The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-12-15
no N oosr1NvNl

WV AOAS
none move, yet, being cautious, | walked
around the hut. Had not been a fool
should have searched out that rat in the
thatch before ever opened my lips, for
the rat was Zinita, my father-Zinita,
who had climbed the hut and now Law
there in the dark, her ear upon the
mokehole, hearkening to every word
that passed
So, having searched and found moth
ing, spoke to Umslopogaas. my foster
ling, little knowing that Death in WON
ans shape lay on the hut above us.
"Hearken." said. you are no son of
mine, Umslopogaas, though you hav.,
called me father from babe. You spring
from loftier stock, Slaughterer.
"Yet Twas well pleased with my faith
ering, old man." said Umslopogaas.
"The breed is good enough for me- Say,
then, whose son am n
Now bent forward and whispered to
him-yet, alasl not low enough, 'sYou
are the son of the Black One, WHO'S dead
yea, sprung from the loins of Chaka
and of Baleka nay sister,"
II still have some part in your blood
then, Umbo7a, and that am glad of.
Wow! Who would have guessed that
was theson of that silwana, of that hyena
man! For this reason, perchance. it is
that, like Galazi, love the company OF
the wolves, though no love grows in m
heart for my father or any of hishouse
''You have little cause to love him.
Umslopogaas, for he slew your mother
Baleka, and would have slain you also
had it not been for me. Yet you are the
son of Chaka and of no other man.
"Well. his eyes must be keen, indeed
my uncle. who can pick his own father
out of a crowd. And yet once heard
this tale before. though had long ago
forgotten it.
"From whom did you hear it, Umslop-
ogaas? An hour since it was known to
one alone-the others are dead who knew
it. Now it is known to two (ah! my
father. VOTED not of the third. From
whom, then, did you hear it?'
1T was from the dead-at least, Galazi
the Wolf heard it from the Dead One
who sat in the cave on Ghost mountain.
for the Dead One told him that man
should come to be his brother who should
be named Umslopogaas Bulalio, son of
Chaka. and he told it to me, but I had
long forgotten it"
sit seems that there is wisdom in the
dead" answered, ''for 10! today you
are named Umslopogaas Bulaio, and
today declare you the son of Chaka
But listen to my tale"
Then told him all the story from the
hour Of his birth onward, and when |
spoke of the words of his mother Baleka,
after had told my dream to her, and of
the manner of her death by the command
of Chaka, and Of the great fashion in
which she had died, then say Umslopo
gaas wept whom think seldom wept be-
fore or after. But as my tale grew to
its end saw that he listened i'll, as a
man listens who has weightier matter
pressing on his heart, and before it was
well done he broke in:
$50, Umbova, my uncle, if be son of
Chaka and Baleka, NADIA the Lily is no
sister to me-.
NAY, Umslopogaas, she is but thy
cousin.
cover near of blood" he said. ''yet
that shall not stand between us, and his
face grew glad.
Hooked at him in question.
"You grow dull, my uncle. This is
my meaning, that will wed NADIA if she
yet lives, for it comes upon me now that
! have never loved any woman as love
NADIA the Lily" and as he spoke once
more heard the rat stir in the thatch of
the hut.
"Wed her if you will, Umslopogaas, !"
answered, "yet methinks one Zinita,
your Inkosikaz, will find words to say in
the matter"
"Zinita is my head wife, indeed, but
shall she hold me back from taking
other wives after the lawful custom OF
our people?" he asked angrily.
1.-THE custom is lawful and good"
Zinita can have little to cay If she still
continues in her place and you still love
her as of old. But enough Of her-Nada
Is not yet at your gates, and perchance
she shall never find them. See, Um.
slopogaas, this is in my mind, that yor
should rule in Zululand by right oil
blood, and though things point other
wise, yet think way shall be found
to bring it about"
"How so2" he asked.
THUS: Many of the great chiefs wht
are known to me hate Dingaan and feal
him, and did they know that son o
Chaka lived, and that son the Slaugh
terer, he well might climb TO the thron'
upon their shoulders. Also, the soldier
love the name of Chaka, though he deal
evilly, with them, because at least he wa
brave and generous. But they do no
love Dingaan, for his burdens are tn
burdens of Chaka, but his gifts are tn
| gifts of Dingaan. Therefore they woul,
welcome Chaka's son if once they knew
him for certain. But it is here that.th
necklet chafes, for there is but my wor,
to prove it. Yet will try"
"Perchance it Is worth trying and PEI
chance it is not, my UNCLE" answers
Umslopogaas. Zone thing know
had rather see NADIA at my gates tonigh
than hear all the chiefs in the land CRY
ing, Hail, o kingr"
You shall live to think otherwise, On
slopogaas.
CHAPTER XVIII.