Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-22


and leaving tho hut, set his face north
ward and walked toward the mouth of the
mex At the first step which he took the
torment in his head seemed to leave him
who fought no longer, who had become
obedient 10 that mysterious summons
Quietness and confidence possessed him
tie was going to his end, but what did
II matter? The dream beckoned and ne
must follow The moon shone bright
but he took no trouble TO hide himself. il
did not seem TO be worth while.
Now II" was in the mex and drawing
near to the place where the guard was
stationed, still lie marched on boldly
openly As he thought. they were on
the alert. They drew out from behind
the rocks and barred his path
Whittier goest thou. Lord Dario?'
asked their captain. Thou knowest
that here thou mayest not pass"
Il follow ghost to the north" he
answered. and living or dead / pass"
"Ow." said the captain. He says that
he follows ghost. Well, we have moth
ing TO do with ghosts Take him I'M
harmed If possible. but take him.
So urged thereto by their own fears,
since for their safctys sake they dared
not lei him go. the men sprang toward
him. They sprang toward him where
he stood waiting the end. for give back
he would not. and of a sudden fell down
upon their faces. hiding their heads
among the stones. Richard did not know
what had happened TO them that they
behaved thus strangely, nor did he care
Only seeing them fallen he walked on
over them and pursued his way along
the mex and down it to the plains be-
yond
All that night he walked. looking be-
hind him from time to time to see if
any followed. but none came. He was
alone. quite alone. save for the dream
that led him toward the north. At sun
rise he rested and slept a while, then,
awakening after midday, went on his
road. He did not know the road. yet
never was he in doubt for a moment.
1t was always clear to him whittier he
should go. That night he finished his
food and again slept awhile going for
ward at the dawn. In the morning
he met some Haffirs, who questioned
him but he answered only that he was
following dream to the north They
stared at him, seemed to grow fright
ened and ran away. But presently some
of them came back and placed food in his
path. which he took and left them.
He came to the kraal Mafooti. 1t was
utterly deserted, and he wandered amid
it's ashes. Here and there he found the
bones of those who had persisted in the
fire and turned them over with his staff,
wondering whether any of them had be-
longed to Rachel. In that place he slept
a night thinking that perhaps his jour-
die where he believed that Rachel had
died. But when he walked at the dawn
it was to find that something within
him still drew him toward the north,
more strongly. indeed, than ever before.
So he left what had been the town
Mafooti. Walking along the edge of the
cleft into which Ishmael had leapt on
fire, he climbed the walls built with
so much toll to keep out the Zulus. and
at last came to the river which Rachel
had swum 1t was low now. and wading
1t he entered Zululand. Here the ma
tives seemed to know of his approach,
for they gathered in numbers watching
him. and put food in his path. But they
would not speak to him. and when he ad-
dressed them, saying that he followed
dream and asking If they had seen the
dream. they cried out that he was tagati,
bewitched, and fled away.
He continued his journey. finding each
night a hut prepared for him to sleep in.
and food for him to eat, till at length one
evening he reached the Great Place, UNI
gugundhlovu. Through its streets he
marched with a set face, while thousands
stared at him in silence. Then a captain
pointed out a hut to him, and into 1t
entered, ate and slept. At dawn he rose,
for he knew that here he must not tarry;
the spirit face of Rachel still hung before
him. the spirit voice still whispered
self will be your guide In his path sat
the king and his councillors, and around
them a regiment Of men. He walked
through them unheeding. till at length.
when he was in front Of the king, they
barred his road, and he halted.
who art thou and what is thy bust
ness?'' asked the old councillor with a
withered hand.
II am Richard Darrien." he answered.
''and here I have no business. / journey
to the north. Stay me not
1--WE know thee" said the councillor.
Thou art the lord Dario that didst dwell
in the shadow of the InkosaZana. Thou
art the white chief whom the wild beast,
- NI4f ~,
does thy ghost come hither to trouble
us?"
Living or dead, ghost or man, / travel
to the north. Stay me not he answered
What seekest thou in the north, thou
lord Dario?'
Il seek a dream; a spirit leads me to
find a dream. Seest thou it not, Man with
the withered hand?'
"Ah." they repeated, ''he seeks a
dream. spirit leads him to find a
what is this dream like" asked Mopo
of the withered hand.
Come. stand at my side and look.
There: dost thou not see 1t floating in the
air before us, thou who hast eyes that
can read a dream?
Mopo came and looked, then his knees
trembled little and he said:
AYE, lord Dario. see and know that
face
..Thou knowest the face. old fool"
it it?"
20 king" answered Mopo dropping his
eyes. "it is not lawful to speak the name.
but the face is the face of one who sat
where that wanderer stands and showed
thee certain pictures in bowl of water
Now Dingaan trembled. for the memory
of those visions haunted him night and
day; moreover he thought at times tcat
they drew near to their fulfilment
THE white man is mad" he said, land
thou. Mopo, art mad also. ] have often
thought 1t. and that it would be we'll if
thou wentest on a long journey-for thy
health This Dario shall stay here a
while I will not suffer him TO wander
through my land Grazing the people with
his tales of dreams and visions. Take
him and hold him: the circle of the doc
tors shall inquire into the matter
So Dingaan spoke. who in his heart was
afraid lest this wild-eyed Dario should
learn that he had given the Inkosazana
TO the dwarf folk when she was mad, to
appease them after they had prophesied
evil TO him. Also he remembered that it
was because of the murders done by
IbubeSi that the 1nkosaZana had gone
mad and did not understand If Dario
had been killed at the kraal Mafooti how
ii could be that he now stood before him.
Therefore he thought that he would keep
the truth Of the matter. and whether he
were still man or ghost or wizard
clothed in the shape OF the dead.
CTo be continued tomorrow