Evening star., 1909-02-25
CHAPTER xI-Continued.

sweet voice of Noie. You have slept
well Now you must rise, bathe your
self and eat. for already messengers from
the king have been TO the outer gate, say
ing that they wait to escort you TO a bet
ter house that has been made ready for
you
Il hoped that they waited to escort me
out of Zuuland.'' answered Rachel.
~ asked them of that, Zoola. but they
declared 1t must not he. as the council
of the doctors had been summoned to
consider your sayings and two days Will
pass before 1t can meet. Also they de-
clare that your horse is sick and not tit
to travel, meaning that they will not let
you GO"
But / have the right to go. Mole"
The bird has the right to fly, but what
il it is In a cage, Zoola?
81 am queen here. Noie; the bars will
burst at my word"
1T may be so, Zoola but what if the
bird should find that it has no nest to
fly to?"
What do you mean?" asked Rachel
paling.
Only that it seems best that you should
not anger these Zulus. lady. lest 1t should
come into their minds to destroy your nest
thinking that SO you might come to love
this cage No. no. l have heard nothing
but | guess their thoughts. You need
rest: bide here where you are safe day
Or two. and let see what happens"
Speak plainly, Mole. do not under
stand your parable of birds and cages"
''ZooIa. obey. think that if YOU say
you will go. none. not the king himself.
would dare to stay you. though you would
have to go on foot, for then that horse
would die. But impi would go with
you or before you, and woe betide those
who held you from returning to Zululand.
Do YOU understand me now?'
Yes" answered Rachel. You mean
oh! cannot speak It. 1 will remain
here a few days.
was dressed by Mole. and ate of the food
that had been brought to the door of the
hut. Then she went out. and i'm the
little courtyard found a litter waiting
that was hung round with grass mats.
THE kings word is that you should
enter the litter said Mole.
She did SO. whereon Mole clapped her
hands and girls in bead dresses ran in,
and having prostrated themselves before
the litter lifted 1t up and carried it away,
Mole walking at its side.
Rachel, peeping between the mats. saw
tina. she was borne out of the town, sur
rounded. but at a distance, by a guard of
hundreds of armed men. Presently they
began to ascend a hill. whereon grew
many trees. and after climbing it for a
tween the outer and inner fence. and in its
center great space of parklike land
through which ran d stream.
Here, by the banks of the stream. stood
large new hut, and behind at little
distance two or three other huts In
front of this great hut the litter was set
down by the bearers. who at once went
away. Then at Noie's bidding Rachel
came out of it and looked at the place
which had been given her in which to
dwell.
Ii was d beautiful spot away from the
dust and noises of the Great Kraal. and
SO placed upon shoulder of the hillside
that the soldiers who guarded this house
not be seen or heard. Yet Rachel looked
at 1t with distaste. feeling that it was that
cage of which Mole had spoken.
a cage 1t proved indeed. solitary
cage. for here Rachel abode in regal Sc
clusion and in state that could only be
called awful. No man might approach
her house unbidden. and the maidens who
waited upon her did SO with downcast
eyes, never speaking. and falling on their
knees if addressed. On the first day of
her Imprisonment, for it was nothing
less. an unhappy Zulu. through Ignorance
or folly. slipped through the outer guard
and came near the inner fence, Rachel
who was seated above. heard some shouts
of rage and horror. and saw soldiers
running toward him. and in another min
ute body was being carried away upon
shield. He had died for his sacriiege
Once a day ambassadors came to her
from the king to ask for her health. and
IL she had orders to give but new even
these men were not allowed to look upon
her They were led in by the women
each of them with a piece OF bark cloth
over his head and from beneath this
cloth they addressed her as though she
were in truth divine. On the first day she
ba1e them tell the king that, her mission
being ended it was her desire TO depart
to her own home beyond the river. They
heard her words in silence, then asked If
she had anything to add. She replied
yes. it was her will that they should cease
to wear wells in her presence. also that
no more men should be Kill ed upon her
account. as had happened that morning
They said that they would convey the
order at once as several were under SEN
tence Of death who had argued as to
whether she were really the InkOSaZana
So she sent them away instantly fearing
lest they should be too late, and they
were led off backward bowling and giving
the royal salute. Afterward she rejoiced
to hear that her commands had arrived
just in time, and that the blood of these
poor people was not upon her head.
Next day the messengers returned at
the same hour unveiled. as she desired
bearing the answer of the king and his
council 1t was to the effect that the
InkoSaZana had no need to ask pernis-
sion to come or to go Her spirit. they
knew. mighty. and could wander
where 1t willed: all the impis of the ZuluS
could not hold her spirit. But--and here
came the sting of this clever ansWer-it
was necessary. until her sayings had been
considered. that the body in which that
spirit abode should remain with them a
while. Therefore the king and his counsel
ors and the whole nation of the Zulus
prayed her to be satisfied with the sending
of her spirit across the Tugela. leaving
her body to dwell space in the House
of the InkosaZana.
Rachel looked at them i'm despair for
what was she to reply TO such reasoning
as this? Before she could make up her
mind their spokesman said that white
spoken with her, asked leave to visit her
In her house
Now Rachel thought while. Ishmael
was the last person in the whole world
whom she wished to see. After the in
tervieW when they parted. and all that
had happened since it could not be other
wise. She remembered the threats he
had uttered them and to her father
afterward. the brutal and reyoltinS
threats. Some of these had been directed
against Noie. and subsequently Noe was
kidnapped by the ZulIis. That those di
rected at herself had not been fulfilled
was, she felt sure. due to d lack of op
portunity alone.
Little wonder then that she feared and
hated the man. Sill. he was of white
blood. and perhaps for this reason had
authority among the Zulus. who. as she
knew. often consulted him. Moreover,
notwithstanding his vaporings, like the
Zulus. whose supers;itons lie had con-
tracted. lie looked upon herself with
something akin to fear. IL she saw him
she had no cause to dread anything that
he could do 20 her. at any rate in this
country. where she was supreme. where