The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-20
THE LADY OF
 THE HEAVENS
Copyright, 1908, by H. Rider Haggart

(Continuedl
 Meanwhile the offender had crept back upon his hands and knees look ing like a great beaten dog whilst another soldier, taking his umbrella, held it over the angry dwarf. Also from the other filters two more dwarfs had descended, so like to the first that it was difficult to tell them apart, and were in the same fashion sheltered by guards with umbrellas Mats were brought for them also, and on these they sat themselves down at right an- gles to Dingaan, and to Rachel, whose stool was set in front of the King, whilst behind them stood three of their escort, each holding an umbrella over the head of one of them with the left hand. while, with the right they famed them with small branches upon which the leaves, although they were dead, remained green and shining.
 With Dingaan and his Council the three dwarfs did not seem to trouble themselves, but at Rachel they peered earnestly. Then one of them made sign and muttered something. where on a. soldier of the escort stepped for ward with a fourth umbrella, which he opened over the heads of Rachel, and of Noie, who stood at her side.
 Why does he do that?" asked Din gaan. ''The InkOSaZana is not bat that she fears the sum-
 'He does it, answered Noie. that the Inkosa zana may sit in the shade of the wisdom of the GhOst-people, and that her heart which is hot with shade"
 What does he know about the Inko- sazana and her wrongS?" asked Din- gaan again, but Noie only shrugged her shoulders and made no answer
 Now one of the dwarfs made an- other sign, whereon more guards ad- vanced, carrying small bowls of pol ished wood! These bowls they set Inc hof dwarfs, one before each of them, fill ing them to the brim with water from a gourd.
 If your people are thirsty. Noie." exclaimed the King, 'I have beer for them to drink, for at least the locusts have left me that. Bid them throw away the water. and I will give them beer" ed, but dew gathered from certain trees before sunrise, and it is their spirits that are thirsty for knowledge, not their bodies. for in this dew they read the truth"
 Then the Inkosazana must be of their family, Noie, for she heard of the coming of the white chief Dario in water. or so they say.''
 ''Perhaps. O King If it is so these prophets will know it and ackno owIedge her"
 Now for a long while there was sil- ence, so long a while indeed that Dim gam ana ms COunClllOfS began to move uneasily, for they felt as though the dwarf men were lingering their heart strings. At length the three dwarfs lifted their wrinkled faces that were bleaehed to the colour of half-ripe co n, and gazed at each other with the:r round. owl-like eyes: then as though with one accord they said to each other.
 What seest thou. Priest ?' and at some sign from them Noie translated the words into Zl1lt1
 Now the first of them, he who had cursed the soldier. spoke in his low hissing voice. a voice like to the whis- per of leaves in the wind, Noie render ing his words.
 CT see two maidens standing by, a house that moves when cattle draw it. One of them is dark-Skinned, it is she,'' and he pointed to Noie, 'tthe he pointed to Rachel. "They cast, each of them, a hair from her head into the air. The black hair falls to hair t of rold aud bsars ' i+ S nor4Swarfsl sna It is the spirit of Seyapi whom the Zulus slew. Northwards he bears it, and lays it in the hand of the Mother of the Trees. and with it message"
 ''Yes, with it a message" repeated the other two. nodding their heads.
 Then one of them drew a little pack age wrapped in leaves from his robe, and motioned to Noie that she should SANC to IAkdCIlCl. XNOiS ODtJcu d10 the man said:
 Let us see if she has vision. Tell us, thou White One, what lies within the leaves
 Rachel, who had been sitting like a person in a dream, took the packet, and without looking at 1t, answered.:
 Many other leaves, and within the last of them a hair from this head of mine. I see it, but three knots have been tied therein. They are three great troubles"
 ''Open,'' said the dwarf to Noie, who cut the fibre binding the packet, and unfolded many layers of leaves. With in the last leaf was a, golden hair, and in it were tied three knots.
 Noie laid the hair upon the head of Rachel-it was hers. Then she show ed it to the King and his Council, who stared at the knots, not knowing what to say, and after they had looked at it, refolded it in the leaves and returned the packet to the dwarf.
 Now the dwarf who had read the picture in his bowl turned to him who sat nearest and asked:
 What seest thou. Priest?''
 The man stared at the 1impid water and answered.: