The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-09-15
CHAPTER v.
a Deep, Dark Plot.


Bantu had stolen out of the village
and into the jungle while his father
was addressing the warriors. Bantu
feared to let the warriors see his
tears. So he had crept away to weep
unobserved. In paroxysm of grief
he threw himself on the ground in the
forest glade, and he wept bitter tears
over the going away of the little white
girl with whom he had played day
after day for three long years.
But now, suddenly springing up,
Bantu wiped away his tears and made
a great resolve. He would follow the
wagon of the white medicine man and
have just one more playtime with
Edith.
So Bantu sped on down the trail, fol-
lowing the wagon tracks till. he felt
as if his woolly hair was straighten-
ing on his head and standing on end.
Fear paralyzed him. His legs felt
wobbly Yonder, through the forest
depths, he beheld long, thin line of
Zulu-Kair warriors, moving across the
trail in sinister silence. And Bantu
knew by their dress that these men
were on the war path.
Worse than that, he perceived that
the line moved not toward the kraal OF
Wambo, his father, but over the short
cut through the forest to meet the
wagon trail where it passed through
little valley amid the outlying hills.
Yes, these warriors were advancing to
intercept the wagon carrying Bantu's
beloved playmate,
The lad turned and sped like q deer
back toward his own village. He
would carry the news to his father and
get him to send many warriors to the
aid of the white medicine man, and to
protect Edith.
AS he ran, however, Bantu confront
ed a new danger He stopped not a
minute too soon 10 escape observation
by two black men who were coming
toward him. One Of these men, judg'
ing by the gossip which Bantu had
heard in the kraal, the boy knew must
be none other than Amazu, the CHIEF
who would not permit Edith's father to
come among his men and teach them
not to steal and murder. The second
black man, judging by his hideous
painted face and the; teeth Of many
animals which he wore around his
neck. was Amazu's witch doctor.
Looking for a hiding place, Bantu
beheld, as if divinely placed, a slit in
a hollow tree. He ran to it. The slit
was wide enough for the boy to slip
through to the inside of the tree.
No sooner was Bantu safely en-
sconced in this providential retreat
than the two blacks reached the tree,
halted and proceeded to hold council.
Bantu heard the deep bass voice of the
powerfully built chief, Amazu, say
ing:
"The white witch doctor carries
cross and a gun. The cross can do
no harm. But the gun is lightning!
And the white witch doctor is a
sure shot" Bantu heard the black
witch doctor say. $50 when the white
man camps today, Amazu, you must
20 to the missionary and be very
friendly and very like Christian say
ing prayers. You must pray the mis-
sionary to follow you to heal man
of sleeping sickness"
Amazu and his witch doctor now
strobe silently away. Bantu under
stood that Amazu was going straight
to the wagon carrying his beloved
PLAYMATE and that the chief meant TO
trick Edith's father into leaving his
family to be massacred by the war
riors. So Bantu knew there was no
time now to run to his own village and
get the help Of his fathers warriors.
He. Bantu himself, must be little
warrior. He must speed over the
short cut through the jungle till he hit
the wagon trail in the valley. Would
he reach the whites before Amazu?
That was what troubled little black
Bantu now as he raced through the
forest.
ntJan-rp lyr