Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-12-22
THE PEOPLE
OF THE MIST.
Copyright. 1893. by the Author.l
By q. RIDER HAGGARD.

Devil was about to make speech, and
every cye'was fixed upon him SO intently
that none saw or heard the pair approach.
Now, my friends. make path, if you
please, said Leonard in n loud voice and
speaking in Portuguese. Il wish to pay
my respects to your chief
A dozen men wheeled round at once.
Who are your" they cried, seeing q
stranger.
If you will be SO kind as to let me
pass, shall be most happy to explain,
Leonard answered, pushing his way
through the throng.
"who is that" cried Pereira in coarse,
thick tones. Bring him here
There, yOL hear him. Let us through,
friends" said Leonard. Let us through"
Thus adjured, the throng opened a path,
and Leonard and Otter passed down it,
many suspicious eyes scanning them as
they went.
"A greeting to you, senior, )" said Leonard
when they had emerged in front of the
veranda.
Curse your greetingI Who in satan's
name are you!"
"A humble member of your honorable
profession, said Leonard coolly, come
TO pay his respects and do a little bust
ness
Are you? You don't look it. You
look like al Englishman. And who is that
abortion, pray:" And he pointed TO Otter.
Il believe that you are spies, and, by heav-
en-, if you are, 1 am the man to deal with
your'
This is likely story" said Leonard,
laughing. that one man and n black dog
should venture into the headquarters of
gentlemen like you, not being of the cloth.
| But l think there is noble gentleman
! among you-1 mean the Senior Xavier
who can vouch for me Did he not send a
note To one Captain Pierre, whose dhow
lies in the harbOr yOndeI, hailing from
Madagascar: Well, Captain Pierre has the
rivcs here, not without difficulty. Now he
begins to think that he would have done
better to stick to his ship"
THAT is all right, Pcreira,' said
Xavier, huge Portuguese with a dash of
negro blood and a yillainous countenance,
the same man whom they had followed
through the gate. Il sent note to the
! senior l told you of it,
Then I wish you had left it alone,
snarled PCrcira for an answer. Il don't
like your friends looks. He might be the
captain Of an English man-of-war rugged
up in our dress. At the words English
man-of-war'' a murmur of fear and anger
went through the assembly. Some of
those present had experience of these
hated vessels and their bigotcd crews, who
loved not this honest commerce, and TO all
they were names of i'll omen. Things
| looked serious, and Leonard saw that he
must do something. and quickly, so he
lost his temper, or pretended TO.
Curse you all for pack of suspicious
ours he said L tell you that my dhow
lies yonder | am half an Englishman
and half a creole and as good a man as
any of you. Now, look here, Dom Pereira,
if you or any other man darcs to doubt my
word, just step out, and will ram this
down your lying throat, - and placing his
hand on the hilt of his saber he took a
pace forward and scowlcd. The effect was
| instantaneous. Pcreira turned a little
pale beneath his yellow skin, for, like
most cruel men, he was a great coward.
Put up your pig sticker," he said. Il
see you are one of the right sort. 1 only
wanted to try you. As you know, we must
be careful in our business. Come and
shake hands, brother, and be welcome.
I trust you now, and old Antonio never
docs things by halves
.'Perhaps you had better try him n lit
tie further said young man who was
standing near Pereira as Leonard pre-
pared to accept tie invitation. Send for
q slave and let US have the old test. There
is none better
Pereira hesitatcd. and Leonarl's blood
turned cold.
Look here. young man. he said more
furiousIy than before. Il have cut the
Threats of more men than you have whip
ped, and if you want a test will give you
| one. Come down, my young cockerel,
come down. There is plenty of light for
| comb shipping"
The man turned white with rage, but
stood a moment contemplating Leonard s
athletic form and keen eyes. Apparently
he found that in them which gave him
pause, for instead of springing ut him he
burst into a volume of threats and filthy
abuse.
! How the matter would have ended it is
| difficult to say, but at this junction Pere-
| ira thought it we'll to interfere and vigor-
| ously.
Peace he Numbered in his great
| voice, his white hair bristlinS with rage.
| Il have welcomed ;his man, and he is
welcome. Is my word to be set aside by a
drunken young brawler like you: Shut
your ugly mouth, or, by the saints, will
have You clappcd in irons"
The slave driver obcycd. Perhaps he
| was not sorry for an excuse TO escape the
quarrel. AT any rate. with n scowl at Leon
I ard, he dropped back and was silent.
Harmony being thus restored, Pereira
| proceeded with the business of the even.
ing. First, however, he called Leonard &c
| SDOUh NHt ISAhC q
slave girl bring him drink. Then he ad
| dressed the company thus:
My lambs, my dear companions, my
true and trusted friends, this is sad mo
ment for me, your old leader, for 1 stand
here to bid You goodby. Tomorrow tbs
nest will know the Yellow Devil no more
and you must find another captain. Alas
grow old and am no longer up to the
work, and the trade is not what it was
thanks IL those Internal Englishmen an(
their cruisers, which prowl up and down
our waters, seeking to rob honest men o
the fruits of their enterprise
so retire with such modest gains as
have won by a life of labor-indeed the!
have gone before me, lest some of yoI
might be put in the way of temptation
- pend the evening of my day in peac'
and prayer. And now there is one mon
little thing. As it CHANGED during on
last Journey, the daughter of an accurset
Englishman fell into our hands. / tool
her and brought her here, and as he
guardian / have asked you to meet M
tonight that may choose her n husband
as it is my duty to do l cannot help my
self am far too old for such vanitics
and among the settled people near Mo
zambique. where 1 am going to live, !
might excite remarks. So will be gen
erous and pass her on to another, but L
whom shall give this prize? Among s.
many worthy gentlemen how can set on
above the others and declare him tn
worthiest of the girl? cannot, so l mus
leave it to chance, for know that heavel
will choose better than l. Therefore t
him who is ready to make the largest pres
emit to me will give this maid to com
fort him with her lOye-to make - present
mind you, not to pay price Still per
haps it will be best that the amount @
the present should be ascertained in tn
usual way-by bidding-in ounces c
, gold If you please, One condition more
There shall be nothing immoral in thi
matter, nothing irregular, my friend: