Unfettered: A NovelGriggs, Sutton E. (Sutton Elbert)
General
Unfettered: A Novel
Griggs, Sutton E. (Sutton Elbert)
African Americans -- Fiction; United States -- Race relations -- Fiction
The throng by this time was thoroughly excited over the curious antics of
the stranger, and had clustered around Dorlan wondering what it was that
had caused such an abrupt cessation of the open air concert which they were
enjoying. The stranger now locked his arm in that of Dorlan and the two
returned to Dorlan's home. The crowd followed and stood for a long time at
Dorlan's gate hoping that the two would return and afford an explanation.
As this did not happen, they at length dispersed.
When Dorlan and the stranger entered the former's room and were seated,
they looked at each other in silence, Dorlan awaiting to be addressed and
the stranger seeking to further assure himself that he was not mistaken. He
arose and again looked at the markings on Dorlan's arm. He now spoke some
words in a strange tongue. Dorlan readily replied in the same language.
The stranger now felt safe in beginning his narrative. Said he, in English,
"My name is Ulbah Kumi. I hail from Africa. I am one of an army of
commissioners sent out by our kingdom into all parts of the world where
Negroes have been held in modern times as slaves. We are hunting for the
descendants of a lost prince. This prince was the oldest son of our
reigning king, and was taken captive in a battle fought with a rival
kingdom. He was sold into slavery. The royal family had a motto and a
family mark. You recognized the motto on the banner; you have the royal
mark. You also look to be a prince. Tell me your family history and I will
make to you further disclosures."
Dorlan now told of his father and his grandfather. His grandfather had
always claimed to be the heir to an African throne, had imbued his,
Dorlan's father, with that thought. The father had taught the same to
Dorlan. A certain formula, said to be known to no others on earth, was
cherished in their family.
"Now! Now!" said Kumi when Dorlan recited that fact. "That formula is no
doubt a key that will unfold the hiding place of treasures that will make
you the richest man in the world. Here is an inventory of what is to be
found in that hiding place."
Dorlan took the reputed inventory. The enormous value of the items cited
staggered his imagination. "This is incredulous," said Dorlan. "How could
Africans, unlearned in the values of civilized nations, know how to store
away these things."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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