The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-23
THE LADY OF THE HEAVENS.
Copyright, 1908. by H. Rider Haggard


uplandS like to those of Natal among which wandered pastoral tribes with their herds of cattle. On these plalns were multitUdeS of game and many lions. especially in the bush-cIad slopes of great isolated mountains that rose up here and there. These lions roared round them at night, but the Priests did not seem to be afraid, for when the brutes became over-bold they placed deadly poison in the carcases of buck that the nomad tribes brought them as offerings. of which the lions ate and died ir numbers. Also they sold some of the poison to the tribe Tor great price in cattle, as to the delivery of which cattle they gave none dared to cheat the Mother of the Trees and her prophets.
 After the plans were left behind, they reached a vast. fertile and low-lying and miles. which, as Noie expla med to Rachel, when she would listen, was the outer territory of the Ghost-people. for
 here dwelt the race of the Umkulus or Great Ones. who were their slaves, that folk to which the soldiers of their escort belonged. Of these there were thousands and tens of thousands who
 earned their living by agriculture, since since although 7dth theysw so huge and they were attacked. The chiefs of this people had their dwellings in vast caves in the sides of cliffs which if need be, could be turned into impregnable for
 treSseS. but their real ruler was the
 Mother of the Trees, and their. office was to protect the country of the Trees and furnish it with food, since the Tree
 people were dreamers who did little work.
 While they travelled through this
 land all the head-men of the Umkulus
 accompanied them, and every morn ng
 8 council was held at 'wh. .ch these made reports to the Priests of all that
 nf lat lat fhasr causes before them for judgment. Tn ,se causes Eddo and his felolwpriests heard and settled as seemed best to them nor did any dare to dispute their rulings. Indeed, even when they de-
 posed a high chief and set another in his place, the man who had lost all knelt before them and thanked heIn for their goodness. Also they tried criminals who had stolen women or committed murder. but they never or dered such men to be slain outright. Sometimes Eddo would look at them dreamily and curse them in his slow, missing voice, bidding them waste in body and in mind. as he had done to the soldier at Umgugundoh.ovu, and die within one year, or two or three as the case might ,be. Or sometimes, command that they should be sent to
 travel in the deSert,' that is, wander to and fro without food or water un- til death found them. Now and again
 nisera ble-looking men, mere skeletons, with hollow cheeks, and eyes that seemed to start fxom their heads. would appear at their camp weeping and imploring that the curse which had been laid upon them in past days should be taken off their heads. At such people Eddo and his brother priests, Pani and Hama. would laugh softly. asking them how they throve upon the wrath of the Mother of the Trees, and whether they thought that yU he on couraged to sin as they had done. But when the poor wretcheS prayed that they might be killed outright with the spear, the priests shrank up in horro- beneath their umbrellas, and asked if they were mad that they should wish to sprinkle their trees with blood"
 One morning a. number of these be- witched Umkulus, men, women and children, appeared. and when the three priests mocked them. as was their wont. and the guards. some of whom were their own relatives. sought to beat them away with sticks. threw into weeping. Rachel, who was camp ed at little distance with Noie, in a reed tent that the guard had made for her. which they folded up and carrie ed sound of this lamentation, and came out followed by NSe. For a space she stood contemplating their misery with a troubled air. then asked Noie why tneSe people seemed so starved ana why they wept. Noie told her that when she was on her embassy the head of their kraal, an enormous man of middle age, whom she pointed out to Rachel. had sought to detafn her be- cause she was beautiful and he wish ed to make her his wife. although he knew well that she was on an embassy to the Mother of the Trees. She had but it was for this reason that the curse of which they were had haan laid him and his folk.
 Now Rachel went on to where the three priests sat beneath their um- | brellas dozing away the hours of sun to follow her.
 Wake, Priests," she cried in a loud ! voice; and they looked up astonished, | rubbing their eyes, and asked what i
 This said Rachel. "I command | you to lift the weight of your male | fiction off the head of these people, | who have suffered enough
 Thou commandest us!" exclaimed | Eddo astonished. And if we will not | Beautiful One. what then?" |
 Then" answered Rachel, will lift | it and set it on to your heads, and you | you think me mad. you priests. who kill more cruelty than did the Zulus, | and mad l am whose Spirit wanders. | Yet I tell you that new powers grow l N1tnln me, though whence they come l know not, and what I say I can per form.''
 Now they stared at her muttering to- sether. and sending for a wooden bowl. | peeped into it. Whatever it was they saw there did not please them, for at length Eddo addressed the crowd of saying:
 ''The Mother of the Trees forgives: the knot she tied she looses: the tree she plaTted she digs up. You are for given. Bones. put on strength; mouths, receive food; eyes. forget your blind ness, and feet, your wanderingS. Grow fat and laugh; increase and multiply; foc the curse we give you a blessing, such is the will of the Mother of the Trees"
 Nay, nay" cried Rachel. when she their words, believe him