The record-union., 1895-04-27

by means of kind of flat spoon-and her
pretty fingers. / don't know what pos
sessed me-perhaps it was the caressing
touch Of her hand, which had been once
or twice laid upon mine while begging
ior the spoon-but, before saving good
night and going to my hut, l asked Ma
pana If she would like TO be saluted in the
fashion OF my country. She assented
With smile. l stopped toward her,
placed my hands upon her shoulders.
and kissed her upon the cheeks and lips.
Never was caress more sweet / don't
think Mapana thought so badly of it
either; there was no sign of displeaSure
in her dark eyes. Her maidens were
rather startled, and calculated some very
astonishing 'ohs"; but they were very
discreet.
Before quilted her asked Mapana to
lend me the old book on falconry. l
wanted to examine it more closely. On
my promising to deliver it to her again
she sent for it and placed it in my hands.
L went back to my hut, put the book into
my saddle-bag till morning, and quickly
fell into sound slumber
l saw little of MapanR till next evening.
She was bathing with her women at
lagoon in the morning. Then a council
OF headmen was held, chiefly to discuss
my visit; this lasted some hours. l wan
dered quietly about the village, escorted
by two tribesmen; saw that tho horses
were we'll fed and cared for, looked at our
rifles, and waited rather patiently for an
other audience with Mapana. During
the afternoon the bushmen left the
town. They had soon tired of it's attrac-
tions and yearned to be in the veldt
again.
1t was not until nightfall that Mapana
sent for me. l supped with her again by
the fire in front of her hut, and again we
had coffee and much laughter together.
She pnTlOna Rnjrlt9.
ripping over with fun and a sort of naive
coquetry; at others, looking serious and
thoughtful, and even, as l thought, a
little askance at me. l lighted my pipe
and began to smoke. Presently she sat
herself little nearer to me and spoke.
My headmen," she said, want to
know if you have come to stay long
among US, kareesa" $50 she pronounced
my name); 81 could not tell them this
morning. What does Ksreesa say? l
tire of ruling these people alone. l want
man to help me. Selenl hopes to be-
come that man; but Seleni-well, l love
not Seleni overmuch. Why should not
kareesa JOIN his lot with mine and share
my pOwer?" Mapana looked more beau
tltul than ever, l thought, at that mo-
ment; she was very serious, and her
dark eyes were turned almost beseech-
ingly to mine. Half barbarian though
she was, l never could forget that White
blood ran strong within her; and in mere
looks alone there was enough to tempt
many a better man than l, who was al
ready more than half in love with her.
know not what to say, but was about
to stumble into some sort of speech. She
leaned yet nearer and placed hand
gently upon my arm. At that instant
a sharp whistle, which l knew to be
AprlIs, and ApriPs only, smote my ears.
l half turned around. AS l did so, an
arrow grazed the breast of my flannel
shirt and drove deep into the left bosom
of Mapana. She uttered little choking
cry, and fell into my arms, a dying
woman. l could not let her go in her last
agony, poor soul; yet l knew there was
deadly danger about me even as l sup
ported her. Those moments were like
some terrible cream. In a second or two
another arrow transtiXed the heshy part
of my upper arm. Almost at the same
instant the report of a rifle rang out;
there was cry, and q fall, and l knew
Mapana was avenged-by April.
Next came ApriIs voice: 'Baas, Baas,
are you there? Come quickly"
l cried out: "AlI right; Pm coming"
and then looked into my poor lost Ma
paus's face again. She had given a shiver
or two, last struggle, and was now dead
in my arms. l laid her quietly upon the
earth and kissed her brow. She had in
hex hands, poor thing, as she often had,
the old sword. Her grip upon the scab-
bard was 80 strong that could not easily
loosen it. l drew the blade quickly from
The sCabbard, aud with one last look at
her as she lay, still wonderfully beautiful
even in death, l left Mapans.
Meanwhile the whole town was in
frightful uprOar. Poor Mapana's women
were shrieking in her hut. Mems voices
were yelling eXcitedly in different direc-
tions. War-drums were beating already
rushed to the kotla entrance. April
was there with the two horses, saddled
and bridled, and our rifles both loaded.
First, l made him break and draw the
arrow from my arm. de pointed to the
body of Seleni, whom he had shot dead
just as he fired his second arrow at me.
We jumped into our saddles and galloped
straight for the river 1t was our only
chance. By good luck we reached the
banks safely, swarm our horses across,
and CHANGED the crocodlles. Once on the
other side, we cantered steady all through
the night, due south. At early morning
we swan the river again, much against
the grain, and then, after an hours rest
in thick brush, steadily continued our
flight, now more to the eastward. To cut
a long story snort, by dint of nursing our
nags, we made good our escape, reached
the wagons In safety, and treckked hard
till we had put 100 miles between US and
| UmIanZiland.
Whether the UmfanzIs followed US or
not l don't know. Quite possibly the
death of Mapana, and the consequent
| kuIi4OlAf So DOLlSE6u ll6Lu LQaJ kOGY
never did. Thanks to my idea OF keep
ing our nags always saddIed and brided,
and to Aprips bravery and smartness,
we escaped with our lives.
Poor dead Mapana! [ shall never
cease to mourn her as a good, and true.
and most bewitching woman. l ad-
rnired her beauty and kindly heart. May
she rest in peaCel
Well ended CTessey), that's my yarn.
It's curious one, isn't it? II you are as
dry as L am, you must want whisky
and seltzer. After that, if you'll come to
my bedroom, Pill show you the relics
two coins, the sword and the book-I
brought from mfanziland.
Touching these same relics, which have
proved undoubtedly to have once be-
longed to Prince Maurice OF the Rhine,
they are likely to adorn shortly the col
lection Of a great parsonage or OF 8 we'll
known museum.
AS for the descent OF poor Mapana-
whether she and her forefathers truly
sprang, as she claimed, from Prince
Maurice himself-that is a mystery dead
with her dead self, never to be clearly
explained on this side of the dark portals.
Chambers Journal.
A PERFECT jewel for the enterprising
housekeeper is DIR. Prices Baking Pow
der.