South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-03-02
S " EETER THAN LIFE

shall not De ngnt Have you seen rne great
ant heaps Matiko. under the tumayo trees? II
you come before by face empty handed you
shall be hung by the feet from one OF the
trees your arms bound and your mouth
propped open.
Your head shall swing so that ii just grazes
the top Of one Of the ant heaps. That shall be
your fate. Matiko. If you do not fulfill your
mission. That is my word: have spoken
Smiling confidently. Matiko made prepare
tons for his departure Armed with the au-
thOrtty Of the king. he had doubt OF his sue
cess. He picked ten men well known TO him.
of whom were myself and my son, and the
same day we started for the kraal where Naumi
lived. We passed over this river bed when it
was dry as IL is now. my father, and went three
more days Journey
1T was when we we're within less than day
OF the kraal that I knew the plan that had
formed in T'Lanas mind. hadSmarvelled at
his good spirits and his friendllness toward
Matiko, but when heard his plot for the
doing OF HIS enemy then understood.
"TLana left the camp, unseen by all but me,
as soon as twilight fell, and he entered II, also
seen by me alone, as day broke. He
hausted with running. and there was blood on
the blade of his assegai He lay down beside
me. resting. recovering his breath. Then he
sat up, and whilst he cleaned the assegai he
told me what he had done.
He had been to the kraal, he had entered II
in the night and found the hut where slept
Naumi, the wonder maiden: one swift stab OF
the broad blade and her life was quenched for
ever. Then, running hard, he had returned
to US.
"Matiko could not now fulfill his mission,
and the punishment of the red ants would be
his when he went back to the royal kraal with
out Naumi-for go back he must, since we who
with him would not suffer him to escape.
He was loved by no man, and no evil was
threatened to us.
so that is how l repay Matiko the wrong
he did me- said TLana
Il listened to this, greatly troubled, my
father. 1 knew none had seen T'Lana leave
the camp or return to it. l believed him when
he said that no man had seen him in the krasl,
or heard Naumis death cry; yet ii is dangerous
TO NEEDLE in matters that concern kings. espe-
cially such kings our Great Great One, who
had eyes and ears everywhere and could read
a mans thoughts in his face.
yet the deed was done, and T'Lana was my
son. | could not denounce him even if would,
and for the fate of Matiko did not care. You
may thlHS hardly OF T'Lana for that he slew
Naumi; but your people InkoOs have other
ideas OF women than have mine.
Therefore we went on the next day as II
nothing had happened and came to the kraal.
In furtherance Of the plan before we sat down
TO the indaba with the chief TLana bad
spoken of mission and the strong word Of
the Great One.
81 saw the eyes OF the men who heard this
show their fear though they answered not at
all. There was much running to and fro in the
kraal before we sat down, and yet when the
chief came TO the matter that was in his mind
and asked Matiko the reason of his visit the
old man calm He must have known that
he and his we're doomed. since he could not
send Naumi. To send word that she had been