The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-01
CHAPTER TX.
The Taking of Noie.

| CHATTER TX. The Taking of Noie. Presently Mrs. Dove, who seemed to l have quite recovered from her curious l seizure, went to bed.
 l "I don't like it, father,' said Rachel | when the door had closed behind her | '.Of course it is contrary to exper- | fence, and all that, but believe thai l mother is foresighted." | Nonsense, dear, nonsense," said her | father. "It is her, Scotch superstition l that is all We have been married for l five and twenty years now, and have | heard of this sort of thing again and | again, but although we have lived in | wild :,laces where anything might hap pen to us nothing out of the way ever has happened; in fact, we have always been most mercifully preserved" That's true, father, still I am not way myself sometimes. Thus know that she is right about me; no harm will happen to me, at least no perma- nent harm. feel that I shall live out my life, as I feel something else.' What else, Rachel?" "Do you remember the lad, Richard Darrien?'' she asked, coloring little.
 What? The boy o who was w with you you member him, although I have not thought of him for years.'' Well, I feel that shall see him again."
 L. said. eff he is still alive and in Af- rica, it wouldn't be very wonderful if you did, would it? And at any rate, of course. you will one day when we all with irritation, ''there are enough bothers in life without rubbish of this kind, which, comes from living among savages and absorbing their ideas. have to give way and leave Africa, though it will break my heart just when, after all the striving, my efforts are being crowned with success"
 t'I have always told you, father, that don't want to leave Africa; still, there is mother to be considered. Her health is not what it was"
 Well" he said impatiently, 3I will talk to her and weigh the thing. Per haps I shall receive guidance, though for my part I cannot see what it mat ters. We've got to die some time. and if necessary I prefer that it should be while doing @ - my o.eo duty s,o,an1 Iake ,,nao no the day is the evil thereof. has always been my motto, who am content with what it pleases Providence to send me-"
 Then Rachel, seeing no use in con- tinuing the conversation, bade him good night, and went to look for Noie, only to discover that she was not in the house. This disturbed her very much, although it occurred to her that she might possibly be with friends in the village, hiding till she was sure the Zulu embassy had gone. So she went to bed without troubling her fa- ther.
 At daybreak next morning she rose, not having slept very we'll, and went out to look for the girl. without suc- cess, for no one had heard or seen anything of her. As she was return ing to the house, however, she met solitary Zulu, dignified midd1e-aged man, whom she thought she .,recog- nized as one of the embassy, although of this she could not be sure, as she moonlight. The man, who was quite unarmed, except for a kerry which he carried, crOuched down on catching sight of her in token of respect As she approached he rose, and gave her the royal salute. Then she was sure.
 Speak she said.
 'Inkosazana," he answered hum bly, "be not angry with me; I am You saw me with the others last night"
 sI saw you''
 "Inkosazana, there has been dwell ing with you one Noie, the daughter of Seyapo, the wizard, who with alI his house was slain at this place by order of the King. She should have been slain, but we have learned that you called down lightning from Heav- en, and that with it you slew the sol dier who had run her down, slew him and burned him up, as you had the right to do, and took the girl to be vour slave, as you had the right to do.''
 Speak on,'' said Rachel, showing none of the surprise which she felt.
 "Inkosazana, we know that you have come to love this girl. There fore, yesterday before we spoke with you we seized her as we were com manded, and hid her away, awaiting your answer to our message. Had you consented to visit the King at his Great Place, we would have let her go. But as you did not consent my companions have taken her to the King.''
 "An i'll deed. What more, Tam boosa 2"
 s'This; the King says by-nny mouth Let the Inkosazana come and com mand, and her servant Noie shall go free and unharmed, for is she not a dog in her hut? But if she comes not and at once, then the girl dies"
 How know I that this tale is true, Tamboosa ?" asked Rachel, controlling herself with an effort, for she loved Noie dearly.
 The man turned towards some bush es that grew at a distance of about twenty paces, and cried: Come hith- er.',
 Thereon from among the bushes where she lay hidden, Hose little maid of about fourteen. whom Rachel took with her to carry baskets and other things.
 '"Tell now the tale of the taking of Noie and deliver the message that she gave to you,'' commanded Tamboosa.
 <To be Continued-)
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