The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-09-22
By H. RIDER HAGGARD.
CHAPTER XVII.


aided maid to travel to the Ghost
mountain. Yet all this while / said
nothing TO him Of the truth as 10 his
birth. Still knew that the hour had
now come when must speak, for it was
in my mind to bring il about that Um-
sIopOgaas should be proclaimed aloud
tho son Of Chaka and be made king OF
the ZuIus in the place of Dingaan. Had
] known that Umslopogaas still lived
when slew Chaka then methinks that
could have brought it about that he
% should be king. Or had things fallen
out as planned and the Lily maid been
brought to Dingaan and UmslopOgaas
grown great in his sight, then perchance
could have brought it about But the
Lily was none other than NADIA, and
how might Umslopogaas give NADIA,
whom he thought his sister and who
was my daughter. to Dingaan against
hor will? Also because of NADIA Din
guam and Umslopogaas were now at bit
ter emnity, and for this same cause ]
was now disgraced and fugitive.
Now, as we drew near the kraal all
the women and children came ont to
greet us, headed by Zinita, wife Of Um-
slopogaas.
Umslopogaas greeted Zinita well, and
yet thought there was something lack
ing. At first she spoke to him kindly,
but when she learned all that had come
10 pass her words were not kind.
was silent till she had finished and
Umslopogaas also was silent.
Peace, woman!" l said at length.
Talk not i'll of those who are wise and
who had seen much before you were
born"
Talk not i'll of him who is my father"
growled Umslopogaas. AYE, though you
knew it not, this Mouth whom you revile
is Umbova, my father.
Then there is a man among the
People of the AK who has fool for a
father. Of all tidings this is the worst. !"
"There is a man among the People Of
the AK who has a jade and seold for
Wife" said UmslopOgaas, springing
up "Begone, Zinita, and know this,
that if hear you speak more such words
of him who is my father you shall go
further than your own hut, for | will
put you away and drive you from my
Lraal. have suffered you too long"
II 60" said Zinita- "Oh, l am well
served! l made you chief and now you
threaten to put me away"
ut was my own hands that made me
chief" said Umslopogaas. and thrust
her from the hut
lit is an i'll thing to be welded to
such a woman. my father" he said pres
emily.
Now, for awhile we sat silent and
alone in the hut, and as we sat me-
thought heard a rat stir in the thatch.
Then spoke, ''UmslOpogaas, at length
the hour has come that should whisper
somewhat into your hear n word that
have held secret since you were born"
Speak on. my father" he said, won
dering.
| crept to the door of the hut and
looked out. The night was dark, and
could see none about and could hear
none move, yet, being cautious, | walked
around the hut. Had not been a fool
should have searched out that rat III the
thatch before ever opened my lips, fol
the rat was Zinita, my fatber-Zinita
who had climbed the hut and now lay
there in the dark, her ear upon the
smokehole, hearkening TO every word
that passed
50, having searched and found moth
ing, spoke to UmslOpOgaas, my foster
ling, little knowing that Death in a WON
ans shape lay on the hut above US.
..Hearken," said. You are no son of
mine, Umslopogsas, though you have
called me father from babe. You spring
from a loftier stock, Slaughterer."
yet was we'll pleased with my faith
ering, old man." said Umslopogaas.
THE breed is good enough for me. Say.
then, whose son am II
Now bent forward and whispered to
him-yet, alas! not low enough, You
are the son of the Black One, WHO'S dead
yea, sprung from the lOins Of Chaka
and of Baleka my sister"
al still have some part i'll your blood
then, Umbova, and that l am glad of.
Wow! Who would have guessed that
was the son Of that silwana, of that hyena
man! For this reason, perchance, it is
that, like Galazi, ! love the company OF
the wolves, though no love grows in my
heart for my father or any Of his house.
You have little cause to love him
Umslopogaas, for he slew your mother
Baleka, and would have slain you ais
had it not been for me. Yet you are thu
son of Chaka and of no other man."
We'll, his eyes must be keen. indeed
my uncle, who can pick his own father
out of a crowd. And yet once hearC
this tale before, though ! had long ag,
forgotten it"
From whom did you hear it, UmslOp
ogaas? An hour since it was known t.
one alone-the others are dead who knew
it. Now it is known to two (ah! m
father. VOTED not of the third. From
whom, then, did you hear it,
lit was from the dead-at least, Galaz
the Wolf heard it from the Dead On,
who sat in the cave on Ghost mountain
for the Dead One told him that MAJ
should come to be his brother who should
be named Umslopogaas Bulalio, son o
Chaka, and he told it to me, but haC
long forgotten it"
''It seems that there Is wisdom in tn
dead,"I answered, "for 10! today you
are named Umslopogaas Bulalio, ant
today declare you the son of Chaka
But listen to my tale"
Then told him all the story from tn
hour of his birth onward, and when
spoke of the words of his mother Baleka
after had told my dream to her, and o
the manner of her death by the cOmman'
of Chaka, and OF the great fashion i
which she had died, then l say UmslopC
gaas wept, whom think seldom wept be
fore or after. But as my tale grew
it's end saw that he listened i'll, as
man listens who has weightier matte
pressing on his heart, and before 1t wa
well done he broke in:
80, Umbova, my uncle, if l be SON c
Chaka and Baleka. NADIA the Lily is n
sister to me-"
NAY, UmslOpogaas, she is but IN
cousin"
lover near Of blood" he said. Eye
that shall not stand between US, and hi
face grew glad
looked at him in question.
You grow dull, my uncle. This
my meaning, that l will wed NADIA If sh
yet lives, for it comes upon me now tha
have never loved any woman as low
NADIA the Lily" and as he spoke ono
"more heard the rat stir III the thatch {
tho hut
WED her if you will, Umslopogaas
l answered, "yet methinks one Emit,
4 IL