Evening star., 1909-03-07

very much. both on account Of the heavy
labor of working at the walls. and be-
cause they were in terror of being at
tackled and killed In payment for the evil
deeds of their chief. Mani declared, in
deed. that so great was their fear and
discomfort that she thought they would
desert the town in a body. were it not
that they dreaded lest they should fall
into the hands of the Kaff1rs who were
watching il. Rachel asked her whether
they would not then take her and Dario
and deliver them UP to the Zulus. or to
the white people on the coast. Mani an
swered she thought they would be
afraid to do this, as Ibubesi alone had
guns. and would shoot plenty of them;
also if the Zulus found them with their
InkosaZana they would kill them. She
added that she had seen Ibubesi. who
bade her tell the Inkosazana that he was
Rachel slept i'll that night. The space
of her reprieve had gone by. and next
morning she must face the issue. For
herself she did not so greatly care, for at
the worst she had refuge whittier Ish-
mael could not follow her-the grave.
After all she had endured it seemed to
her that this must be a peaceful place:
moreover. in her case what power could
blame her? But there was Richard to be
thought of. If she refused Ishmael he
swore that he would kill Richard And
yet how could she pay that price even
to save her lovers life? Perhaps he
would not kill him after all; perhaps
he would be afraid Of the vengeance of
the Zuus. and was only trying to frighten
her All. if only the Zulus would come
before it was too late, 1t was scarcely
to be hoped for. TambOosa. if 1t were he
who had spoken with the lad. would not
have had time to return to Zululand and
collect an impi, and when they did come
the deed might be done If only these
servants of Ibubes would rise against
him and kill him. or carry off Richard and
herself. Alas! they feared the man too
much and she could not get at them to
persuade them. There was nothing that
she could do except pray. Richard and
she must take their chance. Things must
go as they were decreed.
If she could have seen Ishmael at this
hour and read his thoughts, that sight
and knowledge might have brought some
comfort to her tortured heart. The man
seated i'll his hut alone. staring at
the floor and pulling his long black beard
walls. He was drinking also. stiff tots
of rum and water. but the fiery liquor
seemed to bring him no comfort. AS he
drank. he thought. He was determined
had become madness with him. He
could never abandon it while he lived.
But she might not live. She had sworn
that she would rather die than become
his wife. and she was not woman who
broke her word. Also she hated him bit
terly. and with good cause There was
only one way to work on her-thrcugh
her love for this man, Richard Darrien.
for that she did love him he had little
doubt. If il were choice between yielding
and the death of Darrien. then perhaps
she might give way. But there came the
rub
Dingaan had sworn to him that II he
made Darren's blood to flew. then he
should be killed. and. like Rachel. Din
gaan kept his oaths. Moreover. that Zulu
who met the cattle herd had sworn it
again in almost the same words. There
fore it would seem that il he wished to
continue to breathe. Darrien's blood must
be explained when the impi came. as 1t
would do sooner or later especially If he
could show TO them that the Inkosazana
was his willing wife, but the murder Of
Darrien could never be explained. Well.
the man might die. seem to die. and
then who could hold him responsible? Or
Il they did. if any Of his people re-
mained faithful to him. attack might
be beaten Off Brave as they were. the
Eulus could not storm those walls on
which he had spent so much labor. though
now he almost wished that he had left
the walls alone and settled the affair of
Rachel and of Darrien first. 1881
Ishmael poured out more rum and drank
it. neat this time. as though to nerve
himself for some undertaking. Then he
went to the door of the hut and called.
whereon presently a hideous old woman
crept in and suuatted down in the circle
OF light thrown by the lamp She was
wrinkled and deformed, and her snake