Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-17

He VINO destroyed thdI tree Woulu pIliiS
ruin upon this people They would fly
away. every one of them, far into the
heart Of the forest, and be seen no more
by man. Moreover. he who did this evil
thing would perish and pass down TO
vengeance among the ghosts, such ven
geance as may not be spoken. Put that
thought from thy mind, 1 pray thee
and let it never pass thy lips again.
DO you believe all this. Noie?" asked
Rachel in English. with smile
ing. for it is true. My father told
me of it, and of what happened once to
some wild men who broke into the sane
tuary and shot arrows at the tree. No,
full" wan mo- 'e'' '''e e'o'' =
Yet 1t must be foolishness, Mole. for
how can tree have power over the
lives of menu
II do not know, but it has, it has.
If / were but to cast a stone at it I
should be dead in a day. and SO would
you-yes. even you-nothing could save
you. Oh!' she went on earnestly. swear
to me, sister, that you will never SO
much as touch that tree: l pray you,
swear"
So Rachel swore. to please her. for she
was tired of this tree and it's powers.
Then they went down the hill again
till they came to the mouth of the cave.
Enter, lady, Nya said, 'for this must
be thy home a while until thou goest
hence to rule as Mother of the Trees
dILoT me, OF, IL IL plSdSoS LuSG DeltcIs up
yonder to die
They went into the cave, having no
choice. It was great place, lit dimly
by the outer light, and farther down its
length with lamps Looking round her.
Rachel saw that its roof was supported
by white columns which she knew to he
stalactites, for as a child she had seen
their like. At the end Of 1t, where the
lamps burned and a fountain dubbed
from the ground, rose a very large column
shaped like the trunk of a tree, with
branches at the top that looked like the
boughs of a tree. Gazing at It, Rachel
understood why these dwarfs. or some
ancient people before them, had chosen
this cave as their temple.
THE ghost tree of my race" said old
Nya, pointing to it; 1.-The only tree that
never falls, the tree that lives and grows
for ever. Yes, it grows, for 1t Is larger
now than when my mother was a child
AS they drew near to this Wondrous
and ghostly- looking object Rachel saw
piled around and beyond it many precious
things. There was gold in dust and
were shining stones. red and green and
white, that she knew were jewels: there
were tusks of ivory and carvings In
ivory; there were karosses and furs moul-
dering to decay; there were groteSque
gods, fetishes of wood and stone.
Offerings" said Nya, which all the
nations that live in darkness bring to
the Mother of Trees, and the priests OF
the cave. AOStly WIiSA luCy value,
but we value them not, who prize power
and wisdom only. Yes. yes. costly things
which they give to the Mother of the
Trees, the fools without spirit, when
they come here to ask her oracle. Look.
there are some of the gifts which were
sent by Dingaan OF the Zulus in payment
for the oracle of his death. Thou brought
est them Mole, my child
Yes" answered Mole; II brought them.
and the Inkosazana here, she delivered
the oracle. Edo gave her the bowl,
and she saw pictures in the bowl and
showed them to Dingaan."
Nay, nay" said the old woman testify.
sit was / who saw the pictures, and l
showed them to Edo and to this white
virgin. You cannot understand. but 1t
was SO. it was so. Eddo's gift of vision
Is small. mine Is great. None have ever
had it as l have it. and that is why
Edo and the others have suffered my
tree to live so long, because the light
of my wisdom has shone about their
heads and spoken through their tongues.
and when 1 am gone they will seek, and
find ii not. In thee they might have
found it. Maiden. had thy heart remained
empty. but now it is full again and what
room is there for wisdom such as ours?-
the wisdom of the ghosts. not the wisdom
of life and love and beating hearts
Mole translated the words but Rachel
seemed to take no head of them.
"Dingaan?" she asked. rs Dingaan
dead? He was well enough when-when
Richard came 10 LululdIlu, anu SlICc tlcI
1 have seen nothing of him. How did
he die?'
He did not die. Zoola." answered
Mole, though I think that ere long he
you who died for while. not Dingaan.
By-and-bye you shall learn all that story:
Now you are very weary and must rest.
YES" said Rachel with sob. Il think
died when Richard died. but now 1
seem to have come to life again-that is
the worst of it. Oh. Mole, why did you
not let me remain dead, instead of bring
ing me to life again In this dreadful
placer"
Because 1t was otherwise fated. sis
ter replied Mole. mo, do not begin to
laugh and cry it was otherwise fated,
and bending down she whispered some
thing into Nya's ear.
The old dwarf nodded then taking
Rachel by the hand. led her to where
some skins were spread upon the floor.
Lie down." she said. and rest. Rest.
beautiful White One, and wake up to eat
and be strong again. and she gazed into
Rachers eyes as Eddo had done when
the fits of wild laughter were on her,
singing something as she gazed.
While she sang the madness that was
gathering there again went out OF
and presently they were fast shut In
sleep, nor did she open them again for
many hours.
Rachel awoke and sat up looking round
of the lamps she saw Mole seated at
her side. and the old dwarf-woman, who
was called Mother of the Trees. squatted
at a little distance watching them both
and remembered.
Thou hast had happy dreams. Lady.
and thou art well again. is it not 500"
queried Nya.
Aye. Mother she answered. too
happy. for they make my waking the
more sad And 1 am well. 1 who desire
to die
Then go up through the open gate
which thou sawest not so long ago. and
satisfy thy desire. it is easy to do
replied Nya. grimly. Nay" she added
too young and fair. the blood runs too
red in those blue veins of thine What
hast thou to do with ghosts and death,
and the darkness of the trees, thou child
of the air and sunshine? Death for the
dwarf-folk. death for the dealers In
dreams. death for the death-lovers. but
for thee, life-life.'
Tell her, Noie, said Rachel that my
mother who was foresighted. always said
that ] should live out my days. and /
fear that it is true, who must live them
out alone.
Yes, yes. she was right that mother
of thine" answered Nya. "and for the
rest, who knows? But thou art hungry,
eat; afterward we will talk" and she
pointed to stool upon which was food.
Ito be continued tomorrow