The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-26
CHAPTER XXI. The City of the Dead.

learn something from him..
 CHAPTER XXI.
 The City of the Dead Nya led the way down the cave. fol- lowed by Rachel and Noie. Squatted in its entrance, so as to be out of reach of the rays of the sun, sat Eddo, look ing like a malevOlent toad, and with
 As Rachel approached they all rose
 and saluted, but to Nya and Noie they
 gave no salute. Only to Nya Eddo
 said:
 "Why art thou not within the Fence.
 old woman?' and he pointed with his
 chin towards 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 the sooner. It is time
 for thee to die"
 T die when my tree dies, not before,
 Priest answered Nya. q have still
 some work to do before I die, also I have planted my tree again in good
 soil, and it may grow"
 .tT saw said Eddo; 'it is without
 the wall there, but many a. genera ton must go by before a new Mother sits beneath its shade Well. die when
 it pleases you, it does not matter when, since thou art no more our Mother. Moreover, learn 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 amongst the ghosts
 ''I thank them," said Nya simply, "and in that world we will rule to- gether''
 ''The rest" went on Eddo, 'have turned against thee, having heard how thou didst bring one of us to the Red Death yesterday by thy evil magic, him upon whom the bough feH.''
 ''Who was it that strove to bring me to the Red Death before I reached the sanctuary? Who shot the poisoned ar row. Priest?''
 'I do not know answered Eddo, but 1t seems that he shot badly for thou art still here. Now enough of thee, old woman. For many years we bore thy rule, which was always fool ish and sometimes bad. because we could not help it, for the tree of her as thy tree has fallen at the feet of the White Virgin there. For long thou and I have struggled for the mastery, and Eow thou art dead and I 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 comeli- ness, nor power."
 Aye" answered Nya, stung to fury by these insults, "I shall go hence in peace, but thou shalt not abide in peace, thou traitor, nor those who fol- low thee. When youth and comeliness fade then wisdom grows, and wisdom is power, Edda, true power. I tell thea that last night I looked in my bowl | and saw things concerning thee-aye, ! and all of our people. that are hid from have not fallen since the Tree of the i Tribe was seed, and the Spirit of the Tribe came to dwell within it.''
 Speak then, then,'' said Eddo, striv- i ing to hide the fear which showed i through his round eyes.
 Nay, Priest, speak them not Live l on and thou shalt discover them. thou | and thy traitors. We'll have l served | o1 frNr- nnr-ray h given to all, white magic have I prac- | ticed and not black, none have died that could save, none have suffered | whom I could protect, no, not even the | beneath our rule. All | this have I done, knowing that ye | plotted against me, knowing that ye | strove to kill my tree by spells, know ing what the end must be- It has come at last, come it must, and l | do not grieve. Fool.,~I knew that it | would come, and I knew, the manner | of it's coming. It was I who sent TOT | this virgin queen whom ye would set up to rule over you, foreseeing that at | her feet my tree would fall. The ghost of Seyapi, who is of my blood, | Seyapi whom years ago ye drove away | for no offence, to dwell in a strange | land, told me of her and of this Noie, | his daughter, and of the end of it all. l So she came; thou didst not bring her as thou thoughtest, brought her, and my tree fell at her feet as It was
  the Red Death as she was doomed to | do, giving me love, not hate, as I give | her love, not hate. For the rest ye | shall see-all of you. a4hnlshed- I am dead-but I live on" elsewhere, and ye shall see.''
 Now Eddo would have answered, but | the priest Hama, who appeared to be | much frightened by Nya's words, plucked at his sleeve, whispered in his ear and he was silent. Presently he ! spoke again, but to Rachel. bidding Noie 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 wonder, even then I saw the seeds Of greatness in thee. and begged thee | from the savage Dingaan. Also I and Pani, who is dead, and Hama, who lives, read by our magic that at thy | feet the tree of Nya would fall, and that after her thou vast appointed to rule over us. All the Ghost-people read it also. and now they have named thee their Mother, and chosen thee a tree, a 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 I come?" asked Rachel. i'It seems that you dwarfs bring your queens to i'll ends. Choose you another Mother"
 'Inkosazana, cannot if we would, answered Eddo. flor these. matters are not in our hands, but in those of our Hearken will deal well