Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-23

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CHAPTER XXIII.-Continue
At the bidding of the king, guards
sprang forward to seize Richard. but the
bind him, hiding his eyes with his wither-
ed hand. They sprang forward. and yet
they laid no finger on him. but fell of to
right and left, saying:
XIII us, If thou wilt, black one, we
cannot"
"The wizard has bewitched them" said
Dingaan angrily. Here, you doctors.
YOU whose trade 1t is to catch wizards,
take this white fellow and bind him.
Unwilling enough. the doctors, Of whom
there were eight or ten sitting apart, rose
to do the kings bidding. They came on
toward Richard. some OF them singing
songs and some muttering charms, and
as they came he laughed and said:
Beware, you Abangoma. the dream is
looking at you very angrily." Then they
TOO broke away to right and left. crying
out that this was wizard against whom
they had no power.
and shouted to his soldiers to seize the
white man. and If he resisted them to
kill him with their sticks, for OF witch
craft they had known enough in Zululand
OF late.
So, thick as bees the regiment formed UP
in front of him. shouting and waving their
kerries for here in the kings place they
bore spears.
Make way there" said Richard. 81
can stay no longer l must to the north
The soldiers did not stir. only a capita IN
| stepped out, bidding him give up his spear
and yield himself. or be killed. Richard
walked forward. and. at sign from the
| captain men sprang at him. lifting their
t. 10 1nch
suddenly in front of Richard there appear
ed something faint and white something
that walked before him. The soldiers
saw it, and the kerries fell from their
turning. burst away like a scared herd
| of cattle. They did not wait to seek the
gates. they burst through the fence of the
| Enclosure. and were gone leaving it fiaa
behind them. The king and his council
| ors saw it also, and more clearly than
the rest.
THE Inkosazanar they cried 1T is
! the 1nkOsazana who walks before him
that she loved," and they fell upon their
faces. Only Dingaan remained seated
on his stool
| Co he said hoarsely to Richard, go
thou wizard north or south or east OIL
west. If thou only wilt take that spirit
with thee. for she BODIES evil to my land ;
| So Richard, who had seen nothing
marched away from the kraal Umgugund
| hlovu, and once more set his face toward
the north. the north that drew him as Il
draws the needle OF a compass.
The road that Rachel and the dwarf:
| had Travelled he Travelled also. Although
from day to day he knew not where hi.
| feet would lead him, still he travelled il
step by step. Nor did any hurt come Il
him. In the country where men dwelt
| being forewarned of his coming by mes
sengers, they brought him food and guard
| ed him, and when he passed out into thu
| wilderness some other power guarded
him. He had no fear at ALL AT nigh
he would lie down without a fire and tn.
<lions would roar about him. hut they
| never harmed him. He would plunge int
| a swamp or a river and always pass Il
safely When water failed he would f1nt
| 1t without search: when there was nj
Once an eagle dropped bustard at hi.
| feet: Once he found a buck fresh slair
! by leopards. Once when he was very
| hungry he saw that he had lain down tt
| food he cooked, making fire after the
| native fashion with sharp sticks, as h,
knew how to do
| At length all the swamps were passed
and in the third week of his journeyins
he reached the sloping uplands, on tn,
edge of which he awoke one morning t
find himself surrounded by a circle o.
great men, giants. who stood staring a
him. He arose. thinking that at last hi,
hour had come, as it seemed to hin
but instead of killing him these huge
men saluted him humbly and Offered
him food upon their knees and new hide
shoes for his feet-for his own were worn
out-and cloaks and garments of skin
which things he accepted thankfully fol
by now he was almost naked. Then the,
brought litter and wished him to enter
it, but this he refused. Needing then
filled his bag and water bottle he started
| on toward the north Indeed. he could
not have strayed IL he had wished: hi
| brain seemed to be full of one though
only, to travel till he reached his journey.
| end. whatever 1t might be, and before hi.
| eyes he saw one thing only the spirit face
of Rachel. that led him on toward tina
| end. Sometimes it was there for hours
| then for hours again it would be absent
When it was present he looked at 1t: wher
1t was gone he dreamed of 1t, for him 4
was the same. But one thing was evel
with him. that magnet in his heart which
drew his feet toward the north and from
step to step showed him the road that HI
should travel
number of the giant men accompanied
him. He noticed it, but took no heed
So long as they did not attempt to stay
or turn him he was Indifferent whether
he Travelled in much more comfort, since
now everything was made easy and ready
| for him. Thus he was fed with the bes
that the land provided. and at night
| SHELTERS were DOlit fOr MIN TO sleep In
| He discovered that a captain of the giants
could understand few words of some
native language which he knew, anc
asked him why they helped him. The
captain replied by order Of Mother OF
Trees" Who or what Mother of Trees
might be Richard was unable to discover
SO he gave up his attempts at talk ano
| walked on.
They trayersed the fertile uplands and
| reached the edge OF the fearful desert
1t did not brighten him; he plunged into
it as he would have plunged into a sea
or lake OF fire. had 1t lain in his way
He was like a bird whose instinct at the
| approach of summer or Of winter leads IT
| without doubt or error to some far spot
beyond continents and oceans. some land
that 1t has never seen. leads 1t in surety
and peace to its appointed rest. A guard
of the giant men came with him into the
| desert, also carriers who bore skins OF
water. In that burning heat the Journey
was dreadful. yet Richard accomplished
it, wearing down all his escort, until at its
| further lip but one man was left There
| even he sank exhausted and began to
| beat upon little drum that he carried,
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