Evening star., 1909-03-12
CHAPTER XVIII-Continued.

ltlb iI'l say S.Ic 'f'tNe' 'i''N'
heaven would pour out its vengeance iii
plenty because of the blood that runs
between the Spirit of the Inkosazana and
her PEOPLE OF the Zulus?"
..TrIN this curse works fast and we'll,
exclaimed Dngaan. Then. turning to the
men. he shouted: BE gone. YOU starved
rats YOU towards. who do not know how
"a fight. and he thankful that the Great
Elephant ,Chaka) is dead. for surely ne
would have fed you upon shields uhll
you perished.
SO these captains crept away also.
Ere they were vel gone man ap-
preached craving audience, a ia' i'an. aar
who wore woeful countenance, Tor
tears ran down his bloated cheeks. Din-
eaan knew him well. for every week he
saw him. and sometimes oftener.
What is it, Movo. keeper of the kline; :,
he asked. anXiouSly, that YOU Dream III
on me thus at my councll!
80 king" answered the fat man, par
don me- but. king. my tldlngs are 81
sad that l availed myself of my privilege
and pushed past the guards at thy gate
Those who bear i'll news ever run
quickly" grunted the king. Stop that
weeping and out with it, Movo.
shaker of the Earth. Eater Up OF
Enemies" said Movo, thou thyself ar
eaten up or at least thy cattle are. the
cattle that l love. A sore sickness has
ia len on the great herd. the royal herd'
he white herd with the twisted horhs.
and here he paused to sob, "a Thousand
of them are dead and many more are
sick Soon there Will be no nero ielt' t'io
he wept outright.
Now Dingaan haped up in his wrath
and struck the man so sharply with the
shaft Of the spear he he'd that IL prohe
upon his head. o,,;oa
"What have you done to my cattle:
Speak or you shall be slain for an eNh-
doer VIII" has bewitched them.
is it a crime to be fat, o KING, an
svered the indignant Movo. RUBBING ms
skull, when others are so mucl 1atter
and he looked reproachfully at Dlngaah
enormous person. Can I help 1t II
thousand of thy oxen are now but macs
for Shields?' ,
"WilI YOU answer. or will you taste the
other end of the spear?' asked DinSaah'
grasping the broken shaft just above tne
blade What have YOU done to my cat
tle"" .,
Can helm il if those accursed beasts
choose to eat dead locusts instead vi
grass and foam at the mouth ana cilohe.
Can the cattle help 1T If al the grass iias
become locusts. so that there is ho,ll'is
else for them to eat? l am not to blame
and the cattle are not to blame bla'ile
the heavens above. to whom thou' oi
rather" he added, hastily. some Wlckeu
wizard. must have given oHense. 1or ho
such thing as TINS mas peeii hiio""
in Zululand .;,d
Again Rachel broke IN WIFI le' WI"
.aughter. and said:
Did I not tell thee tnat NehSeahcs
wou d be poured down in plenty, poured
down like the rain. O Dingaan? Ven
eeance on the king. vengeance on
the people vengeance on the soi-
diers vengeance on the cofil' ven
seance on the kline, vengeance on 'II
whole land. because blood runs pet"een
1 I,,lyn
of the Ama-zulu, whom once she loNeu.
eft is true il is true. White one. but
| why dost thou say 1t so often: groaneo
the maddened Dingaan. why snow the
| whip to those who must reel the ploW .
| Now, YOU Movo have you done!
Not quite, 0 King, answered the
| melancholy Movo still rubbing his head
| .The cattle of all the kraals around are
| diving of this same sickness, and the crops
are quite eaten. so that next winter every
one must perish of famine
is that all. Movo:
Not quite. King. since messengers
have come to me. as head keeper OF tne
kline. to say that all the other royal herds
stricken although. if l understand them
right. of some other pest. Also, when
! forgot to add .,
"Hunt out this bearer of iil-tidings.
roared Dingaan: hunt him out, ana seno
orders that his own cattle be taken 10 III
up the holes in my blanke..
Now some attendants sprane Oh !iie
| luckless Movo and began to beat him Win
! their sticks. Still before he reached the
gates he succeeded in turning ROUND,
! weeping in good earnest, and shouted:
1T Is quite useless, o King. all my cat
| tie are dead. too They will find nothing
| but the horns and the hoofs. for nave
! sold the hides 20 the shield makers
| Then they thrust him forth.
He was gone. and for while there was
silence, for despair filed the hearts of the
! king and his councillors. as they gaZed
at Rachel, dismayed. wondering "ithih
| themselves how they might be rid of her
and of the evils which she had brought
upon them because of the blood of her
people which lay at their doors
While they still stared thus in silence
| yet another messenger came running
! through the gate like one in great haste
| Now am minded to order this fellow
to be killed before he opens his mouth,
said Dingaan, "for of a surety he also Is
d bearer of ill-tidings.
| Nay o King" cried out the man In
alarm my news is only that All embassy
| waits without.
From whom?' asked Dingaan. anxious
| ly The white Amaboona?
| Nay. O King, from the queen or the
ghost people to whom thou did dispatch
| Noie daughter of Seyapi a while ago.
Hearing the name Noie, Rachel lifted her
| head and for the first time her face
| grew human.
| Il remember, SAID DlnSaan Aoihi,
the embassy
Then followed long pause. At length
the gate opened and through it appeared
| Noie herself clad in garb of spotleSs
white and somewhat travel-Worn, but
beautiful as ever She was escorted by
four gigantic men who were naked except
for their moochas. but wore copper orna-
| nents on their wrists and ankles, and
great rings of copper in their ears. After
her came three litters, whereof the grass
| cur:a aims were tightly drawn, carried Dy
| bearers of the same size and race. and
after these d bodyguard of fifty soldiers
| of a like stature. This strange and bar
| barous- looking company advanced slowly
| while the council stared at them wonder
| ing. for never before had they seen peo-
pie so huge and, arriving in front OF the
king set down the litterS, staring PACK
in answer with their great round eyes.
AS they came Rachel rose from her stoo
and turned slowly so that she and Nole
| who walked in front of the embassy. StooC
face to face. For a moment they gazed
| at each other. then Mole, running for-
| ward knelt before Rachel and kissed the
hem of her robe. but Rachel bent doWf
and lifted her up in her strong arms
embracing her as a mother embraces d
child. 81.
:.Where hast thou been, sister,? She
asAd Il have sought thee long.
surely on thy business, Looia an
swered Noie, scanning her curiously
"Dost thou not remember
Nay. | remember naught. Noie, save
,hat l have sought thee long My spirit
wanders. Noie.'
Lady" she said. my people told me
that ii was so. They told me many ter
.ible things, they who e q see afar. tleA
toto hoe M |