Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-18
CHAPTER XXI.
The Cifv of the Dead.

| Inc C1Cy OF tue Ocdu.
| Nya led the way down the cave. follow
ed by Rachel and Mole. Squatted In its
| entrance, SO to be out of reach OF the
rays of the sun. sat Edo. looking like
malevolent toad, and with him were Hama
and some other priests. AS Rachel ap-
preached they all rose and saluted, but
| to Nya and Mole they gave no salute.
| Only to Nya Edo said:
why art thou not within the fence,
old woman?" and he pointed with his
chin toward the place OF death above.
| ''Thy tree is down. and all last night we
| were hacking off it's branches that 1t may
dry up sooner. 1t is time for thee to
die
Il die when my tree dies. not before,
priest" answered Nya. II have still
some work to do before die. also I have
planted my tree again I'm good soil, and 1t
may grow"
wall there, but many a generation must
go by before a new mother sits beneath
its shade. Well. die when it pleases you.
| 1t does not matter when. since thou art
| that all have deserted thee. save very
few, most of whom have just now passed
within the fence above that they may at
tend thee among the ghosts"
| Il thank them, SAID Nyd simply. ana
| in that world we will rule together.
| ''The rest went on Edo, have turn
ed against thee, having heard how thou
didst bring one of US to the red death
Yesterday by Sy, the e., evil magic him upon
who was it that strove to bring me to
the red death be ore l reached the sanctu-
airy? Who shot the poisoned arrow,
| priest?"
Il do not know" answered Edo, "but
| 1t seems that he shot badly for thou art
| still here. Now enough of thee. old
| woman. For many years we bore thy
! times bad. because we could not help it,
| for the tree of her who went before thee
fell at thy feet, as thy tree has fallen at
the feet of the white virgin there. For
1 long thou and I have struggled for the
mastery, and now thou art dead and
have won, so be silent. old woman. and
| since that arrow missed thee. go hence in
peace, for none need thee any more. who
hast neither youth, nor comeliness. nor
| power
Aye" answered Nya, stung to fury
by these insults. II shall go hence in
peace. but thou shalt not abide in peace.
| thou traitor. nor those who follow thee.
When youth and comeliness fade then
| wisdom grows, and wisdom is power
Edo, true power. I tell thee that last
night looked In my bowl and saw things
| pie. that are hid from thy eyes. terrible
things, things that have not fallen since
| the tree of the tribe was a seed. and the
spirit Of the tribe came to dwell within
Speak them, then" said Edo. striving
to hide the fear which showed through his
| round eyes.
Nay, priest. / speak them not Live
on and thou shalt discover them. thou and
thy traitors. Well have I served you all
for many years. mercy have I given to all.
white magic have practiced and not
black. none have died that I could save
| hoN cfrPF ra6 ,hn 7
no. not even the slave peoples beneath
our rule. All this have I DONE knowing
that we plotted against me. knowing that
We strOve to kill my tree by spells. know
ing what the end must be. 1t has come
at last, as come 1t must, and / do not
grieve. Fool knew that it would come
and l knew the manner of its coming. It
was 1 who sent for this virgin queen whom
ye would set up to rule over you, fore.
seeing that at her feet my tree would
fall. The ghost of Seyapi. who is OF my
| blood, Seyapi whom years ago we drove
| away for no offensa, to dwell in a strang
daughter. and of the end Of 1t all. So
| she came; thou didst not bring her as
thou thoughtest. l brought her, and my
| tree fell at her feet as 1t was doomed
to fall. and she saved me from the re-
death as she was doomed to do. giving
me love. not hate. as / give her love, no.
hate. For the rest we shall see-all of
YOU. 1 am finished-I am dead-but l
live on elsewhere. and We shall see
Now Edo would have answered, but tn
priest Hama. who appeared to be much
frightened by Nya's words. plucked at
his sleeve. whispered in his ear. and he
but to Rachel bidding Mole translate:
Thou White Maid" he said. who
vast called Princess of the Zulus, pay no
heed to this old dotard. but listen to
me. When thy spirit wandered yonder,
/ even then / saw the seeds of greatness
in thee and begged thee from the savage
Dingaan. Also l and PAM. who is dad.
and Hama. who lives, read by our magic
that at thy feet the tree Of Nya would
/ fall, and that after her thou vast APP
pointed to rule over us. All the Ghost
people read it also, and now they have
named thee their mother and chosen thee
a tree, u great tree, but young and
strong. that shall stand for ages. Come
| forth then and take thy seat beneath
| that tree and be our queen"
| why should l Gomez asked Rachel.
| 1T seems that you dwarfs bring your
queens to i'll ends. Choose you another
| mother"
| "InkosaZana, we cannot IL we would
answered Eddo. for these matters are
not in our hands, but in those of our
Spirit. Hearken. we will deal with thee:
We will make thee great. and grow in
| thy greatness, for thou shalt give us of
thy wisdom that although thou knowest
| II not, thou hast above all other women
We weary of little things. we who rule
the world: All the nations from sea to
thine oracle. Thou shalt take their
wealth. thou shalt drive them hither and
thither as the wind drives the clouds
Thou shalt make war. thou. shalt ordain
peace. At thy pleasure they shall rise Up
in life and lie down in death. Their kings
shall cover before thee. their princes shall
bring thee tribute. thou shalt reign a
god"
Until 1t shall please Eddo to bring thee
to thine end, lady. as it pleases him to
bring me to mine," muttered Nya behind
her. BE not beguiled. maiden; remain
woman and uncrowned, for so thou
shalt find most Joy"
Thou meanest. Eddo." said Rachel
that thou wilt rule and / do thy bid
ding. Mole. tell him that will have none
of 1t. When l came here a great sorrow
had made me mad and I knew nothing
Now / have found my spirit again and
presently / go hence"
At this answer Edo grew very angry.
'One thing l promise thee, Zoola," he