Part 34 (2/2)

Thus he recited, and being a peaceable man, who had been chosen for the part because he was related by e to the principal wife of the chief, he kept a cautious eye on the broad-headed spear, and deterht

”Go back to your o to find a spot of sufficient loneliness, where I hts When I have found such a place I will return Say, also, that I aions of such quantity that, if every fighting ions were to take a handful of sand from the bottom of the river, the river would be bottoani, and that I love myself better than any ht not look like the sun”

He went on, leaving the ani returned

He caress, the subject of the palaver being the unfortunate relative by e to the chief's principal wife

”Who,” the chief was saying, ”has put shareat a fool as his cousin, my wife”

”Master,” said the poor relation hureat pride, and, o”

”Your mother was a fool,” said the chief; ”her mother also was a fool, and your father, whoever he was, and noto a crude address on hereditary folly was interrupted by the return of Iani, and as he came slowly up the little hillock the assembly took stock of hi leopard-skin cap to the thin bangles of brass about his ankles

The chief, a portlythat the hafts were polished s

”Lord,” said he e, appointed by the Govern on one side the picture of a great man with a beard, and on the other side certain devil iven to ht knoas chief, but I have lost the e, as this will show”

He fu of snake skin, and from this he extracted a very soiled paper

With tender care he unfolded it, and disclosed a sheet of official notepaper with a few scraords in the handwriting of Mr Commissioner Sanders They ran:

”To all Sub-Commissioners, Police Officers, and Commanders of Houssa Ports:

”Arrest and detain the bearer if found in any other territory than the Isisi”

There was a history attached to this singular document It had to do with an unauthorised raid upon certain Ochori villages and a subsequent trial at headquarters, where a chief, all aquiver with apprehension, listened to a terse but knowledgable prophecy as to what fate awaited hiani took the paper in his hand and was interested He turned it about, rubbed the writing lightly with his fingers to see whether it was permanent, and returned it to the chief

”That is very wonderful, though I do not fear ic, except an especial kind such as is practised by a certain witch-doctor of overnovern me”

After which he proceeded to tell theions and wives, and various other matters of equal interest

”I do not doubt that you will understandthe coeable as the snow upon the mountains Therefore, I have left o, and I have taken with ion, since they are my father's”

The chief was puzzled