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

for she was in the kraal when the fire
swept il. and was seen standing on the
top OF a hut where She had taken refuge
and after that she was seen no more.
Then let me die and go 10 her. eN-
claimed Richard. with a Groan. as he fel
back upon his bed. where he lay almost
inSensible for three more days.
Yet he did not die, for he was young and
very strong. and Mani poured milk down
his throat 10 keep the life in him. Indeed.
little HI little something OF his strength
came back 50 that at last he was able to
think ard talk with her again, ana
learned al the dreadful story
lie learned how the people Of Matooti'
fearing the vengeance of DinEaan. had
fed away from their kraal CARRYING what
they thought 10 he his body with them.
lest il should remain in evidence against
them and taking all the cattle that they
could gather, Every one of them had Iieu
that could travel. only 1bubesi and re-"
sick and certain folk who CHANGED 10 bt
outside the walls, remaining behind. -
was from two of these, who escaped OUT
ing the burning Of the kraal by the Luius'
or by fire from tie heavens. they khe"
rot which, that they had heard or the
awful end Of Ibubesi, and OF MS prisoner
the InkosaZana As for themselves, theS
had Travelled night and day. TIL they
reached certain secret and almost m
accessible place in the great Qudthiahpd
mountains. in which people had iiEeu
whom Chaka wiped out. and there hldden
themselves In this place they remained
hoping that Dingaan would not care 70
follow them SO far, and purposlng 70
make II their home, since here they round
GOOD meaiie lands, and fortunately the
most of their cattle remained alive. That
was all the story, there was nothing more
10 tell
A day or Two later Richard was able
to creep out of the hut and see the place
II was as Mani had said. very strong,
kind of tableland ringed round with preci-
pices that could only be climbed through
II single narrow mex, and overs nadoWeu
by the great Quathlamba range me
people. who We're engaged in planting
their corn, gathered round him. staring
at him as though he We're one risen
from the dead. and greeted him
with respectful words. lie spoke 10
several of them. including the TWO men
who had seen the burning OF MAROON,
though from a little distance. But they
could tell him no more than Mani had
DONE except that they were sure that
the Inkcsazana had persisted IN the
flames, as had many of the Lulus VINO
broke into the town. Richard was sure
of 1t aIso-who would not have been?-and
crept back broken hearted to his hut, he
who had lost al, and longed that ne
might die
But he did not die: he grew strong
again: and when he was we'll and fit to
travel went TO the headmen of the people,
saying that now he desired to leave them
and return to his own place In the Cape
Colony The headmen said NO, he must
not leave for in their hearts they We're
sure that he would go. not to the Cape
Colony. but to Zululand there to discover
all he could as to the death OF the Inko-
sazana So they told him that with them
he must bide. for then if the Zulus tracked
them out they would be able to produce
him. who otherwise would be put to the
spear. every man of them, as his murder
ers. The sin of Ibubesi, who had been
their chief. chung to them. and they knew
well what Dingaan and Tamboosa mad
sworn should happen to those who harmed
the white chief, Dario. who was under
the mantle of their Inkosazana.
Richard reasoned with them. but 1t was
of no use; they would not let him go.
Therefore in the end he appeared to fall
In with their humor, and meanwhile began
10 plan escape. One dark night he tried
Il indeed only to be seized i'll the mouth
Of the mex and brought back to his hut
Next morning the headmen spoke with
him, telling him that he should only de-
part thence over their dead bodies, and
that they watched him day and night;
that the mex. moreover. was always
guarded. Then they made an offer to
him. He was a white man. they said.
and cleverer than they were: let them
come under his wing, let him be their
thief, for he would know how to protect
them from the Zulus and any other enc
mics. He could take over the wives OF
Ibubesi Cat this proposition Richard shud-
deredD, and they would obey him In all
Things, only he must not attempt to leave
them-which he should never do alive.
Richard put the proposal by, but in the
end. not because he wished 1t. but by
the mere weight of his white mans blood.
and for the lack of anything else TO do
drifted into some such position. Only at
the wives of Ibubesi, or any other wives,
he would not 50 much as look. a slight
that gave offense to those women, but
made the others laugh
So, for certain long weeks he sat in
that secret nook in the mountains as the
chief Of little kaffir tribe. occupying
himself with the planting OF crops, Inc
building OF walls and huts, the drilling
of men and the settling of quarrels. All
day he worked thus, but after the day
came the night. when he did not work,
aud those nights he dreaded. For then
the languor. not of body. but of mind
which The poison the old witch-doctress
had given 10 Ishmael had left behind it.
would overcome him. bringing with II
black despair, and his grief would get a
hold Of him, torturing his heart For of
the memory of Rachel he could never be
I'D for single hour, and his love for
her grew deeper day by day. And she
was dead. On, she was dead, leaving him
living.
ID that she was searching for him and
calling him. IL was a very vivid dream
nut he woke up. and IL passed away as
such dreams do. Only all the day that
followed ne felt strange throbbing in
his head, and found himself turning ever
toward the north. The next night he
dreamed again of her. and heard her say
The search has been far and long but
j have found you, Richard. Open your
eyes now, and you will see my face" So
he opened his eyes, and there. sure
enough. the darkness he perceived
The outline OF her sweet, remembered
face, about which fell her golden hair
For one moment only he perceived it,,
then il gone, and after that her
presence never seemed TO leave him lie
could not see her. lie could not touch her,
brain ached with the thought of her. her
breath seemed to fan his hands and hair
VI night her face fioated before him, and
IN his dreams her voice called him. say
ing: Come 10 me. come TO me. Richard.
l am In need of YOU. Come 10 me. i my
self will be Your guide.
Then he would wake. and remembering
that size was dead. grew sure and ever
surer that the spirit Of Rachel was call
ing him down 10 death. IL called him
from the north, always from the north.
Soon he could scarcely walk southwark,
ar east or west. for ere he had gone
many yards his feet turned and set MS
face toward the north that was TO the
narrow mex between the precipiceS which
the kaffirs guarded night and day
One evening we went to his hut 10
sleep, If sleep would come 10 him. II
came, and with it that face and voice.
but the face seemed paler and the voice
more insiStent.
''Will you not listen 10 me- il said.