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TBOB LANCASTER DAILY INTELLIGENCER, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1890.
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QUATERMASN'S WE
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! 1 ft HDHMAQQAlft
UaW a"0fcmsl QmrMtk, V.C.? "Mr.
WW," jl 2W e ZVw
Men," MJIm OKafe-mefe,"
(
. miAmat.vin.
7W T LENGTH the
jfc-L last platform, or
.J terrace, was
reaehed, and we
Ml Tpulled up outside
Bl.lW - the wall ri.
rounding the cen cen
tralgnmpef mar
ble huts for m t
must call them,
for want of abet
tername. Our ap
proach had been
observed by- a
crowd of natives,
whose race I have
never been able
te determine accurately; they belonged
te the Basutu and peaceful section of the
uantu peoples rather than te the Zulu
and warlike. Several of these ran up te
takethe horses, gazing en us with aston
ishment, net unmixed with awe. We
dismounted speaking for myself, net
without difficulty indeed, had it net
been for Stella's support I Bheuld have
fallen.
"New you must come and see my
father," she said. "I wonder what he will
think Of it, it is all be strange. Hendrika,
take thq child te my hut and give her
mux, men put nor into my beat l will
come presently."
Hendrika went off with n 6omewhat
ugly-grin te de her mistress' bidding,
and Stella led the way through the nar
row gateway in the marble wall, which
may have inclesed nearly half an "erf,"
or three-quarters of an acre of ground in
alL It was beautifully planted as a gar
den, many European vegetables and flow
ers were growing in it, besides ethers
with which I was net acquainted. Pres
ently we came te the center hut, and it
was then that I noticed the extraordinary
beauty' and finish of the marble masonry.
In the hut and facing the gateway was a
modern. deer, rather rudely fashioned of
Buck'en pent, a beautiful reddish weed
that has the appearance of having been
sedulously pricked with a pin. Stella
opened It, and we entered. The interior
of the hut was the size of a large and
lefty room, the walls being formed of
plain polished marble. It was lighted
somewhat dimly, but quite effectively,
by peculiar openings in the reef, from
which the rain was excluded by over
hanging caves. The marble fleer was
strewn with uative mats and skins of
animals. Bookcases filled with books
were placed against the walls, there was
a table in the center, chairs seated with
rimpl or strips of hide steed about, and
beyond the table was a couch en which
a man was lying reading.
"Is that you, Stella?" said a voice, that
even after se many years seemed famil
iar te me. "Where have you been, my
dear? I began te think that you had
lest yourself again."
"Ne, father, dear, I have net lest my
self, but I have found somebody else."
At that moment I stepxed forward se
that the light fell en me. The old gen
tleman en the couch rese with some
difficulty and bowed with much court
esy. He was a fine-looking old man,
with deep-set dark eyes, a pale fare, that
bore many traces of physical and mental
suffering, and a long white beard.
"Be welcotne, sir," he said. "It is
long since we have seen a white face in
these wilds, and yours, if I am net mis
taken, is that of an Englishman. There
has been no Englishman here for ten
years, and he, I griove te say, was an
outcast flying from justice," nnd he
bowed again and stretched out his hand.
I looked at him, and then of a sudden
his name flashed back into my mind. I
took his hand. '
"Hew de you de, Mr. Carsen?" I said.
He started back as though he had been
stung.
"Who told you that name?" he cried.
"It is a dead name. Stella, is it you? I
forbade you te let it pass your lips."
"I did net speak it, father. I have
never spoken it," she answered.
"Sir," I broke in, "if you will allow
me, I will show you hew I came te knew
your name. De you remember many
years age coming into the study of a
clergyman ift- Oxferdshire and telling
him that you were going te leave Eng
land for ever?"
He bowed his head.
I "And de you remember a little boy
who sat upon the hearthrug writing
with pencil?'- . -
"I de," he said.
"Sir, I was that boy, and my name is
Allan Quatermain. These children who
lay sick are all dead, their mother is
dead, and my father, your old friend,
is dead also. Like you he emigrated,
and last year he died in the Cape. But
this is net all the story. After many ad
ventures I, ene Kaffir, and a little girl,
lay senseless and dying in the bad lands,
where we had wandered for days with
out water, and there we should have
perished, but your daughter Miss"
"Call her Stella," he breke in, hastily.
"I cannot bear te hear that name, I
have forsworn it."
"Miss Stella found us by chance and
saved our lives."
"By chance, did you say, Allan Quater
main?" he answered. "There is little
chance in this; such chances spring from
another will than ours. Welcome, Allan,
son of my old friend. Here we live as if
were in n hcrmitage, with Nature for
our only friend, but such as we have is
yours, and for as long as you will take
It. But you must be starving, talk no
mero. Stella, it is time for feed. To
morrow we will talk."
Te tell the truth I can recall very little
mera of the events of that evening. A
kind of dizzy weariness overmastered
me. I remember sitting at a table next
te Stella, and eating heartily, and then I
remember nothing mere.
I aweke te find myself lying en a com cem com
fertablo bed in a hut built and fashioned
en the same model as the center ene.
While I was wondering what time it was,
a uative came bringing seme clean
clothes en his arm, and, luxury of luxu
ries, produced n bath hollowed from
weed. I rese feeling a very different
man; my strength had coine back again
te me. I dressed and, following a cov
ered passage, found myself in the center
hut. Here the table was bet for break
fast with all manner of geed th'jigs, such
as I had net seen for many a month,
which I contemplated with healthy soi sei soi
isfactien. Presently I looked up, nd
there before me was a mero delightful
sight, for standing in ene of the door
ways which led te the sleeping huts was
Stella, leading little Teta by the hand.
She was very simply dressed in a loebs
blue dress, wjtliwide cellar, nnd girdled
in at the waist by a little leather belt.
In the besom of her rel was a bunch of
erange blooms, nrni her rippling hail
wua tlnd iu single knot behind her
shapely hed- She greeted me with a
smile, s6mg me hew I had 6lept, and
thep field leta up for me te kiss. Under
jvr loving care the child had leen quits
transformed. She was neatly dressed in
a garment of the same stuff that Stella
wen, Her tsar natr trad brusned; indeed,
had It net been for the tun blisters ea hei
face and hands, one would scarcely have
believed that this was the same child
that Indaba-stmbi and I had dragged for
hour after hour through the burning,
waterless desert.
"We must breakfast alone, Mr. Allan,"
he said; "my father is se upset by your
arrival that he will net get up yet. Oh,
you cannot tell hew thankful I am that
you have come. I have been se anxious
about him of late. He grows weaker
and weaker; it seems td me as though
the strength were ebbing away from
him. New he scarcely leaves the kraal;
I have te manage everything about the
farm, and he does nothing' but read and
think."
Just then Hendrika entered, bearing a
jug of coffee in ene hand and of milk in
the ether, which she sat down upon the
table, casting a leek of little leve at me
as she did se. "
"Be careful, Hendrika; you are spill
lag the coffee," said Stella. "Don't you
wonder hew we ceme te have coffee
here, Mr. Allan? I will tell you we
grew It That was my idea. Oh, I
have lets of things te show you. Yeu
don't knew what we have managed te
de In the time that we liave been herd.
Yeu see, we have plenty of labor, for
the people about leek upon my father as
thair chief."
"Yes," I said, "but hew de you get
all of these luxuries of civilisatien?" and
I pointed te the books, the crockery, and
the knives and forks.
"Very simply. Most of the books my
father brought with him when he first
trekked into the wilds; there was nearly
a wagon lead of them. But every three
years we have sent an expedition of
these wagons right down te Pert Natal.
The wagons are leaded with ivory and
ether goods, and come back with all
kinds of things that have been sent out
from England for us. Yeu see, although
we live in this wild place, we are net al
together cut off. We can send runners
te Natal and back In three months, and
the wagons get there and back in a year."
"Have you ever been with the wag
ons?" I asked.
"Since I was a child I have never been
mero than thirty miles from Babyan's
Peak," hhe answered. "De you knew,
Mr. Allan, that you are, with ene ex
ception, the first Englishman that I
liave kuewn out of a book. I Bitppose
that I must seem very wild and savage
te you, but I have had ene advantage
a geed education. My father has taught
me everything, and perhaps I knew
seme things that you don't. I can read
French and German for instance. I
think that my father's first idea was te
let me run wild altogether, but he gave
it up."
"And don't you wish te go into the
world?" I OBked.
"Sometimes," bIie said, "when I get
lonely. But perhaps my father is right
perhaps it would frighten and bewil
der me. At any rate, he would never
return te civilization. It is his idea, you
knew, though I am sure I de net knew
where he get it from, nor why he cannot
bear that .our name should he spoken.
Iu short, Mr. Quatcrmafn, we de net
make our lives; we must take them as
we find them. Have you dene your
breakfast? Let us go out and I will
bIiew you our domain."
I rese and went te my sleeping place
te fetch my hat. When I returned, Mr.
Carsen for, after all, that was his name,
though he would never ( allow it te be
spoken had come into tlia hut. He felt
better new, he said, and would accom
pany us en our walk if StelU would give
him an arm.
Se we started, and after us came
Hendrika with Teta nnd old Indaba
zimbi, whom I found sitting eutside as
fresh as paint. Nothing could tire thai
old man,
The view from the platform was al
most as beautiful as that from the lower
ground looking up te the peak. The
marble kraals, as I have said, faced west,
consequently all the upper terrace lay in
the shadow of the great peak till nearly 1 1
o'clock In the morning, which wasa great
advantage in that warm latitude. First
we walked through the garden, which
was beautifully cultivated, and ene of
the most productive that I ever saw.
There were three or four natives work
ing in it, and theyall saluted my host as
"Baba," or father. Then we visited the
ether two groups of marble huts. One
of these was used for stables and out
buildings, the ether as storehouses, the
center hut having been, however, turned
into a chapel. Mr. Carsen was net or
dained, but he earnestly tried te convert
the natives, most of whom were refugees
who had ceme te him for shelter, and he
had practiced the mero elementary rites
of the church for Belong that I think he
legan te believe that he really was ai
clergyman. Fer inbtance, he always
married theso of his peeple who would
consent te n monogamous oxlstence, and
baptized their children.
When we had examined these wonder
ful remains of antiquity, the marble huts,
and admired the erange trees, the vines
and fruits which thrive like weeds in this
marvelous neil and climate, we descended
te the next platform and saw the farming
operations in full swing. I think that it
was the best farm I have ever been in
Africa. There was ample water for pur pur
lees of irrigation, the grass lands below
gae pasturage for hundreds of head of
cattle and horses, and, for natives, the
peeple were most industrious. Merc Morc
ever, the whoie place was ma'jaged by
Mr. Carsen en the co-eperativo Bystem;
he only took a tithe of the preduce in
deed, iu this laud of teeming plenty,
what was he te de with mere? Conse
quently the tribemen, who, by the way,
called themselves the "Children of
Themas," were uble te accumulate con
siderable wealth. All their disputes were
referred te their "father," nnd he also
was judge of offenses and crimes. Some
were punished by imprisonment, whip
ping and less of goods, ether and graver
transgressions by expulsion from the
community, n fiat which te ene of tlwse
favored natives imibt have seemed us
heavy as the decree that drove Adam
from the Garden of Eden.
Old Mr. Carsen leaned upon his daugh
ter's arm nnd contemplated the sccne
with pride.
"I have dene nil this, Allan Quater
main," he 6aid. "When renouncing civ
ilization flrbt, I wondered here by chance;
seeking a home in the remotest places in
the world, I found this lonely epet a
wilderness. Nothing was te be seen ex
cept the si.'e, the domes of the marble
huts and the waterfalls. I took posses
sion of the huts. I cleared the patch of
garden land and planted the erange
greie. I had only six natives then, but
liy degrees ethers joined me; new my
tribe is a thousand strong. Here we
live in profound jieace and plenty. I
have all I need, nnd I ask no mero.
Heaven has prospered me 60 far may
it be se te the end, which for me draws
nigh. And new I am tired and will go
back. If you wish te see the old quarry
nnd the mouth of the ancient mines,
Stella will show them te you. Ne, my
love, you need net treuble te ceme. I
can matuige alone. Ixek, seme of the
head men nre waiting te see me."
Se he went, but still followed by Hen
drika and Indaba-zinibi we turned, and,
walking along the bank of ene of the
rivers, passed up behind the marble
kraals, and came te the quarry, whence
the material had lcen cut in seme re
mote ege, The pit opened up a very
mick team et tae wnitcM ana most beau
tiful marble. I knew another like it In
Natal. But by whom it had been worked
I cannot say. Net by natives, that is
certain, though the builders of the kraals
bad condescended te borrow the shape
of native huts for their model. The only
relle of these builders that I ever saw
was a highly finished bronco pick axe
which Stella found ene day in the quar
ry. After wd had examined the quarry
we climbed the slope of the hill till we
came te the mouth of the ancient mines
situated In a kind of gorge. I believe"
them te have been silver mines. The
gorge was long and narrow, and the mo
ment we entered it there rose from every
side a sound of groaning and barking
that was almost enough te deafen one.
I knew what It was at once) the whole
place was filled with 'baboons, which
clambered down the rocks towards ui
from every direction, In a manner that
struck me as being unnaturally fearless.
Stella clung te my arm.
"It Is very silly of me," she whispered.
"I am net at all nervous, but I cannot
bear the sight of these animals ever
since they killed Hendrik. I always
think that there is something human
about them."
Meanwhile the baboons came nearer,
talking te each etlier as they came. Teta
began te cry, and clung te Stella. Stella
clung te me, while I and Indaba-zimbi
put as bold a front en the matter as we
could. Only Hendrika steed looking at
the brutes with an unconcerned smlle en
her monkey face. When the great apes
were qulte near, she suddenly called out
aloud. Instantly tbey stepped their
hideous clamor as though at a word of
command. Then Hendrika addressed
them.
Frem the mouth of Hendrika came a
succession of grunts, groans, squeaks,
I click and every ether abeminable nolse
' that can be conceived. Te my mind the
1 tvhole conveyed an idea of expostula
tion. At any rate the baboons listened.
One of them grunted back seme answer,
and then the whele mob drew off te the
rocks.
I steed astonished, and without a word
' we turned back te the kraal, for Hen
drika was tee clese for me te speak.
When we reached the dining hut Stella
went in, followed by Hendrika. But
Indaba-zimbi plucked me by the sleeve,
and I stepped outside.
"Macumezahn," he said. "Babeon
woman devil woman. Be careful,
Macumezahn. Shu loves that Star (the
natives aptly enough called Stella the
Star), and is jealous. Be careful, Macu Macu
eozahn, or the Star will sett"
CHAPTER IX.
T IS very difficult
for me te describe
the period of time
which elapsed be
tween my arrival
at Babyan's Peak
and my marriage
with Stella.
When I leek back
en it it seems
sweet as with the
Vv5) and dim as with
the happy dusk
of summer eves, while through the sweet
ucss comes the sound of Stella's voice,
and through the gloom shines the star
light of her eyes. I think that we loved
each ether from the first, though for a
while we said no word of leve. Day by
day I went uhetit the place with her, ac
companied by little Teta and Hendrika
only, while she attended te the thousand
and ene matters which her father's ever,
growing weakness had laid upon her;
or, rather, as time drew en, I attended te
the business aud she accompanied me.
All day through we were together. Then
after supper, when the night had fallen,
we would walk together in the garden
and ceme iu at length te hear her father
read aloud, sometimes from the works of
a poet, sometimes from history, or, if he
did net feel well, Stella would read, and
when this was dene Mr. Carsen would
celebrate, a. short form of prayer, and we
would separata till the morning ence
mero brought our happy heurnf meeting.
Se the weeks went by, and with every
week I grew te knew my darling better.
Often I wonder new if my fend fancy
deceives me, or if indeed there are women'
as bwcet aud dear us she. Wositbelitudo
that hud given such depth nnd gentleness
te her? Was it the long years of com
muning with nature that had endowed
her with such peculiar grace, the grace
we find in opening flowers and budding
trees? Had she caught that murmuring
veice from the sound of the streams that
fall continually about her rocky home?
was it the tenderness of the evening sky
beneath which she loved te walk, that
lay like a shadow en her face, and the
light of the evening stars that shene in
her quiet eyes? At the least, te me she
was the realization of the dream which
haunts the sleep of sin btained men; se
my memory paints her, be I hope te find
her when at last the sleep has rolled
away and the fevered dreams are done.
At lest there came a day the most
blessrd of my life when we told our
love. We had been together all the
morning, but after dinner Mr. Carsen
was se unwell that Stella stepjcd in
with him. At supper we met again,
and after supper, when she had put
little Teta, te whom she had grown
much attached, te bed, we went out,
leaving Mr. Carsen dozing en the couch.
The night was warm and lovely, and
without speaking we walked up the gar
den te the erange grore and wit down
there upon a rock. There was a little
brccze which bhoek the petals of the
erange bloom ever us in showers, nnd
bere their dcllcate fragrance far and
wide. Silcnce reigned around, broken
only by the bound of the falling water
falls that new died (e a faint murmur,
aud new, as the wavering breeze turned,
boomed loudly In our ears. The moon
was net yet vislble, but already the dark
clouds that floated through the sky
nbevu us for there had lieen rain
showed a glow of silver, telling us that
she shene brightly behind the peak.
Stella began te talk in her low, gentle
veice, telling me of her life in the wil
derness, hew she had grown te leve it,
hew her mind had geno en from idea te
Idea, and hew she pictured the great
pushing world that bIie had never seen
as it was reflected te her from the books
which she had read. It was a curious
vision of life that bhe had; things were
out of proportion in it; it was mero like
n dream than a reality a mlrage than
the actual face of things. The Idea of
great cities, nnd especially of Londen,
had a kind of fascination for her; she
could scarcely rcallze the rush, the rear
nnd hurry, the hard crowds of men and
women, strangers each te each, fever
ishly seeking for wealth and plcasure
beneath n murky sky, nnd treading ene
another down iu the fury of competition.
"What is it all for?" bhe asked, earn
estly, "What de they wck? Hating se
few years te live, why de they waste
them thus?"
I told her that iu the majority of in
stances it was actual hard necessity that
drove them en, but bhe could scarcely
realize it. Living as she had done, in
the midst of the teeming plenty of the
fruitful earth, she did net seem te under
stand that there nre millions who from
day te day knew net hew te stay their
hunger.
"I never want te go there," she went
en. "I should be bewildered and fright
ened te death. It is net natural te livu
mpS
like that Ued put Adam and Ere In a
garden, and that 4s hew he meant their
children te lire In peace, and looking
always en beautiful things. This is my
idea of perfect life. I want no ether."
"I thought that you once told me that
you found It lonely," I said.
"Se I did," she answered Innocently,
"but that was before you came. New I
am net 'lonely any mere, aud it is per
fectperfect as the night."
Just then the full moon rese abeve the
elbow of the peak, and her rays stele far
and wida down the misty valley, gleam
leg en the water, breeding en the plain,
searching out the hidden places of the
reeks, wrapping the fair form of nature
as in a silver vbridal veil thseugh which
her beauty shone mysteriously.
Stella looked down the terraced valley;
she turned and looked up at the scarred
face of the golden moon, and then she
looked at me. The beauty of the night
was about her face, the scent of Uie night
was en her hair, the mystery of the night
shone in her shadowed eyes. She looked
at me, I looked at her, and all our hearts'
leve blossomed within us. We spoke no
word we had no words te speak, but
slowly we drew near, till lips were
pressed te lips as we kissed our eternal
troth.
It was she who broke that holy sllence,
speaking in a changed voice, in soft deep
notes that thrilled me like the lowest
chords of a smitten harp.
"Ah, new I understand," she said,
"new I knew why we are lonely, aud
hew we can lese our loneliness. New I
knew what it is that stirs usin the beauty
of the sky, in the sound of water and in
the scent of flowers. It is leve that
speaks in everything, but till we hear his
voice we understand nothing. But when
we hear then the riddle is answered and
the gates of our heart are opened, nnd,
Allan, we see the way that wends through
death te heaven, and is lest in the glory
of which our love is but a shadow.
"Let us go in, Allan. Let us go before
the spell breaks, se that whatever comes
te us, sorrow, death or separation, we
may alvayn have this pel feet memory te
Kit e us."
I iose like a man in a dream, still hold
ing her by the hand. But as I rese my
eyes fell upon something that gleamed
white among the lollage of the erange
bush at my side. 1 said nothing, but
looked. The brecte stirred the orange
leaves, the moonlight struck for a mo
ment full upon the white object
It was the face of Hendrika, the bnbynn
woman, as Indaba-zimbi had called her,
and en it was a glare of hnte that made
me shudder.
I said nothing; the face vanished, and
just then I heard a baboon bark in the
rocks behind.
Then we went down the garden, and
Stella passed Inte the center hut I saw
Hendrika standing in the shadow near
the deer and went up te her.
"Hendrika," 1 Mild, "why were you
watching Mit-.s Stella nnd myself iu the
garden?"
She drew her lips up till her teeth
gleamed in the moonlight.
"Have I net watched her these many
years, Macumazahn? Shall I cease, te
watch her because a wandering white
man comes te steal her? Why were you
kissing her in the garden. Macumazahn?
Hew ilare you kiss her who is a stur?"
"I kissed her because I leve her, nnd
liecause she loves me," I answered.
"What has that te de with you, Hen
drika?" "Because you leve her," she hissed in
answer, "nnd de I net leve her also, who
saved me from the babyans? I am a
woman as she is, and j ou nre a man, and
they say in the krnala that men leve
women better than women leve women.
But it is n lie, though this is true, that if
a woman loves a mnn she forgets all
ether leve. Have I net seen it? I gather
her flowers beautiful flowers; I climb
the rocks wheroyeu would never dare te
go te find them; you pluck a piece of
erange bloom in the garden nnd give it
her. What does bhe de? She takes the
erange bloom, she puts it iu her breast,
and lets my flowers die. I call te her
6he does net hear me bhe is thinking.
Yeu whisper te seme oue far away, nnd
she hears nnd smiles. She Ubcd te kibs
me sometimes; new bhe hisses that white
brat you brought, because you brought
it. Oh, I see it all all; I have seen it
from the iiiht; you nre stealing her from
us, stealing her te yourself, and theso
who loved her before you came are for
gotten. Be careful, Mncuinazahu, be
careful, lest I am revenged upon you.
Yeu, you hate me; you think me half a
monkey; that servant of yours calls me
balKxm woman. Well, I have lived with
balloons, and they nre clever yes, they
can play tricks and knew things you
don't, and 1 am cloveicr than they, for I
have learnt the wisdom of white ceplu
albe, and I say te you, 'Walk beftly,
Macumazahn, or you will fall into a
pit,'" and with oue mere leek of malice
she was gene.
I steed for a moment reflecting. 1
was afraid of this strange creatUi'e who
seemed te combine the cunning of the
great apes thai had reared her with the
passion and bkill of human hind. I
foreboded evil at her hands. And yet
there was bemcthing almost touching in
the fierceness of her jealousy. It is gen
erally buppesed that this passion only
exlstH In btieugth when the object loved
is of another bex from the lever, but I
confess that. Iwth in this inbtance and in
seme ethers that I have met with, this
has net been my experience. I have
known men, nnd especially uncivilized
men, who were us jealous of Iho affec
tion of their friend or master as any
lever could 1k of that of his mistress;
nnd who has net wen cases of the same
thing u here parents and their chlldien
were concerned? But the lower ene gets)
iu the scale of humanity the mero read
ily this passion thrives; indeed, it may
be said te ceme te its lutenscst perfection
in brutes. Women are mero jealous than
men, small hearted men nre mero jeal
ous than theso of larger mind nnd wider
sympathy, and animals nre the most
jealous of nil. New Hendrika was in
seme ways net far removed from animal,
which may perhaps account for the fe
rocity of her jealousy of her mistress'
affection.
Shaking off my presentiments of evll,
I entered the center hut Mr. Carsen
was resting en the sofa, and by him
knelt Stella holding his hand, and her
head testing en his breast. I saw at
ence that she had been telling him of
what had come about between us; nor
was I sorry, for it is a task that a would
lx son-in-law is generally glad te de by
deputy.
"Come here, Allan Quatermain," he
said, almost sternly, nnd my heart gave
a jump, for I feared lest he might be
about te rcquire me te go about my
business. But I came.
"Stella tells me," he went en, "that
you two have entered Inte a marriage
engagement She tells me also that she
levgs you, and that you say that you
leve her."
"I de indeed, sir," I breke in; "I leve
her truly; If ever a woman wa3 loved in
this world I leve her."
"1 thank hcaicu for it," said the old
man. "Listen, my children. Many
years age a great shame and sorrow fell
upon me, se great a sorrow that, as I
sometimes think, it affected my brain.
At any rate, I determined te de what
most men would have considered the act
of a madman, te go far away Inte the
wilderness with my only child, there te
live remete from civilization and its
evil, i aid se; 1 round this place, and
here we have lived for many years, hap
gfly enough, and perhaps net without
ieing geed In our generation, but still
In a way unnatural te our race and
status. At first I thought that I would
let my daughter grew up In a state of
coinplcte ignorance, that she should be
nature's child. But as time went en, I
saw the felly and tl.v wickedness of my
plan. I had no right te degrade her te
the level of the savages around me, for
If the fruit of the tree et knowledge is n
bitter fruit, still It teaches geed from
evil. Se I educated Iter as well os I was
able, till in the end I knew that In mind,
as in body, she was In no way Inferior
te her sisters, the children of the civil
ised world.
She grew up and entered into woman
hood, and then it came into my inlnr
that I was doing her a bitter wrong, that
I was separating her from her kind and
keening her In a wilderness where she
could find neither mate nor companion.
But though I knew this, I could net yet
make up my mind te return te nctive
life; I had grown te leve this place. 1
dreaded te return into the world 1 had
abjured. Again nnd ngain I put my
resolutions aside. Then at the com
mencement of this year I fell ill. Fer a
while I waited, hoping that I might get
better, but at last 1 realized that I should
never get better, that the hand of death
was upon me."
"Ah, no, father, net that I" Stella said,
with a cry.
"Yes, leve, that, and it Is true. New
you will be able te forget our separation
in the happiness of n new meeting," and
he glanced at me nnd smiled. "Well,
when this knowlcdge came home te me,
I determined te abandon this place and
trek for the coast, though I vcll knew
that the journey would kill me. 1 Bheuld
never live te reach It But Stella would,
nml it would be better than leaving her
here nlone with savages in the wilder
ness. On the very day that I had mnde
up my mind te take this Btep Stella
found you dying iu the bad lands, Allan
Quatermain, nnd brought you here, She
brought you, of all men iu the world,
you, whose father had been my dearest
friend, and who ence with your baby
hands had saed her life from fire, that
she might live te save yours from thirst.
At the time I said little, but I saw the
hand of Provldence In this, and I deter
mined te wait and see what came about
between you. At the worst, If nothing
came about, I seen learned that I could
trust you te see her safely te the coast
after I was gene. But many days age I
knew hew it steed between you, nnd
new things have ceme nbeut as I prayed
they might Ged bless you both, my
children; may you be happy in your
love; may it endure till death and be bo be
yend it. Ged bless you both," and he
stretched out his hand toward me.
I took it, and Stella klssed him.
Presently he spoke ngain:
"It is my intention," he said, "if you
two consent, te marry you next Sunday.
I wish te de se seen, for I de net knew
hew much longer will be allowed te me.
I bolluve that such a ceremeny, selemuly
celebrated and entered Inte befere wit
nesses, will, under the circumstances, be
perfectly legal; but of course you will
repeat it with every formality the first
moment it lies in your power te de se.
And new, there is ene mero thing: when
I left England my fortunes were iu a
shattered condition; iuthoceursoofycari
they have recovered themselves, the ac
cumulated rents, as I heard but recently,
when the wagons last returned from
Pert Nutal, have sufficed te pay off nl!
charges, and there Is a considerable) bal
ance ever. Consequently you will no!
marry en nothing, for of ceurw you,
Stella, nre my heiress, nnd I wish tc
make a stipulation. It Is this. That tc
seen as my death occurs you shall lenv
this place and take the first opportunity
of returning te England. I de no!
ask you te live there nlways; It might
preve tee much for peeple reared in the
wilds, ns both of you have been; but I
de nbk you te make it your periunncul
home. De you consent und premise this?"
VI de," I answered.
"And ee de I," said Stella.
"Very well," he answered; "and new
I am tired out. Again Ged bless you
both, and geed night."
CIIAITEIt X.
N THE
fellow,
ing mor mer
n I n g 1
h 11 d s
'con ver
sa t ler
with In
d u b u
zl m bi
First et
all I tell!
him that I waf
going te marrj
Stella.
"Ohriiesatd,"!
thought se, Mac
uumzahn. Did I
net tell you thai
you would Ilml
happiness ou this journey? Most men
must be content te watch the Stur from i
long way off, te you it is given te weai
her en your heart. But renicmler, Macu
mazahn, remember that stars set."
"Oin you net step your creaking ever
for a day?" 1 nnsu ered angrily, for hli
words sent a tin ill of fear through me.
"A true prophet must tell the ill ai
well as the geed, Macumazahn. I enlj
speak what Is en my mind. But wli.V
of it? What is life but less, less uper,
less, till life itself be lest. But in dealt
we may find nil the things that we havt
lest Se your father taught, Mucuma.
zahn, nnd there was wisdom in his gen
tlcncss. Oil I I de net beliove in death
it is change, that Is all, Macumazahn
Loek new, the rain fnlls, the drops el
rain that were ence water In the cleudi
fall slde by 6ide. They sink Inte tin
ground; presently the sun will ceme out;
the earth will be dry, the drops will Ix
geno. A feel leeks nnd says the drop!
are dead, they will nevcr be ene again,
they will never again fall side by side!
But I am a rain maker, and 1 knew the
ways of rain. It is net true. The drepi
will drain into the river and will be ene
water there. They will go up into the
clouds again in the mists of morning,
ti"d there will again be as they liavs
lieen. We are the drops of rain, Ma
cumazahn. When we full, that is out
life. When we sink into (he ground, that
is death, and when we are drawn up
again te the sky, what is that, Macuma
zahn? Net nel when we find, we leso;
and when we seem te leso, then ,we shall
really find. I am net a Christian, Ma
cuiuazahn, but I am old, and have
watched and been things that jierhupa
Christians de net bee. There, I have
spoken. Be happy with your star, and
If it sets, wait, Macuiiiazalui, wait till It
rises ngain. It w III net be long; ene day
you will go te sleep, then your eyes will
e;K.n en another sky, and there your star
will be shining, Macumazahn."
I made no unswer at th tlmn I
could net lar te talk of such a thing.
But often and often in the after years I
have thought of Indaba-zimbi and his
beautiful simlla and gathered comfort
from it. He was a strange man, this old
rain making savage, and there was mero
wisdom in him than in many learned
atheists these spiritual destroyers who,
In the name of progress and humanity,
would divorce hepe from life, and leave
us wandering in a lonesemo, self con
secrated hell.
-Si-rA,-'
"indaba-zimei,- i said, cnenging tne
tubject, "I have something te say," nnd
I told him of the threats of Hendrika.
He listened with an unmoved 'face,
nodding his white lock nt interval as the
narrntive went en. But I saw that he
was disturbed blt.
"Macutnazahn," he said at length,
"I have told you this is an evil woman.
She was nourished en baboon milk, and
the baboon nature is in her veins. Such
creatures should be killed, net kept.
She will make you mischief if she can.
But I will watch her, Macvmazahn.
Loek, the Star Is watting for you; go,
or she will hate me as Hendrika hates
you."
Se I went, nothing loath, for attrac
tive as was the wisdom et Indaba-zimbi,
I found a deeper meaning iu Stella's
simplest word. All the rest of that day
I passed in her company, nnd the greater
part of the two following days. At last
came Saturday night, the eve of our
marriage. It rained that night, se we
did net go out, but spent the evening in
the hut. We sat hand in hand, saying
little, but Mr. Carsen talked a geed
deal, telling us tales et his youth, aud of
countries that he had visited. Then he
read aloud from the Bible, and bade us
geed night. I also kl.ssed Stella and went
te bed. I reached my hut by the cov
ered way, and before I undressed opened
the deer te bee what the night was like.
It was very dark, nnd rain was bMII fall
ing, but as the light streamed out into
the gloom I fancied that I caught sight
of a dusky form gliding away.
The thought et Hendrika fiashed into
my mind; could she be skulking about
eutside there? New I had said nothing
of Hendrika and her threats cither te
Mr. Carsen or Stella, because I did net
wish te alarm them. Alse I knew that
Stella was attached te this strange ier ier
sen, and I did net wish te shake her con
fidence in her unless it was absolutely
necessary. Fer a mliiute or two I steed
hesitating, then, reflecting that, if it was
Hendrika out there, there she should
step, I went hi nnd put up the stout
wooden bar that was used te secure the
deer. Fer the last f ew nights old Indaba
zimbi had made n habit of sleeping lit
the covered possage, which was the only
ether posslble way of access. As I came
te bed I had stepped ever him rolled up
in Ills blanket, and te all appearance
fast asleep. Se, it being evident that I
had nothing te fear, I promptly dismiss
ed the matter from my mind, which, as
may be imagined, was indced fully oc
cupied with ether matters.
I get Inte lied, and for nwhile lay
awake thinking of the great happiness iu
store for me, aud of the providential
ceurse of events that had brought It
within my reach. A few weeks since
and I was wandering in the desert a
dying man, bearing a dying child, and
with scarcely a possession left in the
world.exccpt n storeof buried ivory that
I nevcr expected te see again. And new
I was about te wed oue of the sweetest
nnd loveliest women In the whele world
a woman whom I loved mera than I could
have thought posslble, and who loved
me back again. Alse, ns though that
were net geed fertune enough, I was te
acquire with her considerable possessions,
qulte sufficiently large te onuble us te
fellow any plan of life we found agree
able. As I lay and reflected en all this
I grew afraid of my geed fertune. Old
Indaba-zlmbl'H melancholy prophesies
came into my mind. Hitherto he had
always prophesied truly. What If these
should be true also? I turned cold as I
thought of It, and prayed te the power
abeve te preserve us both te live and leve
together. Nevor was prayer mero need
ed. While its words were still upon ray
lips I dropped asleep and dreamed a most
dreadful dream.
I dreamed tli.it Stella and I were stand
ing together te lx married. She was
dressed In white and radiant with licau
ty, but it was a wild, spiritual beauty
which frightened me. Her eyes shene
like stars, a pale flame played about her
features and the wind that blew did net
stir her hair. Ner was this all, for her
white robes were death wrappings, and
the altar at which we steed was formed
of the piled up earth from an opengrave
that yawned between us. Se we steed
waiting for ene te wed us, but no ene
came. Presently from the open grave
sprang the form of Hendrika. In her
hand was a knlfe, with which she slabbed
at me, but pierced the heart of Stella,
who, without u cry, fell backwards into
the grave, still looking at me as she fell.
Then Hendrika leaped after her into the
grave. I heard her feet striLe heavily.
"Awake, Macumazahn! awake!" cried
the voice of Iudaba-zimbl.
I aweke and lieunded from the bed,
the cold perspiratien-peuritt frem-mer
Iu the darkness en the ether side of the
hut I heard sounds of furious struggling.
Luckily I kept my head. Just by me
was a chair en which were matches and
a rush taper. I struck a match und held
it te the taper. New in the glowing
light I could see two forms rolling ene
ever the ether en the fleer, and from be
tween them came the flash of steel. The
fat melted and the light burnt up. It
was Indaba-zimbi and the woman Hen
drika who were struggling, and, what
was mere, the woman was getting the
better of the man, btreug as he was. I
rushed toward them. New she was up up
jicrmest, new she had wrenched herself
from his flerce grip, and new the great
knlfe she had in her hand Hashed up.
But I was behind her, and, getting my
iiands beneath her arms, jerked with all
my strength. She fell backwards, and,
in her effort te save herself, most for
tunately dropped the knlfe. Then we
flung ourselves upon her. Heavens! the
strength of that ehe devill Nobody who
has net experienced it could bollevo It.
She fought and scratched nnd bit, and
at one time nearly mastered the two of
u. As it was she dhl break loose.
She rushed ut the bed, sprung en it, and
bounded thence straight up ut the reef
of the hut I never saw such a jump,
and could net conceive what she meant
te de. In the reef were the peculiar
holes which I have described. They
were designed te admit light, and cov
ered withevcrhanglngeaves. She sprung
straight and true like u moukey, nnd,
catching the edge of the hele with her
hands btrove te draw herself through It
But here her strength, exhausted with
the long struggle, failed her. Fer a mo
ment she swung, then dropped te the
ground and fell seuscletu.
"0u!" gnsped liidaha-zliubi, "Let us
tie the devil up befere bhe comes te life
again."
I thought this a geed counsel, fee we
took n rein that lay in the corner of the
room, and lashed her hands and feet in
such u fashion that even she could
scarcely escape. Then we carried her
into the passage, and Indaba-zimbi eat
ever iter, the knife in his hand, for I did
net wish te raise an ularm at that hour
of the night
"De you knew hew I caught her, Macu
mazahn?" he said. "Fer sevcral nights
I have slept here with oue oye open, for
I thought she had made a plan. To
night I kept wide awake, though I pre
tended te be asleep. An hour after you
get into the blankets the moon rose, and
I saw u beam of light ceme into the hut
through the hele in the reef. Present
I saw the beam of light vanish. At
I thought that a cloud was passing ever
the moon, but 1 listened and heard u
nolse us though boiue ene was squeezing
himself through n narrow place. Pres
ently he was through and hanging by
hidJiandB, TljeUbql'gh1 cauejujigalu,
tutu lit me iinuuie ui it sat tut) unujmsf
frau swinging from the reef, and abort
t drop into the hut. She clung by both
hands, and In her mouth was a great
knife. She dropped, and I ran forward
te seize her as slie dropped, nnd gtlppad
her round the middle But she hsard
me ceme, and, seizing the knife, struck
at me in the dark and missed me. Ths"
we struggled, and you knew the rest
Yeu were very nearly dead te-night,
Macumazahn."
"Very nearly, indeed," I answered,
still panting and arranging the rags of
my night dress around me as best I
might. Then the memory of my horrid
dream flashed into my mind. Doubtless
It had lieen conjured up 'by the sound of
H-nd'Ika dropping te the fleer In asjr
dream it had been n gra've that shia
dropped into. All of it had been expert
enced In that second of time. Well,
dreams are swift; perhaps time Itself Is
nothing but a dream, and events that
seem far apart really occur .simultane
ously. We passed the rest of the night watch
ing Hendrika. Presently she came te
herself and struggled furiously te break
the reiu. But it was tee strong even for
her, and, moreover, Indaba-zimbi uncer
emoniously Bat upon her te keep her
quiet. At last she gave it up.
Iii;due ceurse the day broke my mar-'
rlage day. Leaving Indaba-zimbi te
watch my weuld-be murderess, I went
nnd fetched some natives from ths
stables, nnd with their aid bere Hen
drika te the prison hut that same hut
in which bIie had been confined when
she had lieen brought a baboon child
from the reeks. Hore we shut her up,
and, leaving Indaba-zimbi te watch out eut eut
sieo, I returned te my steeping place
mid dressed in the bent garments thai
bnbyan kraals could furnish. But when
I looked nt the reflection of my face, 1
was horrified. It was covered with
scratches inflicted by the nails et Hen
drika. I doctored them up as best I
could, and went out for n walk te calm
my nerves, which, what between the
events of the past night and of these
pending that day, were net a little dis
turbed. When I returned it was breakfast time.
I went into the dining hut, and then
Stella was waiting te greet me, dressed
in simple white and .with erange flowers
en her breast She came forward te ma
shyly enough; then, seeing the condition
et my face, started back,
"Why, Allan! what have you been
doing te yourself?" she asked.
As I was about te answer, her father
came In leaning en his stick, and catch
ing sight of me instantly asked the sams
question.
Then I told them everythlng, both of
Hendrika's threats and of her fierce at
tempt te carry them into execution. But
I did net tell my horrid dream.
Stella's face grew white as the flowers
en her breast, but that of her father be
came very stern.
"Yeu should have spoken of this be be be
eoeo, Allan," he said. "I new see that 1
did wrong te attempt te clvillze thU
wicked and revengeful creature, who, 11
she la human, has all the evil passions el
the brutes that reared her, Well, I will
make an end of It this very day."
"Oh, father," satf Stella, "don't hav
her killed. It Is all dreadful enough, but
that would be mero dreadful still. 1
have been very fend of her, aud, bad ai
alie Is, she has loved me. Don't have her
killed en my marriage day."
"Ne," her father answered, "she shall
net be kllled, for, though she deserves te
die, I will net have her bleed upon our
hands. She Is n brute nnd has followed
the nature of brutes. She shall go back
whence she came."
Ne mero was said en the matter at th
time, but when breakfast which was
rather a farce was done, Mr. Carsen
sent for his head man and gave him cer
tain orders.
We were te be married after the ser
vice whieh Mr. Carsen held every Sun
day morning in the large marble hut set
apart for that purpese. The service be
gan at 10 o'clock, but long before that
hour all the natives en the place came up
iu troops, singing as they came, te be
present nt the wedding of the "Star." It
was a pretty sight te see them, the men
dressed in all their finery, and carrying
shields nnd sticks in their hands, and
the women and children bearing green
branches of trees, ferns nnd flowers. At
length, about half-past nlne, Stella rose,
pressed ray hand, and left me te my re
flections. At a few minutes te ten
she reappeared again with her father,
dressed in a white veil, a wreath of
erange flowers en her dark curling lialr,
a Ixmquct of erange flowers in her hand.
Te me she seemed like u dream of loveli
ness. With her came little Teta In a
high stnte of gtce and excitement She
was Stella's only bridesmaid. Then we
all passed out towards the church but.
The bare space in front of it was filled
with hundreds of natives, who set up a
song as we came. But we went en into
the hut, which was crowded with such
of the natives as usually worshiped
theie. Here Mr, Carsen, as usual, read
the service, though he was obliged te sit
down In order te de se. When It was
dqjie and te me ft seemed interminable
Mr. Carsen whispered te me that he
meant te marry us eutside the hut In
sight of all the peeple, se we went out
nnd took our stand under the shade of a
large tree that grew near the hut facing
the bare space whcre the natives were
gathered.
Mr' Carsen held up his hand te enjoin
silcnce. Then, speaking in the native
dialect, he told them that he was about
te make U3 man and wife after the Chris
tian fashion nnd in the sight of all men.
This done, he proceeded te read the mar
riage service ever us, and very solemnly
and beautifully he did It. We said the
words, I placed the ring it waa her
futher'a signet ring, for we had no ether
upon Stella's finger, and it was dene.
Then Mr. Carsen speke. "Allan and
Stella," he said, "I beliove that the cere
mony which has been performed makes
you man and wlfe in the sight of Ged
and man, for all that is necessary te
make a marriage binding is, that it
should be celebrated according te the
custom of the country where the parties
te it reside. It is according te the custom
that has been in ferce here for fifteen
years or mero that you have been mar
ried in the face of all the people, and in
token of it you will both 6lgu the registry
that I have kept et such marriages,
among theso of my own peeple that have
adopted the Christian faith. Still, in case
there should be any legal flaw, I again
demand the solemn proiuise of you both
that en the first opportunity you will
causa this marriage te be re-celebrated
in seme civilized land. De you premise?"
"We de, we answered.
Then the book was brought out and we
signed our names. At lirst my wire
signed hers "Stella" only, but her father
bade her write it Stella Carsen for the
first and List time In her Ufe. Then sov sev
cral of the indunas, or head men, in
cluding old Indaba-zlmbl, put their marks
in witness. Indaba-zimba drew his mark
in the bhape of a little star, iu humorous
.allusion te Stella's native uame. That
register is befere me new as I write.
That, with a lock et my darling's liair
that lies between its leaves, is my dear
est possession. There are all the names
nnd marks as they were written many
years age beneath the shadow of the
tree ou Babyan Kraals In the wilder
ness, but alas) and alast where are these
Milin wrnt thorn? . . . .
Omdmteii next Saturday
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