Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-01-19
THE PEOPLE
OF THE MIST
By II. RIDER HHGGARD.
copyright, 1898. nv the Author.l

it, SO he must write across the title page.
And thus he wrote in small, neat letters
with his mixture Of blood and gunpowder
straight through the order of common
prayer
agreement Between Leonard Outram and
Sea, the Native Woman.
/. Tho said Leonard Oatram agrees to use his
best Efforts TO rescue Jr2nna, the daughter of
Mr.. Bodd, row reduced to a state of slavery,
and believed to be in the power of one PEREZ
IA, q slave Cealer.
.. In consideration Of the services OF the
said Leonard Cutram, the said Soa delivers to
him a certain stone believed to be a ruby, of
which the said Leonard Outram hereby nc
knowledges the receipt.
8. Should the rescue be effected the said
Soa hereby agrees, On tobalf of herself and
the said Ju:.nna Rod, to conduct the said
Leonard Outram to a certain spot in central
southeastern Africa, inhabited by a tribe
known as the People Of the Mist, there to use
her best efforts to reveal to him and to enable
him TO appropriate to his own uses the store of
Tubics used IN the religious ceremonies of the
said tribe. Further, the said Soa agrees on
behalf Of the said Juanna Rodd, that she, the
said Juannal, WILL if necessary, play the part
Of goddess nmong the said People Of the
Mist, or any other part that may be required
of her.
4. It is mutually agreed that these enter
prises be prosecuted until the said Leonard Ou
tram is satisfied that they are fruitless.
Signed in the 8ianica mountains, eastern At
riea, on the 9Th day Of May, IS.
When he had finished this document,
perhaps one of the most remarkable that
was ever written since Pi2arro drew up
his famous agreement for tho division of
the prospective spoils Of Peru, Leonard
read it aloud and laughed heartily to him
self 1t was the first time he had laughed
for some months. Then he translated it to
his companions, not without complacency
for it had truly legal sound, and your
layman loves to affect the lawyer.
What do you think of that, Otter?" he
asked when he had finished
1T is fine, baas, very fine" answered
the dwarf Wonderful are the ways of
the white man! But, baas, how can the
old woman promise things on behalf of
anothor?"
Leonard pulled his beard reflectively.
The dwarf had put his finger upon the
weak spot in the document, but he was
saved the necessity Of answering by Soa
herself who said quietly: Have no fear,
white man. That which promise upon
her behalf my mistress will certainly per
form, if so be that you can save her. Give
me the pen that l may make my mark
upon the paper, but first do you swear
upon the red stone that you will perform
what you promise IN this writing?''
So Leonard laughed, swore and signed,
and Soa made her mark. Then Otter az
fixed his as witness to the deed, and the
thing was finished. Laughing once more
at the comicality of the transaction, which
indeed he had carried out moro by way of
a joke than for any ether reason, Leonard
put the prayer book in his pocket and the
great ruby into division of his belt The
old woman watched the stone vanish with
an expression of triumph. Then she cried
exultingly;
"Ah, white man, you have taken my
pay, and now you arc my servant to the
end! He WHO swears upon the Blood of
Aca swcars an oath indeed, and woe be to
him if he should break it!'
Quite so, answered Leonard. 81 have
taken your pay, and l mean to earn it, so
we need not enter into the matter of the
blood of Aca. 1t seems to me more prob
able that our own blood will be in ques-
ton before all is said and done. And now
we had better make ready to start
We shall not need to follow the footsteps
of Leonard Outram and his companions
day by day. For a week they travelled on,
journeying mostly by night, as they had
purposed. They climbed mountains; they
struggled through swanps and forests
they swain rivers. Indeed one of these
was in flood, and they never could have
crossed it had it not been for Offers pow
ers of natation. Six times did the dwarf
swim the torrent, bearing their goods and
ertIpS hold nbgvp bn I1.atpr with ,,ua hand
On the seventh journey he was still more
heavily weighted, for, with some assist
ance from Leonard, he must carry TIE
woman Soa, who could swim but little.
But he did it ard without any great IA
tiguc. II was not until Otter was seen
stemming heavy current that his vast
strength could be measured. Here indeed
his stunted stature was of positive advan
tago for it offered the less surface for the
water to act upon.
On the eighth night of their journey
they halted on the crest of high noun
tain. The moon had set and it was i'm
possible TO go farther. Moreover, they
were weary with long marching. Wrap
ping themselves in their blankets, for here
the air was piercing cold, they lay down
beneath the shelter of some bushes to sleep
till dawn. 1t was Otter who woke them.
Look. baas,' ho said to Leonard, we
have marched straight. There below us is
the big river, and there far away to the
right, is the sea-
That II 9 { they camped near the slave
road, n Golgotha, covered at intervals with
the bones of slaves. twas gloomy night
for all, but ut last the darkness passed,
the sun shone out merrily, and the travel.
ers arose, shook the night dew from their
hair and ate a scanty meal for they must
husband such food as they had with them.
Thus they went on for the most part Of
that day till toward evening they reached
place where the particular canal that
they were following suddenly divided IT.
self into two, one branch running north
md one in o southerly direction.
Which way, Ottor?" asked Leonard.
Nay, baas, know not The water has
changed. There was no land here. The
canal went straight on"
This was a serious matter, for one false
step in sach labyrinth meant that they
would be lost utterly For long they de-
bated which stream to take, and at last
decided to try that on the left hand, which
Otter thought ran more nearly in the true
direction They had already started in
pursuance of this advice when Soa, who
had hitherto remained silent, suggested
that they should first go a little way down
the right hand stream on the chance of
finding clew. Leonard demurred, but
as the old woman seemed bent upon it he
yielded, and turning the canoe they pad
Glcd her some 500 yards In this new direc-
ton As there was nothing to be SEEM
however, Otter began to put her about
again
stay, white man, said Soa, who had
been searching the surface of the water
with her keen eyes. what is that thing
yonderf' and she pointed to olump of
reeds about 10 yards away, among which
sCme small white object was just discern
ible.
Feathers, think, " Leonard answered,
but we will go and see.' In another mo
Inent they were there.
lit is paper baas,' said Otter In low
voice. paper stuck ON to a reed. u
Lift it carefully" answered Leonard
in the same tone, for his anxiety was keen.
How came it that they found paper fixed
to reed in such place as this? Otter did
so, laying it on the thwart of the canoe be-
fore Leonard, who, with Soa, examined it
closely.
This is leaf from the holy book in
which my mistress reads" said the wom-
an with conviction Il know the shape of
it well, She has torn the paper out and
fixed it on the reed as sign to any who
might come after her. F"
1T looks like it, said Leonard. That
was a good thought of yours to come up
y.i1 lodi hsa hon