The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-09
THE LADY OF THE HEAVENS.
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 l Suddenly it seemed to her that she | was wide awake, and staring into z part of the pool beneath her where the
 bottom was of granite and the watel | clear. In this water she saw a pic. | ture. She saw a great laager of wag- onS, and outside of one of them a grouI | of bearded, jovial-looking men smok
 man of sturdy build and resolute car.
 rfage, who was followed by a weary | Kaffir, walked up to them. His back | was towards her so that she could not
 See his face, but now she was able to | hear all that was said, although the | voices seemed thin and far away. | What is it, Nephew?'' asked the | oldest of the bearded men, speaking | in Dutch. ''Why are you in such a
 hurry?''
 This, Uncle" he answered, in the | same language, and in a pleasant voice | that sounded familiar to RachePs ears.
 That spy, Quabi, whom we sent out a | long time ago and who was reported | dead, reached Dingaan's kraal, and has come back with a strange story ''Almighty!" grunted the old man, l ''all these spies have strange stories, but let him tell it. Speak on, swart- l zel."s
 *Black-fellow.
 Then the tired spy began to talk, l telling a long tale. He described how | he had got into Zululand, and reached Umgugundhlovo and lodged there with relative of his, and done his best to collect information as to the attitude of the King and indunas towards the Boers. While he was there the news came that the white Spirit, who was called Inkosazana-y-Zoola. was ap- preaching the kraal from Natal, where she dwelt with her parents.
 ''Almighty.' interrupted the old man again. What rubbish is this? How can Spirit, white or black, have pa- rentS?''
 The weary-1ooking spy answered that he did not know, it was not for him to answer riddles, all he knew was that there was great excitement about the coming of this Queen of the Heavens, and he, being deslrous of obtaining first-hand information, slipped out of the town with his rela- tive, and walked more than days journey on the path that ran to the Tuge1a, till they came to place where they hid themselves to see her pass. This place he described with minute ness-so minutely, indeed, that in her dream, Rachel recognized it well. It was the spot where the witch-doc- tress had died. He went on with his story; he told of her appearance riding on the white horse and surrounded by an impi. He described her beauty, her white cloak, her hair hanging down her back, the rod of horn she carried in her hand, the color of her eyes, the shape of her features, ev- erything about her, as only a native can. Then he told of the incident of the cattle rushing across her path, of the death of the bull that charged her, of the apearance of the furious witch doctOress who seized the rein of the horse, of the pointing of the wand and the instant execution of the wom- an.
 He told of how he had followed the impi to the Great Place, of the story of Noie as he had heard it, and the reports that had reached him con- corning the interview between the King and this white Inkosazana who, it was said, advised him not to fight the Boers.
 "And where is she now?" asked the old Dutchman.
 There, at Umgugundn1ovo," he an- swered, ruling the land as its head Isanuzi, though it is said that she de- sires to escape, only the Zulus will not let her go."
 'T think that we should find out more about this woman, especially as she seems to be a friend to our peo- p1e," said the old Boer. "Now, who dares to go and learn the truth ?''
 'I will go,'' said the young man who had brought in the spy, and as he spoke he turned, and To! his face was the face of Richard Darrien, bearded | and grownsto manhood, but with out doubt Richard Darrien and none oth- | CT.
 'Why do you offer to undertake so
 
 looking at the young man kindly. els it because you wish to see this beauti- | full white witch of whom wonder Quabi tells us such lies, Nephew?"
 The shadow of Richard nodded. and | his face reddened, for tho Boers around were laughing at him.
 'That is right, Uncle,'' he answer ed boldly. "You think me a fool, but | I am not. Many. years ago I knew a | little maid who was the daughter of a and who, if she lives, must | have grown into much such a woman as Quabi describes. Well, I joined for that maid. and I am going to be- gin to look for her across the river yonder."
 AS the words reached whatever sense of RachePs it was that heard them, of a sudden.in an instant, ,laager, Boers, and Richard vanished. In her sleep she tried to recreate them, at first without avail, then the curtain of still water of the pool she saw an- other picture, that of Richard Dar- rien mounted on black horse with one white foot. riding along native path through bush-clad country. while by his side trotted the spy whose name was Quabi.
 They were talking together,and she heard, or, at any rate, knew their words.
 How far is it now to Umgugund- llovo?" asked Richard.
 ''Three days journey, Inkosi, if we Ire not stopped by flooded rivers an- ,wered Quabi.
 For one second only Rachel saw md heard these things, then they, too. passed away, and she awoke to see in ront of her the pool empty save for ts lilies, and above to hear the whiS- ,ering of the evening wind among the rees.
 CHAPTER XIII.
 Richard Comes.
 As the sun set Rachel rose and walk .d tO her hIlt She was utterlv daze6 |