The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-22

them be: Of now she had searched the | Heavens with her eyes. of how the
 meteor had travelled them, and burst over the kraal, Umgugundhlovu. that
 star which she said was thrown by the hand of the Great-Great, the | Ulnkulunkulu, and of how she had sworn that she also heard the feet of a people 1 travelling over plain and mountain, and saw the rivers behind them run
 ming red with blood. Lastly he told ! of how she had refused to add to or take from her words. to set out 1 their meaning. Mopo then sat himself
 down again in the circle of the Coun- 1 ciilors. and watched and hearkened ! like a hungry wolf.
 "Ye have heard, Ghost-men,'' said
 the King. Now. if ye are really wise, l interpret to us the meaning of this
 saying of the Irkosazana- and of the | running star which none can read.'' 1 The priests awoke and consulted with l each other. then Eddo said:
 This matter is too high for us, King | of the Zulus.''
 | Dingaan heard and laughed angrily. 1 I thought it, I thought it!' he cried.
 'Ye are but cheats after all who. like | any common doctor, repeat the gossip
 that We have heard. and prtend that
 that ye have heard. and pretend that
 why should I not whip you from my
 town with rods till ye see that red
 blood which ye greatly fear?' | At the mention of the word blood,
 the little men seemed to curl up like cut grass before a fire: then Eddo
 smiled. sickly smile. and answered.:
 Be gentle. King. walk softly, King. | our best, we, or another for us. A
 new bowl a big bowl, a. red bowl for
 the red King. and fill it to the brink
 with dew"
 from among their company appeared ] with a vessel much larger than those i into which they had gazed. and made
 of beautiful. polished, blood-hued wood | ho Crla yro he IsrrL,f I~ | took it in his hand and another slave | filled it with water from the gourd {: the last drop of the water filled it to the brim. Then the three of them mutt tered invocations over it, and Eddo, beckoning to Noie. bade her bear it to the Inkosazana that she might gaze therein.
 Rachel received it and looked; as she looked all the emptiness left her eyes which grew quick and active and full of horror.
 Thou seest something, Maiden?" queried Eddo.
 Aye" answered Rachel, "I see much. Must speak?'
 May. nay. Breathe on the water thrice and fix the visions. Now bear the bowl to wonder King and let him look. Perchance he also will see some thing"
 Rachel breathed on the water thrice, rose like one in a trance. and advanc- ing to Dingaan placed the brimming
 
 Look. King. look,'' cried Eddo, and tell us if in what thou seest lies an answer to the oracle of the Inkosa- zana."
 at first. as one who smells a trick. Then his face changed.
 By the head of the Black One," he said. T see people fighting in this kraal, white men and Zulus, and the white men are mastered and the Zu us drag them out to death. The Zulus conquer. o my people. It is as I thought that it would be-that is the meaning of the riddle of the Inkosa- Zana-''
 Good. good'' said the Council.
 Doubtless it shall come to pass.''
 But the dwarf Eddo only smiled and waved his hand.
 Look once more King'' he said in his low. hissing voice. and Dingaan looked.
 Now his facs darkened. "I see fre,'. he said. ''Yes, in this kraal. Umgu- gundhlovu burns. my royal house burns and wonder come the white men riding upon horses. Ohi they are gone.''
 Eddo waved his hand, saying:
 Look again and tell us what thou seest, King"
 Unwillingly enough, but as though he could not resist, Dingaan looked and said:
 is like the shape of a woman, and be- tween her knees is the mouth of a cave. Beneath the floor of that cave see bodies. the body of a great man and the body of a girl; she must have been fair, that girl.''
 Now when he heard this the Coun- cillor who was named Mopo. he with 1 the withered hand, started up. then | sat down, again. but all were so in l tent upon listening to Dingaan that | none noticed his movements save Noie l and the priests of the ghosts.
 'I see a man, a fat man. come out | of the cave" went on Dingaan. "He | seems to be wounded and weary, also | his stomach is sunken as though with l hunger. Two other men seize him, a l tall warrior with muscles that stand 4 out on his legs. and another that is | thin and short They drag him up the l to a great cleft that is be- | tween the breasts Of her who sits | thereon They speak with him, but I | cannot see their faces. for they are wrapped in mist, or the face of the fat | man. for that also is wrapped in mist. They hale him to the edge of the cleft. they hurl him over, he falls headlong, and the mist is swept from his face. An! it is my own faceH'
 Priest" whispered each of the little men to his fellow in the dead silence that followed. Priest. this King says me now. has not the spirit of the In- koSaZana interpreted the oracle of the Will not wonder King be hurled down this cleft? Is he not the star that falls?'
 And they nodded and smiled at each other.
 But Dingaan 1eapt up in his rage and terror. and with him 1eapt up the | and witch doctors. all save he who was named Mopo. son of who sat still gazing at the ground. Dingaan leapt up. and se zing the bowl hurled it from him so that the water in it fell over Rachel like rain from the clouds. He 1eapt up, and he cursed the GhoSt-priests as evil wizards. bidding them begone from his land. He raved at them, he threatened them. he cursed them again and again. The little men sat still and smiled till l he grew weary and ceased. Then they spoke to each other, saying:
 "He has sprinkIed the White One with the dew of our Trees. and hence forth she belongs to the Trees. Is it not so. Priest?''
 They nodded in assent. and Eddo rose and addressed the King in a new voice, a 'Shrill commanding voice, say