Evening star., 1909-03-13

cred hand. started UP. then sat down
again, but all were so intent upon listen
movements save Mole and the priests of
the ghosts.
II see man, 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 hunger Two
other men seize him. tall warrior with
muscles that stand out on his legs, and
another that is thin and short. They
drag him up the mountain to great
cleft that is between the breasts of her
who sits thereon. They speak with him.
but | 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. All! it is
my own face
Priest whispered each OF the little
men to his fellow in the dead silence
that followed. Priest, this king says that
he sees his own face. Priest. tell me now.
has not the spirit of the Inkosazana
interpreted the oracle of the Inkosazana?
VIII not yonder king be hurled down this
cleft? Is he not the star tina; fals?"
And they nodded and smiled at each
other.
But Dingaan leapt UP in his rage and
terror ard with him leapt up ;he council
lors and witch doctors. all save he who
was named Mopo. son of Makedama, who
sat still gazing at the ground. Dingaan
leapt up and seiZins the bowl hurled it
from him so that the water init fell over
Rachel like rain from the clouds. He leapt
up and he cursed the ghost-priests as
evil wizards. bidding them begone from
his land. He raved at them, he Threat
ened them. he cursed them again and
again. The little men sat still and
smiled till he grew weary and ceased
Then they spoke to each other. saying:
HE has sprinkled the white one with
the dew Of our trees and henceforth she
belongs to the trees Is i not so. priest?'
They nodded IN assent and Eddo rose
and addressed the king in new voice
shril commanding voice. saying:
20 man. thou that art called king
and causest much blood to flow. thou
that art but bubble on a river Of
blood. thou slayer that shalt be slain.
thou thrower of spears upon whom the
spear shall fall. thou who shalt look
upon the face of stone that knows not
pity. thou whom the earth shall swallow,
thou who shalt PERISH at the hands Of"
The faces of the s!ayers were veiled.
priest" broke in The other two dwarfs,
pefping up at him from beneath the
shadow of their umbrellas; surely the
faces of those sayers were ve:led. o
priest"
Thou who shalt perish at the hands
of avengers whose faces are Neiled. thy
riddle is read for thee as the mother of
the trees decreed that II should be read.
hefall in its season. Now ~:ve to thy
servants their reward ard let them de-
part I'm peace. Give to them that white
one whose lost spirit spoke to thee from
the water"
Take her. roared Dingaan. take her
and begone. for 10 the Zulus she and
Mole. the witch. bring naught but ill.,
But one of the council cried:
THE InkosaEana cannot be sent away
with these magicians unless 1t is her will
to GO
Then the little men nodded to Mole and
Noie whispered in the of Rachel
Rachel listened and answered: Whether
thou goest. Mole. thither l go with thee.
1 who seek my spirit
So Noie took Rachel by the hand and
led her from the council place of the
king. and as she went. followed by the
host-priests and their escort. for the
last time all the councillors rose up and
gave TO her the royal salute. Only Din
gaan sat upon the ground and beat it
with his fists in fury.
Thus did the Inkosazana-y-Zoola de-
part from the great place OF the King of
the Zuusr and Mopo. the son OF Ma
kedama. shading his eyes with his hand
watched her go from between his withered
fingers.