into the
hut. 1t fell upon the face of Mona, the
witch doctor. He was seated across me,
glaring at me with his one eye, and in
his hand was a knife. twas that which
had felt prick my throat.
You whelp, whom l have bred up, to
tear me!' he Missed into my ear You
dared to divine where failed, did YOU"
and he began driving in the knife under
my chin.
Mercy, my unclet' l said Have
mercy, and ] will do whatever you will"
will you do this?' he asked, still
pricking me with the knife. will you
get up, go find the dogs cattle and drive
them TO a certain place and hide them
there?' and he named a secret valley
that was known to very few. If you
do that | will spare you and give you
three of the cows. If you refuse or play
me false, then, by my fathers spirit,
will find a way to kill your
Certainly will do it, my uncle"
answered. why did you not trust me
before? Had known that you wanted
TO keep the cattle | would never have
smelled them out. Ionly did so, fearing
lest you should lose the presents"
You are not so wicked as l thought"
he growled. Get up; then, and do my
bidding. You can be lack here in two
hours after dawn"
So got up, thinking all the while if
without arms, and he had the knife; also,
if perchance had prevailed and killed
him it would have been thought that
had murdered him, and should have
tasted the assegai. So made another
plan. would go and find the cattle in
the valley where | had smelt them out,
but would not bring them to the secret
hiding place No, would drive them
straight to the kraal and denounce
Noma before the chief my father, and
all the people. But | was young in
those days, and did not know all the
heart of Noma.
went to the corner of my hut, Noma
watching me all the while, and took
kerrie and a small shield. Then
started through the moonlight.
For an hour | travelled swiftly over
the plain, till | came to the hillside
where the bush began. At last found
the little buffalo path | sought, and
turned along it. Presently came to an
open place where the moonlight crept
in between the trees. | knelt down and
looked. Yes! my snake had not lied to
me; there was the spoor of the cattle!
Then went on gladly till reached a
dell through which the water ran softly
Here the trail of the cattle was broad;
they had broken down the ferns with
their feet and trampled the grass fiat
Presently | came to pool. knew it
it was the pool my snake had shown me
| stepped forward and looked round
My eye ca ght something; it was the
faint gray light of the dawn glinting on
the cattle's horns.
Then | collected them and drove them
before me down the narrow path back
toward the kraal. Now the daylight
came quickly, and the sun had been up
an hour when reached the spot where
P | should turn if | wished to hide the cat
tie in the secret place, as Noma had bid
me. But this | would not do. No,
would go on to the kraal with them, and
tell all men that Mona was a thief.
Still, sat down and rested awhile, for
was tired. As | sat, heard noise
and looked up. There, over the slope of
the rise, came crowd of men, and lead
ing them was Mona, and by his side
the headman who owned the cattle.
stood still wondering but as | stood
they ran toward me, shouting and way
ing sticks and spears.
There he Isl" screamed Mona. There
he isl-the clever boy whom | have
brought up to bring shame on me-
What did l tell you? Did | not tell you
that he was thief? Yes-yesl know
your tricks, Mopo, my childl See! he is
stealing the cattle" And he made a
rush at me with his stick lifted. and af-
ter him came the headman, granting
with rage.