The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-10-17
By H. RIDER HAGGARD.
Author of "She," "Kins solomon's Mines" Etc.

pointing at me.
How can we overcome Wambe, Ma
cumazahn the hunter"
How does the jackal overreach the
lion, Nala?"
"By cleverness, Macumazahp."
$50 shall you overcome Wambe,
Nala."
At this moment an interruption oc-
Cured.
A man entered, and said that mes
sengers had arrived from Wambe.
what is their message?" asked
Nala.
"They come to ask that thy daugh-
ter Maiwa be sent back, and with her
the white hunter
"How shall I make answer to this,
Macumazahn? said Nala, when the
man had withdrawn.
THUS shalt thou answer" / said,
after reflection.
"Say that the woman shall be sent.
and 1 with her, and then bid the mes
sengers begone.
stay; will hide myself here in the
hut, that the men may not see me-"
And l did.
Shortly afterward, through crack
in the hut, I saw the messengers az
rive, and great truculent-looking fel-
lows they were.
There were four Of them, and they
had evidently travelled hard.
"They entered with a swagger, and
squatted down before Nala.
Your business" said Nala, frown-,
ing.
1--WE come from Wambe, bearing the
orders of Wambe to Nala, his servant"
answered the spokesman of the party.
Speak" said Nala, with curious
twitch of his nervouslooking mouth.
These are the words Of Wambe:
"'Send back the woman, my wife,
who has run away from my kraal, and
send with her the white man who has
dared to hunt in my country without
my leave, and to slay my soldiers
These are the words of Wambe." ="
"And if I say will not send them"
asked y|ala.
"Then on behalf CT Wambe we de-
clare war upon you.
"Wambe will eat you up.
"He will wipe you out.
"Your kraals shall be stamped fiat
so"; and with an expressive gesture he
drew his hand across his mol-th to
show how complete would be the an
Inhalation of the chief who dared to
defy Wambe.
These are heavy words" said Nala.
"Let me think before 1 give an an
swer"
Then followed a little piece Of act
ing that was really very creditable to
the untutored savage mind.
The heralds withdrew, but not out of
sight, and Nala went through the show
of earnestly consulting his Indunas.
The girl Miawa, too, flung herself at
his feet and appeared to weep and i'm
plore his protection while he wrung
his hands as though in doubt and trib-
ulation Of mind. :,
At length he summoned the messen-
gers to draw near and addressed them,
while Miawa sobbeG very realistically
at his side.
"Wambe is a great Chief" said Nala.
"and this woman is his wife, whom
he has a right to claim.
"She must return to him, but her
feet are sore with walking; she can
not come now.
"In eight days from this day she
shall be delivered at the kraal of
Wambe; l will send her with party of
my men.
"As for the white hunter and his
men, I have naught to do with them,
and cannot answer for their misdeeds.
They have wandered hither unasked
by me, and I will deliver them back
whence they came, that Wambe may
judge them according to his law.
"They shall be sent with the girl.
"For you, 60 your ways.
Food shall be given you without the
kraal, and a present for Wambe in
atonement for the ill-doing of my
daughter. have spoken"
At first the heralds seemed inclined
to insist upon Maiwa's accompanying
them then and there, but ultimately on
being shown the swollen condition of
her feet, they gave up the point and
departed.
When they were well out of the way
I emerged from the hut, and we went
on to discuss the situation and make
our plans.
First of all, as was careful to ex-
plain to Nala, l was not going to give
him my experience and services for
nothing.
] heard that Wambe had q stockade
round his kraal made of elephant tuSks.
These tusks, in the event of our sue
ceeding in our enterprise, I should
claim as my perQuisite, with the pro-
viso that Nala should furnish me. with
men to carry them down 10 the coast.
TO this modest request he and the
headmen gave an unqualified and
hearty assent. the more hearty. Per-
haps, because they never expected to
! finger them.
The next thing I stiplated was that
if we conquered the white man, john
Every, should be banded over to me.
together with aay goods that he might
claim.
His cruel captivity was, need hard
ly say, the only reason that induced me