The Van Buren press., 1895-06-15

~ d henrsleasnonn q Nannikofa -
restlon that she ocnld - easily eAhco
The memory cf her orn txue-lcs1 ~
| che stood there with her head tnnsea
back. she locked . little queen
Nanniko bent forwsrd-his fat faee
SINNER than ever. hss eyes glinting
with more than usual ievilishness-and
whispered rather than spoke aloud:
marry Kaki-
Nc scc,er were these words uttered
than Il seemed to Zeelah that . Light
straight from heaven revealed to her
tie true situation She knew that
Manniko WAS well acquainted with
everything concerning her. as indeed
he was concerning every man. woman
ard child in Accra From the time
that she had been left an orphan and
had been adopted by the widow Takki,
an eccentric but phiianthropic old lady,
be had kept . watchful eye upon her.
and had taken good care not TO allow
her to stray from his fetch fold She
| felt that he had evinced considerable
interest in the legsay left to her by
old Bombolo, the steyedore. which con-
sisted Of valuable pair Of elephants
Bombs,lo had died just before she was
sent to the hilik1 1t also recurred to
her how people said that Kah WAS the
son of Manniko. The thoughts OF
these things rushed Into Zeelah's mind
Was there not IN explanation in them
for Sattoo's absence. and the evident
desire Of Manniko TO see her welded
TO Kaki. an alliance which she knew
could be made binding almost on the
instant II she would only consent to it?
In different circumstances, Manniko's
personality would doubtless have ap.
pealed to her as one in which was cen.
tered all that was awful and mys.
terious in tho diabolicai practices OF
fetchism. and no such sa!ae b. thought of re-
sisting its influence would have entered
her head But now every sentiment OF
obedience was cast to the winds She
felt that she vas the victim Of plot.
and rightly or wrongly-hardly. in
deed, knowing what she did, except
that she followed the lead Of her emo
tions-she roundly declared her be-
lief that the whole story Of Sattoo's
desertion was false. Throwing the
ugly phrase straight into Manniko's
teeth. she also demanded to know
whether it was true or not that Kah
was his son-and then-well, she did
what most women would have done
under the. circumstances-relieved the
tension of her feelings by bursting into
tears. She had bearded the majesty Of
fetchism, and what the results would
be, now that she had done 1t, she trern-
bled to think.
The fendish expression that came
oser the Silenns-like yisage OF Man
niko, when he found himself thus de-
fed by girl over whom he had never
doubted the completeness Of his au-
thority, can be more easily imagined
than described. lie was convulsed
with rage, and positively gasped for
speech. When articulation did come.
however, 1t was full OF malice and all
uncharitableness. He swore by all the
ghosts of his ancestors that her tongue
should be split, and that she should do
at least twenty moons Of penance. And
lot more.
At her flow Of tears Zeelah felt re-
lieled, but she was not unreasonably
frightened at Manniko's threats, and
turned as II to fee from his presence.
But the priest OWNED her intention,
and, as he had not yet nearly ex-
hausted his stock Of maledictions,
stepped forward as quickly as his
obesity would permit and seized her
by the wrist. The electric shock Of
'loathing conveyed by his clammy hand,
and the pain that the grasp itself in
flicted, produced the piercing shrek
from Zeelah that followed.
l had sprung to my feet with the OBJ
ject OF rushing to the rescue, when
there came sound as of swirling
wind. A swarthy form had cleared
the hibiscus hedge at bound, and be-
fore Mapniko had time to meet the
turn that events had taken, further
than to release his hold OF Zeelah, he
was clasped round the middle by pair
Of arms endowed with q giants
strength, lifted on high, and thrown
literally in heap on the gravel path.
In the next instant Zeelahs palpitat-
ing heart was beating against the he
roic breast OF her own true lover.
Mannilko got his deserts-contused
limbs. Nor did Kaki fail to get his;
for when 1t was proved that at the in
stigation OF the priest he had traduced
the character of Zeelah-hence the
rake and watering-pot episode-and
had succeeded In sending Sattoo on a
wild-goose chase to satisfy himself on
the point, he was debarred any further
opportunity Of exercising his peculiar
talents within the castle walls.
There was one particular in regard
to which the conspirators had sadly
miscalculated, and that was the celer-
ity Of Sattoo's movements. 1t was a
grave doubt, in the opinion of some,
whether it was intended that he should
return at all.
On the following Sunday the chapel
al the castle included in its congrega-
ton two converts from paganism-Sat-
too and his bride.-Ohambers' journal.
Good Reason for . Morning Nap.
It is claimed that one OF the reasons
for the undisturbed morning sleep es-
I'll = Il