The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-11-24


Two men were sharing the shelter
of a waffle hut.
Stretched out full length upon a
bei of dried grass, Ferman Hwood
occupied one side of it, while on
the other, close to the doorway,
goatherd, the owner of the shelter
was squatting upon his launches
devouring his midday dinner of meal
les and pap. He was an intelligent
looking Kaffir youth, naked as the
day he was born except for the stert-
rheim about his loins. Every now
and then, while he ate, he turned
pair of keen black eyes in the di-
recion of his white companion. His
look was rather more contemplative
than curious, the large man SEEM
ing to have deep interest for him.
But Elwood appeared quite in1dffer-
ent both to the lads scrutiny and
his presence. The roof occupied his
gaze if it did not occupy his
thoughts. His steady grey eyes were
fixed upon one spot in the waffle
thatch, nor did they wander from it.
Suddenly the Kaffir cooked ali
ear in the manner of a watchful ter
Fier. A half-devoured meade re-
maineA poised in the air, while his
companions voice broke the silence.
Elwood had made no movement.
What is it?" he asked.
And a moment later the boy re-
piled, "Kaffir baas. OF man. Tink
him Um-la-la.'
Elwood changed his position at
once, and faced the doorway just as
grey head appeared through
1t was the head of very old, wa
tery-eyed Kaffir. The newcomer roll
ed his eyes, pering about the hut
eagerly.
'TDu-mella, baas." The Old man
greeted him at last in thin, crack
ed voice.
Elwood nodded.
Good, Um4lala. Well?"
UmAl-la crawled into the hut
and squatted upon his haunches in
the fashion of the goatherd. He
stretched out skinny hand and
took a meaIie from the iron pot
in front of the boy. Then, in
quaint, spasmodic fashion, he be-
gan to talk, croaking and clack-
ing out what he had to say amidst
confusion of grunts. Elwood lis
tened his eyes intently fixed upon
the old mans scanned features.
After awhile Um-la-la took his de-
parture.
When he had gone a younger man
appeared, accompanied by two
vrouws. He likewise held a long
talk with Elwood. They spoke this
time in the soft Zulu tongue, with
much dramatic gesture, to all of
which the white man paid the deep
est attention. Presently, he too,
took his departure, his two vrouws
chattering and laughing in high
god humor as they went. Then
came several others, and each man
seemed to have information of some
kind to impart, which held Ferman
Elwood's keenest interest. He listen
ed carefully to all they said, and
finally sent each .one off with new
instructions.
The sun was lo,ling over the
western horizon when, at last, the
white man heaved his great body
up from his bed of grass. He had
spent the entire day beneath the wat
tie she.er; it was the first rest
he had had in forty-eight hours.
A low scrub dottei the veldt
outside the hut, and through this
he made his way to a patch of
open grass, where a big, raw-boned
chestnut horse stood, knee-haltered
grazing at the far side of it. The
beast raised his head and near
forefoot simultaneously at the
sound of his masters whistle. The
next moment it was hobbling rap
idly towards him.
AS the sun touched the horizon
Elwood rode away in the direction
of a distant isolated hill which
rose sharply out of the level of
the veldt.
Sitlagoli, gald ironstone kopje, had
always been an important landmark