The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-08-22

the bottle to my lips and drained 1t.
Oh! that drink of cool, pure water!
never had 1 tasted any thing so delicious.
At the first gulp I felt life flow back
into me. But, wisely enough, she would
not let ne have much. No more! no
more!" she said, and dragged the bottle
from me almost by force.
''The child" I said - "is the child
dead?"
Il do not know yet," she answered.
"We have only just found yoa' and
tried to revive you first"
I turned and crcpt to where Tota lay
by the side of Indaba-zimbi. 1t vas I'M
possible to say if they were dead or
swooning. The lady. sprinkled Totas
face with the water, which l watched
gTeedily, for my thirst was still awful
while the woman Hendrika did the same
Office for linda aba-zimbi. Presently, to
my vast delight, Tota opened her eyes
and tried to cry, but could not, poor
little thing, because her tongue and
lips were so swollen. But the lady got
some water into her mouth, and, as in
my case, the effect was magical. We
allowed her to drink about quarter OF
pint, and no more, though sne cried
bitterly for it. Just then old lndaba-
zimbi came to with a grSan. lie opened
his eyes, glanced around, and took IN
the situation.
"What did I tell you, Macumazahn?'
and he seized the bottle and took long
pull at it.
Meanwhile sat with my back against
the trunk Of the great tree and tried to
realize the situation. Looking to my
left 1 saw two good horses-one bare
backed and one with rude lady's saddle
on it. BY the side of the horses were
two dogs, of stout greyhound breed,
that sat watching US, and near the dogs
Icy dead Airlie buck, which they had
eviden ly been coursing.
"Hendrika," said the lady, presently,
''they must not eat meat just yet Go
and look up the tree and see if there is
any ripe fruit on it."
The woman ran swiftly into the plain
and obeyed. Presently she returned
''I see some ripe fruit" she said, "but it
IS high, quite at the top"
''Fetch it," said the lady.
Easier said than DONE" thought to
myself; but was much mistaken. Sud
denly the woman bounded at least three
feet into the air and caught one of the
spreading boughs in her large fiat hands
a swing that would have filed an
acrobat with envy-and she was on it.
'Now there is an end" I thought
again, for the next bough was beyond
her reach. But again l was mistaken.
She stood up on the bough, gripping ii
with her bare feet, and once more
sprang at the one above, caught it and
swung herself into it.
Isuppose that thc-lady saw my express
sion of astonishment. do not wonder,
SIR" she said. "Hendrika is not like
other people. She will not fall"
made no answer, but watched the
progress of this extraordinary person
with the most breathless interest On
she went swinging herself from bough
to bough, and running along them like
monkey. At last she got to the TOP
and began to swarm along thin branch
towards the ripe fruit. When she was
near enough she shook the branch vio,
lently. There was crack-a crash-it
broke. shut my eyes, expecting to see
her crushed on the ground before me.
"Don't be afraid, "said the lady again,
laughing gently. "Look, she is quite
safe"
T looked, and so she was. She had
caught bough as she fell, clung to it,
and was now calmly dropping to another.
Old Indaba-zi,nbi had also watched this
performance with interest, but it did
not seem to astonish him over much.
"Bcboon-woman, he said, as though
su"h peopl, wero common, and then
turned hi: ottenlion to soothing Tota,
who was :noa: ing for more water.
Meanwhile He:.dlika came down the
tree VII extraordinary rapidity, and
swng.rT a.. &c hand from a bough,
dropped about tn Ieet to the ground.
In ano her two minutes we were all
t,-ren sucking the pulpy fruit In an
ord nary wa we should have found it
as e ess en- ugl.. as it was I thought it
W S the mos G.i;icus thing had ever
t-.ste1 A+er +h-ee days spent without
food O. W. er n +he desert one is not
particular While we were still eating
the ri he lad OF my vision set her
companion t. wolk to partially fay the
oribe which her Digs had killed, and
busi = herself making fire of fallen
boug' S. AS soon as it burned brightly
she to : strips of the oribe flesh, toasted
them, and gave them to us on leaves.
We ate, and now were allowed little
msre water After that she took little
Tote to TIE spring and washed her,
which she sadly needed, poor child
Next came our turn to wash, and oh! the
| joy it!
came back to the tree, walking pain
fully, indeed, but a changed man. There
sat the beautiful girl with Tota on her
knees. She was lulling her to sleep,
and held up her finger to me enjoining
silence. At last the child went off into
! sound natural slumber-an example
| that should have been glad to follow
had it not been for my burning curios-
ity. Then I spoke.
May ask what your namo is?" l
said.
Stella" she answered.
| ''Stella what?" / said.
''Stella nothing" she answered, in
| some pique. Stella is my name; it is
short and easy to remember, at any rate.
| Ny fathers name is Thomas, and we
live up there" and she pointed round
| the base of the great peak. I looked at