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diff --git a/old/2857.txt b/old/2857.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b34dc30 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/2857.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9949 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Yellow God, by H. Rider Haggard + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Yellow God + An Idol of Africa + +Author: H. Rider Haggard + +Release Date: April 3, 2006 [EBook #2857] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YELLOW GOD *** + + + + +Produced by John Bickers; Dagny; Emma Dudding + + + + + +THE YELLOW GOD + +AN IDOL OF AFRICA + + +By H. Rider Haggard + + + +CHAPTER I + +SAHARA LIMITED + +Sir Robert Aylward, Bart., M.P., sat in his office in the City of +London. It was a very magnificent office, quite one of the finest that +could be found within half a mile of the Mansion House. Its exterior +was built of Aberdeen granite, a material calculated to impress the +prospective investor with a comfortable sense of security. Other stucco, +or even brick-built, offices might crumble and fall in an actual or a +financial sense, but this rock-like edifice of granite, surmounted by a +life-sized statue of Justice with her scales, admired from either corner +by pleasing effigies of Commerce and of Industry, would surely endure +any shock. Earthquake could scarcely shake its strong foundations; panic +and disaster would as soon affect the Bank of England. That at least +was the impression which it had been designed to convey, and not without +success. + +"There is so much in externals," Mr. Champers-Haswell, Sir Robert's +partner, would say in his cheerful voice. "We are all of us influenced +by them, however unconsciously. Impress the public, my dear Aylward. Let +solemnity without suggest opulence within, and the bread, or rather the +granite, which you throw upon the waters will come back to you after +many days." + +Mr. Aylward, for this conversation occurred before his merits or the +depth of his purse had been rewarded by a baronetcy, looked at his +partner in the impassive fashion for which he was famous, and answered: + +"You mix your metaphors, Haswell, but if you mean that the public are +fools who must be caught by advertisement, I agree with you. Only this +particular advertisement is expensive and I do not want to wait many +days for my reward. However, L20,000 one way or the other is a small +matter, so tell that architect to do the thing in granite." + +Sir Robert Aylward sat in his own quiet room at the back of this +enduring building, a very splendid room that any Secretary of State +might have envied, but arranged in excellent taste. Its walls were +panelled with figured teak, a rich carpet made the footfall noiseless, +an antique Venus stood upon a marble pedestal in the corner, and over +the mantelpiece hung a fine portrait by Gainsborough, that of a certain +Miss Aylward, a famous beauty in her day, with whom, be it added, its +present owner could boast no connection whatsoever. + +Sir Robert was seated at his ebony desk playing with a pencil, and the +light from a cheerful fire fell upon his face. + +In its own way it was a remarkable face, as he appeared then in his +fourth and fortieth year; very pale but with a natural pallor, very well +cut and on the whole impressive. His eyes were dark, matching his black +hair and pointed beard, and his nose was straight and rather prominent. +Perhaps the mouth was his weakest feature, for there was a certain +shiftiness about it, also the lips were thick and slightly sensuous. +Sir Robert knew this, and therefore he grew a moustache to veil them +somewhat. To a careful observer the general impression given by this +face was such as is left by the sudden sight of a waxen mask. "How +strong! How lifelike!" he would have said, "but of course it isn't +real. There may be a man behind, or there may be wood, but that's only +a mask." Many people of perception had felt like this about Sir Robert +Aylward, namely, that under the mask of his pale countenance dwelt a +different being whom they did not know or appreciate. + +If these had seen him at this moment of the opening of our story, they +might have held that Wisdom was justified of her children. For now +in the solitude of his splendid office, of a sudden Sir Robert's mask +seemed to fall from him. His face broke up like ice beneath a thaw. He +rose from his table and began to walk up and down the room. He talked to +himself aloud. + +"Great Heavens!" he muttered, "what a game to have played, and it will +go through. I believe that it will go through." + +He stopped at the table, switched on an electric light and made a rapid +calculation on the back of a letter with a blue pencil. + +"Yes," he said, "that's my share, a million and seventeen thousand +pounds in cash, and two million in ordinary shares which can be worked +off at a discount--let us say another seven hundred and fifty thousand, +plus what I have got already--put that at only two hundred and fifty +thousand net. Two millions in all, which of course may or may not be +added to, probably not, unless the ordinaries boom, for I don't mean +to speculate any more. That's the end of twenty years' work, Robert +Aylward. And to think of it, eighteen months ago, although I seemed so +rich, I was on the verge of bankruptcy--the very verge, not worth five +thousand pounds. Now what did the trick? I wonder what did the trick?" + +He walked down the room and stopped opposite the ancient marble, staring +at it-- + +"Not Venus, I think," he said, with a laugh, "Venus never made any man +rich." He turned and retraced his steps to the other end of the room, +which was veiled in shadow. Here upon a second marble pedestal stood an +object that gleamed dimly through the gloom. It was about ten inches or +a foot high, but in that place nothing more could be seen of it, except +that it was yellow and had the general appearance of a toad. For some +reason it seemed to attract Sir Robert Aylward, for he halted to stare +at it, then stretched out his hand and switched on another lamp, in the +hard brilliance of which the thing upon the pedestal suddenly declared +itself, leaping out of the darkness into light. It was a terrible +object, a monstrosity of indeterminate sex and nature, but surmounted by +a woman's head and face of extraordinary, if devilish loveliness, sunk +back between high but grotesquely small shoulders, like to those of a +lizard, so that it glared upwards. The workmanship of the thing was +rude yet strangely powerful. Whatever there is cruel, whatever there +is devilish, whatever there is inhuman in the dark places of the world, +shone out of the jewelled eyes which were set in that yellow female +face, yellow because its substance was of gold, a face which seemed not +to belong to the embryonic legs beneath, for body there was none, but +to float above them. A hollow, life-sized mask with two tiny frog-like +legs, that was the fashion of it. + +"You are an ugly brute," muttered Sir Robert, contemplating this effigy, +"but although I believe in nothing in heaven above or earth below, +except the abysmal folly of the British public, I am bothered if I don't +believe in you. At any rate from the day when Vernon brought you into +my office, my luck turned, and to judge from the smile on your sweet +countenance, I don't think it is done with yet. I wonder what those +stones are in your eyes. Opals, I suppose, from the way they change +colour. They shine uncommonly to-day, I never remember them so bright. +I----" + +At this moment a knock came on the door. Sir Robert turned off the lamp +and walked back to the fireplace. + +"Come in," he said, and as he spoke once more his pale face grew +impassive and expressionless. + +The door opened and a clerk entered, an imposing-looking clerk with +iron-grey hair, who wore an irreproachable frock coat and patent leather +boots. Advancing to his master, he stood respectfully silent, waiting to +be addressed. For quite a long while Sir Robert looked over his head as +though he did not see him; it was a way of his. Then his eyes rested on +the man dreamily and he remarked in his cold, clear voice: + +"I don't think I rang, Jeffreys." + +"No, Sir Robert," answered the clerk, bowing as though he spoke to +Royalty, "but there is a little matter about that article in _The +Cynic_." + +"Press business," said Sir Robert, lifting his eyebrows; "you should +know by this time that I do not attend to such details. See Mr. +Champers-Haswell, or Major Vernon." + +"They are both out at the moment, Sir Robert." + +"Go on, then, Jeffreys," replied the head of the firm with a resigned +sigh, "only be brief. I am thinking." + +The clerk bowed again. + +"The _Cynic_ people have just telephoned through about that article we +sent them. I think you saw it, sir, and you may remember it begins----" +and he read from a typewritten copy in his hand which was headed "Sahara +Limited": + +"'We are now privileged to announce that this mighty scheme which will +turn a desert into a rolling sea bearing the commerce of nations and +cause the waste places of the earth to teem with population and to +blossom like the rose, has been completed in its necessary if dull +financial details and will within a few days be submitted to investors +among whom it has already caused so much excitement. These details we +will deal with fully in succeeding articles, and therefore now need only +pause to say that the basis of capitalization strikes us as wonderfully +advantageous to the fortunate public who are asked to participate in +its vast prospective prosperity. Our present object is to speak of its +national and imperial aspects----'" + +Sir Robert lifted his eyes in remonstrance: + +"How much more of that exceedingly dull and commonplace puff do you +propose to read, Jeffreys?" he asked. + +"No more, Sir Robert. We are paying _The Cynic_ thirty guineas to insert +this article, and the point is that they say that if they have to put in +the 'national and imperial' business they must have twenty more." + +"Indeed, Jeffreys? Why?" + +"Because, Sir Robert--I will tell you, as you always like to hear the +truth--their advertisement-editor is of opinion that Sahara Limited is a +national and imperial swindle. He says that he won't drag the nation and +the empire into it in an editorial under fifty guineas." + +A faint smile flickered on Sir Robert's face. + +"Does he, indeed?" he asked. "I wonder at his moderation. Had I been +in his place I should have asked more, for really the style is a little +flamboyant. Well, we don't want to quarrel with them just now--feed the +sharks. But surely, Jeffreys, you didn't come to disturb me about such a +trifle?" + +"Not altogether, Sir Robert. There is something more important. _The +Daily Judge_ not only declines to put any article whatsoever, but +refuses our advertisement, and states that it means to criticize the +prospectus trenchantly." + +"Ah!" said his master after a moment's thought, "that _is_ rather +serious, since people believe in the _Judge_ even when it is wrong. +Offer them the advertisement at treble rates." + +"It has been done, sir, and they still refuse." + +Sir Robert walked to the corner of the room where the yellow object +squatted on its pedestal, and contemplated it a while, as a man often +studies one thing when he is thinking of another. It seemed to give him +an idea, for he looked over his shoulder and said: + +"That will do, Jeffreys. When Major Vernon comes in, give him my +compliments and say that I should be obliged by a word or two with him." + +The clerk bowed and went as noiselessly as he had entered. + +"Let's see," added Sir Robert to himself. "Old Jackson, the editor of +_The Judge_, was a great friend of Vernon's father, the late Sir William +Vernon, G.C.B. I believe that he was engaged to be married to his sister +years ago, only she died or something. So the Major ought to be able to +get round him if anybody can. Only the worst of it is I don't altogether +trust that young gentleman. It suited us to give him a share in the +business because he is an engineer who knows the country, and this +Sahara scheme was his notion, a very good one in a way, and for other +reasons. Now he shows signs of kicking over the traces, wants to know +too much, is developing a conscience, and so forth. As though the +promoters of speculative companies had any business with consciences. +Ah! here he comes." + +Sir Robert seated himself at his desk and resumed his calculations upon +a half-sheet of note-paper, and that moment a clear, hearty voice was +heard speaking to the clerks in the outer office. Then came the sound of +a strong, firm footstep, the door opened and Major Alan Vernon appeared. + +He was still quite a young man, not more than thirty-two or three years +of age, though he lacked the ultra robust and rubicund appearance which +is typical of so many Englishmen of his class at this period of life. A +heavy bout of blackwater fever acquired on service in West Africa, which +would have killed anyone of weaker constitution, had robbed his face of +its bloom and left it much sallower, if more interesting than once it +had been. For in a way there was interest about the face; also a certain +charm. It was a good and honest face with a rather eager, rather puzzled +look, that of a man who has imagination and ideas and who searches for +the truth but fails to find it. As for the charm, it lay for the most +part in the pleasant, open smile and in the frank but rather round brown +eyes overhung by a somewhat massive forehead which projected a little, +or perhaps the severe illness already alluded to had caused the rest +of the face to sink. Though thin, the man was bigly built, with broad +shoulders and well-developed limbs, measuring a trifle under six feet in +height. + +Such was the outward appearance of Alan Vernon. As for his mind, it was +able enough in certain fashions, for instance those of engineering, +and the soldier-like faculties to which it had been trained; frank +and kindly also, but in other respects not quick, perhaps from its +unsuspiciousness. Alan Vernon was a man slow to discover ill and slower +still to believe in it even when it seemed to be discovered, a weakness +that may have gone far to account for his presence in the office +of those eminent and brilliant financiers, Messrs. Aylward & +Champers-Haswell. Just now he looked a little worried, like a fish out +of water, or rather a fish which has begun to suspect the quality of the +water, something in its smell or taste. + +"Jeffreys tells me that you want to see me, Sir Robert," he said in his +low and pleasant voice, looking at the baronet rather anxiously. + +"Yes, my dear Vernon, I wish to ask you to do something, if you kindly +will, although it is not quite in your line. Old Jackson, the editor of +_The Judge_, is a friend of yours, isn't he?" + +"He was a friend of my father's, and I used to know him slightly." + +"Well, that's near enough. As I daresay you have heard, he is an +unreasonable old beggar, and has taken a dislike to our Sahara scheme. +Someone has set him against it and he refuses to receive advertisements, +threatens criticisms, etc. Now the opposition of _The Judge_ or any +other paper won't kill us, and if necessary we can fight, but at the +same time it is always wise to agree with your enemy while he is in the +way, and in short--would you mind going down and explaining his mistake +to him?" + +Before answering Major Vernon walked to the window leisurely and looked +out. + +"I don't like asking favours from family friends," he replied at length, +"and, as you said, I think it isn't quite my line. Though of course if +it has anything to do with the engineering possibilities, I shall be +most happy to see him," he added, brightening. + +"I don't know what it has to do with; that is what I shall be obliged if +you will find out," answered Sir Robert with some asperity. "One can't +divide a matter of this sort into watertight compartments. It is +true that in so important a concern each of us has charge of his +own division, but the fact remains that we are jointly and severally +responsible for the whole. I am not sure that you bear this sufficiently +in mind, my dear Vernon," he added with slow emphasis. + +His partner moved quickly; it might almost have been said that he +shivered, though whether the movement, or the shiver, was produced by +the argument of joint and several liability or by the familiarity of the +"my dear Vernon," remains uncertain. Perhaps it was the latter, since +although the elder man was a baronet and the younger only a retired +Major of Engineers, the gulf between them, as any one of discernment +could see, was wide. They were born, lived, and moved in different +spheres unbridged by any common element or impulse. + +"I think that I do bear it in mind, especially of late, Sir Robert," +answered Alan Vernon slowly. + +His partner threw a searching glance on him, for he felt that there was +meaning in the words, but only said: + +"That's all right. My motor is outside and will take you to Fleet Street +in no time. Meanwhile you might tell them to telephone that you are +coming, and perhaps you will just look in when you get back. I haven't +got to go to the House to-night, so shall be here till dinner time, and +so, I think, will your cousin Haswell. Muzzle that old bulldog, Jackson, +somehow. No doubt he has his price like the rest of them, in meal or +malt, and you needn't stick at the figure. We don't want him hanging on +our throat for the next week or two." + +Ten minutes later the splendid, two-thousand guinea motor brougham drew +up at the offices of the _Judge_ and the obsequious motor-footman bowed +Major Vernon through its rather grimy doorway. Within, a small boy in +a kind of box asked his business, and when he heard his name, said that +the "Guvnor" had sent down word that he was go up at once--third floor, +first to the right and second to the left. So up he went, and when +he reached the indicated locality was taken possession of by a +worried-looking clerk who had evidently been waiting for him, and almost +thrust through a door to find himself in a big, worn, untidy room. At +a huge desk in this room sat an elderly man, also big, worn, and +untidy-looking, who waved a long slip of galley-proof in his hand, and +was engaged in scolding a sub-editor. + +"Who is that?" he said, wheeling round. "I'm busy, can't see anyone." + +"I beg your pardon," answered the Major with humility, "your people told +me to come up. My name is Alan Vernon." + +"Oh! I remember. Sit down for a moment, will you, and--Mr. Thomas, +oblige me by taking away this rot and rewriting it entirely in the sense +I have outlined." + +Mr. Thomas snatched his rejected copy and vanished through another door, +whereon his chief remarked in an audible voice: + +"That man is a perfect fool. Lucky I thought to look at his stuff. Well, +he is no worse than the rest, in this weary world," and he burst into a +hearty laugh and swung his chair round, adding, "Now then, Alan, what +is it? I have a quarter of an hour at your service. Why, bless me! I +was forgetting that it's more than a dozen years since we met; you +were still a boy then, and now you have left the army with a D.S.O. and +gratuity, and turned financier, which I think wouldn't have pleased your +old father. Come, sit down here and let us talk." + +"I didn't leave the army, Mr. Jackson," answered his visitor; "it left +me; I was invalided out. They said I should never get my health back +after that last go of fever, but I did." + +"Ah! bad luck, very bad luck, just at the beginning of what should have +been a big career, for I know they thought highly of you at the +War Office, that is, if they can think. Well, you have grown into a +fine-looking fellow, like your father, very, and someone else too," and +he sighed, running his fingers through his grizzled hair. "But you don't +remember her; she was before your time. Now let us get to business; +there's no time for reminiscences in this office. What is it, Alan, for +like other people I suppose that you want something?" + +"It is about that Sahara flotation, Mr. Jackson," he began rather +doubtfully. + +The old editor's face darkened. "The Sahara flotation! That +accursed----" and he ceased abruptly. "What have you, of all people in +the world, got to do with it? Oh! I remember. Someone told me that you +had gone into partnership with Aylward the company promoter, and that +little beast, Champers-Haswell, who really is the clever one. Well, set +it out, set it out." + +"It seems, Mr. Jackson, that _The Judge_ has refused not only our +article, but also the advertisement of the company. I don't know much +about this side of the affair myself, but Sir Robert asked me if I would +come round and see if things couldn't be arranged." + +"You mean that the man sent you to try and work on me because he knew +that I used to be intimate with your family. Well, it is a poor errand +and will have a poor end. You can't--no one on earth can, while I sit in +this chair, not even my proprietors." + +There was silence broken at last by Alan, who remarked awkwardly: + +"If that is so, I must not take up your time any longer." + +"I said that I would give you a quarter of an hour, and you have only +been here four minutes. Now, Alan Vernon, tell me as your father's old +friend, why you have gone to herd with these gilded swine?" + +There was something so earnest about the man's question that it did not +even occur to his visitor to resent its roughness. + +"Of course it is not original," he answered, "but I had this idea about +flooding the Desert; I spent a furlough up there a few years ago and +employed my time in making some rough surveys. Then I was obliged to +leave the Service and went down to Yarleys after my father's death--it's +mine now, you know, but worth nothing except a shooting rent, which just +pays for the repairs. There I met Champers-Haswell, who lives near +and is a kind of distant cousin of mine--my mother was a Champers--and +happened to mention the thing to him. He took it up at once and +introduced me to Aylward, and the end of it was, that they offered me a +partnership with a small share in the business, because they said I was +just the man they wanted." + +"Just the man they wanted," repeated the editor after him. "Yes, the +last of the Vernons, an engineer with an old name in his county, a +clean record and plenty of ability. Yes, you would be just the man they +wanted. And you accepted?" + +"Yes. I was on my beam ends with nothing to do; I wanted to make some +money. You see Yarleys has been in the family for over five hundred +years, and it seemed hard to have to sell it. Also--also----" and he +paused. + +"Ever meet Barbara Champers?" asked Mr. Jackson inconsequently. "I did +once. Wonderfully nice girl, and very good-looking too. But of course +you know her, and she is her uncle's ward, and their place isn't far off +Yarleys, you say. Must be a connection of yours also." + +Major Vernon started a little at the name and his face seemed to redden. + +"Yes," he said, "I have met her and she is a connection." + +"Will be a big heiress one day, I think," went on Mr. Jackson, "unless +old Haswell makes off with her money. I think Aylward knows that; at any +rate he was hanging about when I saw her." + +Vernon started again, this time very perceptibly. + +"Very natural--your going into the business, I mean, under all the +circumstances," went on Mr. Jackson. "But now, if you will take my +advice, you'll go out of it as soon as you can." + +"Why?" + +"Because, Alan Vernon, I am sure you don't want to see your name dragged +in the dirt, any more than I do." He fumbled in a drawer and produced +a typewritten document. "Take that," he said, "and study it at your +leisure. It's a sketch of the financial career of Messrs. Aylward and +Champers-Haswell, also of the companies which they have promoted and +been connected with, and what has happened to them and to those who +invested in them. A man got it out for me yesterday and I'm going to use +it. As regards this Sahara business, you think it all right, and so it +may be from an engineering point of view, but you will never live to +sail upon that sea which the British public is going to be asked to find +so many millions to make. Look here. We have only three minutes more, so +I will come to the point at once. It's Turkish territory, isn't it, and +putting aside everything else, the security for the whole thing is a +Firman from the Sultan?" + +"Yes, Sir Robert Aylward and Haswell procured it in Constantinople. I +have seen the document." + +"Indeed, and are you well acquainted with the Sultan's signature? I know +when they were there last autumn that potentate was very ill----" + +"You mean----" said Major Vernon, looking up. + +"I mean, Alan, that I like not the security. I won't say any more, +as there is a law of libel in this land. But _The Judge_ has certain +sources of information. It may be that no protest will be made at once, +for baksheesh can stop it for a while, but sooner or later the protest +or repudiation will come, and perhaps some international bother; +also much scandal. As to the scheme itself, it is shamelessly +over-capitalized for the benefit of the promoters--of whom, remember, +Alan, you will appear as one. Now time's up. Perhaps you will take my +advice, and perhaps you won't, but there it is for what it's worth as +that of a man of the world and an old friend of your family. As for your +puff article and your prospectus, I wouldn't put them in _The Judge_ +if you paid me a thousand pounds, which I daresay your friend, Aylward, +would be quite ready to do. Good-bye. Come and see me again sometime, +and tell me what has happened--and, I say"--this last was shouted +through the closing door,--"give my kind regards to Miss Barbara, for +wherever she happens to live, she is an honest woman." + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE YELLOW GOD + +Alan Vernon walked thoughtfully down the lead-covered stairs, hustled +by eager gentlemen hurrying up to see the great editor, whose bell +was already ringing furiously, and was duly ushered by the obsequious +assistant-chauffeur back into the luxurious motor. There was an electric +lamp in this motor, and by the light of it, his mind being perplexed, +he began to read the typewritten document given to him by Mr. Jackson, +which he still held in his hand. + +As it chanced they were blocked for a quarter of an hour near the +Mansion House, so that he found time, if not to master it, at least to +gather enough of its contents to make him open his brown eyes very wide +before the motor pulled up at the granite doorway of his office. Alan +descended from the machine, which departed silently, and stood for a +moment wondering what he should do. His impulse was to jump into a bus +and go straight to his rooms or his club, to which Sir Robert did not +belong, but being no coward, he dismissed it from his mind. + +His fate hung in the balance, of that he was well aware. Either he must +disregard Mr. Jackson's warning, confirmed as it was by many secret +fears and instincts of his own, and say nothing except that he had +failed in his mission, or he must take the bull by the horns and break +with the firm. To do the latter meant not only a good deal of moral +courage, but practical ruin, whereas if he chose the former course, +probably within a fortnight he would find himself a rich man. Whatever +Jackson and a few others might say in its depreciation, he was certain +that the Sahara flotation would go through, for it was underwritten, +of course upon terms, by responsible people, moreover the unissued +preferred shares had already been dealt in at a heavy premium. Now to +say nothing of the allotment to which he was entitled upon his holding +in the parent Syndicate, the proportion of cash due to him as a partner, +would amount to quite a hundred thousand pounds. In other words, he, who +had so many reasons for desiring money, would be wealthy. After working +so hard and undergoing so much that he felt to be humiliating and even +degrading, why should he not take his reward and clear out afterwards? + +This he remembered he could do, since probably by some oversight of +Aylward's, who left such matters to his lawyers, his deed of partnership +did not bind him to a fixed term. It could be broken at any moment. +To this argument there was only one possible answer, that of his +conscience. If once he were convinced that things were not right, +it would be dishonest to participate in their profits. And he was +convinced. Mr. Jackson's arguments and his damning document had thrown a +flood of light upon many matters which he had suspected but never quite +understood. He was the partner of, well, adventurers, and the money +which he received would in fact be filched from the pockets of +unsuspecting persons. He would vouch for that of which he was doubtful +and receive the price of sharp practice. In other words he, Alan Vernon, +who had never uttered a wilful untruth or taken a halfpenny that was not +his own, would before the tribunal of his own mind, stand convicted as +a liar and a thief. The thing was not to be borne. At whatever cost it +must be ended. If he were fated to be a beggar, at least he would be an +honest beggar. + +With a firm step and a high head he walked straight into Sir Robert's +room, without even going through the formality of knocking, to find +Mr. Champers-Haswell seated at the ebony desk by his partner's +side examining some document through a reading-glass, which on his +appearance, was folded over and presently thrust away into a drawer. +It seemed, Alan noticed, to be of an unusual shape and written in some +strange character. + +Mr. Haswell, a stout, jovial-looking, little man with a florid +complexion and white hair, rose at once to greet him. + +"How do you do, Alan," he said in a cheerful voice, for as a cousin by +marriage he called him by his Christian name. "I am just this minute +back from Paris, and you will be glad to learn that they are going to +support us very well there; in fact I may say that the Government has +taken up the scheme, of course under the rose. You know the French have +possessions all along that coast and they won't be sorry to find +an opportunity of stretching out their hand a little further. Our +difficulties as to capital are at an end, for a full third of it is +guaranteed in Paris, and I expect that small investors and speculators +for the rise will gobble a lot more. We shall plant L10,000,000 worth of +Sahara scrip in sunny France, my boy, and foggy England has underwritten +the rest. It will be a case of 'letters of Allotment and regret,' _and_ +regret, Alan, financially the most successful issue of the last dozen +years. What do you say to that?" and in his elation the little man +puffed out his chest and pursing up his lips, blew through them, making +a sound like that of wind among wires. + +"I don't know, Mr. Haswell. If we are all alive I would prefer to answer +the question twelve months hence, or later, when we see whether the +company is going to be a practical success as well, or not." + +Again Mr. Haswell made the sound of wind among wires, only this time +there was a shriller note in it; its mellowness was gone, it was as +though the air had suddenly been filled with frost. + +"A practical success!" he repeated after him. "That is scarcely our +affair, is it? Promoters should not bother themselves with long views, +Alan. These may be left to the investing public, the speculative +parson and the maiden lady who likes a flutter--those props of modern +enterprise. But what do you mean? You originated this idea and always +said that the profits should be great." + +"Yes, Mr. Haswell, on a moderate capitalization and provided that we are +sure of the co-operation of the Porte." + +Mr. Haswell looked at him very searchingly and Sir Robert, who had been +listening, said in his cold voice: + +"I think that we thrashed out these points long ago, and to tell you the +truth I am rather tired of them, especially as it is too late to change +anything. How did you get on with Jackson, Vernon?" + +"I did not get on at all, Sir Robert. He will not touch the thing on any +terms, and indeed means to oppose it tooth and nail." + +"Then he will find himself in a minority when the articles come out +to-morrow. Of course it is a bore, but we are strong enough to snap our +fingers at him. You see they don't read _The Judge_ in France, and no +one has ever heard of it in Constantinople. Therefore we have nothing to +fear--so long as we stick together," he added meaningly. + +Alan felt that the crisis had come. He must speak now or for ever hold +his peace; indeed Aylward was already looking round for his hat. + +"Sir Robert and Mr. Haswell," he broke in rather nervously, "I have +something to say to you, something unpleasant," and he paused. + +"Then please say it at once, Vernon. I want to dress for dinner, I am +going to the theatre to-night and must dine early," replied Aylward in a +voice of the utmost unconcern. + +"It is, Sir Robert," went on Alan with a rush, "that I do not like the +lines upon which this business is being worked, and I wish to give up my +interest in it and retire from the firm, as I have a right to do under +our deed of partnership." + +"Have you?" said Aylward. "Really, I forget. But, my dear fellow, do not +think that we should wish to keep you for one moment against your will. +Only, might I ask, has that old puritan, Jackson, hypnotized you, or is +it a case of sudden madness after influenza?" + +"Neither," answered Alan sternly, for although he might be diffident on +matters that he did not thoroughly understand, he was not a man to brook +trifling or impertinence. "It is what I have said, no more nor less. I +am not satisfied either as to the capitalization or as to the guarantee +that the enterprise can be really carried out. Further"--and he +paused,--"Further, I should like what I have never yet been able to +obtain, more information as to that Firman under which the concession is +granted." + +For one moment a sort of tremor passed over Sir Robert's impassive +countenance, while Mr. Haswell uttered his windy whistle, this time in a +tone of plaintive remonstrance. + +"As you have formally resigned your membership of the firm, I do not see +that any useful purpose can be served by discussing such matters. +The fullest explanations, of course, we should have been willing to +give----" + +"My dear Alan," broke in Mr. Champers-Haswell, who was quite upset, "I +do implore you to reflect for one moment, for your own sake. In a single +week you would have been a wealthy man; do you really mean to throw away +everything for a whim?" + +"Perhaps Vernon remembers that he holds over 1700 of the Syndicate +shares which we have worked up to L18, and thinks it wiser to capture +the profit in sight, generally speaking a very sound principle," +interrupted Aylward sarcastically. + +"You are mistaken, Sir Robert," replied Alan, flushing. "The way that +those shares have been artificially put up is one of the things to which +I most object. I shall only ask for mine the face value which I paid for +them." + +Now notwithstanding their experience, both of the senior partners +did for a moment look rather scared. Such folly, or such honesty, was +absolutely incredible to them. They felt that there must be much behind. +Sir Robert, however, recovered instantly. + +"Very well," he said; "it is not for us to dictate to you; you must make +your own bed and lie on it. To argue or remonstrate would only be rude." +He put out his hand and pushed the button of an electric bell, adding as +he did so, "Of course we understand one thing, Vernon, namely, that as +a gentleman and a man of honour you will make no public use of the +information which you have acquired during your stay in this office, +either to our detriment, personal or financial, or to your own +advantage." + +"Certainly you may understand that," replied Vernon. "Unless my +character is attacked and it becomes necessary for me to defend myself, +my lips are sealed." + +"That will never happen--why should it?" said Sir Robert with a polite +bow. + +The door opened and the head clerk, Jeffreys, appeared. + +"Mr. Jeffreys," said Sir Robert, "please find us the deed of partnership +between Major Vernon and ourselves, and bring it here. One moment. +Please make out also a transfer of Major Vernon's parcel of Sahara +Syndicate shares to Mr. Champers-Haswell and myself at par value, and +fill in a cheque for the amount. Please remove also Major Vernon's name +wherever it appears in the proof prospectus, and--yes--one thing more. +Telephone to Specton--the Right Honourable the Earl of Specton, I mean, +and say that after all I have been able to arrange that he shall have a +seat on the Board and a block of shares at a very moderate figure, +and that if he will wire his assent, his name shall be put into the +prospectus. You approve, don't you, Haswell?--yes--then that is all, I +think, Jeffreys, only please be as quick as you can, for I want to get +away." + +Jeffreys, the immaculate and the impassive, bowed, and casting one swift +glance at Vernon out of the corner of his eye, departed. + +What is called an awkward pause ensued; in fact it was a very awkward +pause. The die was cast, the matter ended, and what were the principals +to do until the ratifications had been exchanged or, a better simile +perhaps, the _decree nisi_ pronounced absolute. Mr. Champers-Haswell +remarked that the weather was very cold for April, and Alan agreed with +him, while Sir Robert found his hat and brushed it with his sleeve. Then +Mr. Haswell, in desperation, for in minor matters he was a kindly sort +of man who disliked scenes and unpleasantness, muttered something as +to seeing him--Alan--at his house, The Court, in Hertfordshire, from +Saturday to Monday. + +"That was the arrangement," answered Alan bluntly, "but possibly after +what has happened you will not wish that it should be kept." + +"Oh! why not, why not?" said Mr. Haswell. "Sunday is a day of rest when +we make it a rule not to talk business, and if we did, perhaps we might +all change our minds about these matters. Sir Robert is coming, and I +am sure that your cousin Barbara will be very disappointed if you do not +turn up, for she understands nothing about these city things which are +Greek to her." + +At the mention of the name of Barbara Sir Robert Aylward looked up from +the papers which he affected to be tidying, and Alan thought that there +was a kind of challenge in his eyes. A moment before he had made up his +mind that no power on earth would induce him to spend a Sunday with his +late partners at The Court. Now, acting upon some instinct or impulse, +he reversed his opinion. + +"Thanks," he said, "if that is understood, I shall be happy to come. I +will drive over from Yarleys in time for dinner to-morrow. Perhaps you +will say so to Barbara." + +"She will be glad, I am sure," answered Mr. Haswell, "for she told +me the other day that she wants to consult you about some outdoor +theatricals that she means to get up in July." + +"In July!" answered Alan with a little laugh. "I wonder where I shall be +in July." + +Then came another pause, which seemed to affect even Sir Robert's +nerves, for abandoning the papers, he walked down the room till he came +to the golden object that has been described, and for the second time +that day stood there contemplating it. + +"This thing is yours, Vernon," he said, "and now that our relations are +at an end, I suppose that you will want to take it away. What is its +history? You never told me." + +"Oh! that's a long story," answered Alan in an absent voice. "My uncle, +who was a missionary, brought it from West Africa. I rather forget the +facts, but Jeekie, my negro servant, knows them all, for as a lad my +uncle saved him from sacrifice, or something, in a place where they +worship these things, and he has been with us ever since. It is a fetish +with magical powers and all the rest of it. I believe they call it the +Swimming Head and other names. If you look at it, you will see that it +seems to swim between the shoulders, doesn't it?" + +"Yes," said Sir Robert, "and I admire the beautiful beast. She is cruel +and artistic, like--like finance. Look here, Vernon, we have quarrelled, +and of course henceforth are enemies, for it is no use mincing matters, +only fools do that. But in a way you are being hardly treated. You +could get L10 apiece to-day for those shares of yours in a block on the +market, and I am paying you L1. I understand your scruples, but there +is no reason why we should not square things. This fetish of yours has +brought me luck, so let's do a deal. Leave it here, and instead of a +check for L1700, I will make you one out for L17,000." + +"That's a very liberal offer," said Vernon. "Give me a moment to think +it over." + +Then he also walked into the corner of the room and contemplated the +golden mask that seemed to float between the frog-like shoulders. The +shimmering eyes drew his eyes, though what he saw in them does not +matter. Indeed he could never remember. Only when he straightened +himself again there was left on his mind a determination that not +for seventeen or for seventy thousand pounds would he part with his +ownership in this very unique fetish. + +"No, thank you," he said presently. "I don't think I will sell the +Yellow God, as Jeekie calls it. Perhaps you will kindly keep her here +for a week or so, until I make up my mind where to stow her." + +Again Mr. Champers-Haswell uttered his windy whistle. That a man should +refuse L17,000 for a bit of African gold worth L100 or so, struck him +as miraculous. But Sir Robert did not seem in the least surprised, only +very disappointed. + +"I quite understand your dislike to selling," he said. "Thank you for +leaving it here for the present to see us through the flotation," and he +laughed. + +At that moment Jeffreys entered the room with the documents. Sir Robert +handed the deed of partnership to Alan, and when he had identified it, +took it from him again and threw it on the fire, saying that of course +the formal letter of release would be posted and the dissolution +notified in the _Gazette_. Then the transfer was signed and the cheque +delivered. + +"Well, good-bye till Saturday," said Alan when he had received the +latter, and nodding to them both, he turned and left the room. + +The passage ran past the little room in which Mr. Jeffreys, the head +clerk, sat alone. Catching sight of him through the open door, Alan +entered, shutting it behind him. Finding his key ring he removed from +it the keys of his desk and of the office strongroom, and handed them +to the clerk who, methodical in everything, proceeded to write a formal +receipt. + +"You are leaving us, Major Vernon?" he said interrogatively as he signed +the paper. + +"Yes, Jeffreys," answered Alan, then prompted by some impulse, added, +"Are you sorry?" + +Mr. Jeffreys looked up and there were traces of unwonted emotion upon +his hard, regulated face. + +"For myself, yes, Major--for you, on the whole, no." + +"What do you mean, Jeffreys? I do not quite understand." + +"I mean, Major, that I am sorry because you have never tried to shuffle +off any shady business on to my back and leave me to bear the brunt of +it; also because you have always treated me as a gentleman should, not +as a machine to be used until a better can be found, and kicked aside +when it goes out of order." + +"It is very kind of you to say so, Jeffreys, but I can't remember having +done anything particular." + +"No, Major, you can't remember what comes natural to you. But I and the +others remember, and that's why I am sorry. But for yourself I am glad, +since although Aylward and Haswell have put a big thing through and are +going to make a pot of money, this is no place for the likes of you, +and now that you are going I will make bold to tell you that I always +wondered what you were doing here. By and by, Major, the row will come, +as it has come more than once in the past, before your time." + +"And then?" said Alan, for he was anxious to get to the bottom of this +man's mind, which hitherto he had always found so secret. + +"And then, Major, it won't matter much to Messrs. Aylward and +Champers-Haswell, who are used to that kind of thing and will probably +dissolve partnership and lie quiet for a bit, and still less to folk +like myself, who are only servants. But if you were still here it would +have mattered a great deal to you, for it would blacken your name and +break your heart, and then what's the good of the money? I tell you, +Major," the clerk went on with quiet intensity, "though I am nobody and +nothing, if I could afford it I would follow your example. But I can't, +for I have a sick wife and a family of delicate children who have to +live half the year on the south coast, to say nothing of my old mother, +and--I was fool enough to be taken in and back Sir Robert's last little +venture, which cost me all I had saved. So you see I must make a bit +before the machine is scrapped, Major. But I tell you this, that if I +can get L5000 together, as I hope to do out of Saharas before I am a +month older, for they had to give me a look-in, as I knew too much, I am +off to the country, where I was born, to take a farm there. No more +of Messrs. Aylward and Haswell for Thomas Jeffreys. That's my bell. +Good-bye, Major, I'll take the liberty to write you a line sometimes, +for I know you won't give me away. Good-bye and God bless you, as I am +sure He will in the long run," and stretching out his hand, he took that +of the astonished Alan and wrung it warmly. + +When he was gone Alan went also, noticing that the clerks, whom some +rumour of these events seemed to have reached, eyed him curiously +through the glass screens behind which they sat at their desks, as +he thought not without regret and a kind of admiration. Even the +magnificent be-medalled porter at the door emerged from the carved teak +box where he dwelt and touching his cap asked if he should call a cab. + +"No, thank you, Sergeant," answered Alan, "I will take a bus, and, +Sergeant, I think I forgot to give you a present last Xmas. Will you +accept this?--I wish I could make it more," and he presented him with +ten shillings. + +The Sergeant drew himself up and saluted. + +"Thank you kindly, Major," he said. "I'd rather take that from you than +L10 from the other gentlemen. But, Major, I wish we were out on the West +Coast again together. It's a stinking, barbarous hole, but not so bad as +this 'ere city." + +For once these two had served as comrades, and it was through Alan that +the sergeant obtained his present lucrative but somewhat uncongenial +post. + +He was outside at last. The massive granite portal vanished behind him +in the evening mists, much as a nightmare vanishes. He, Alan Vernon, who +for a year or more had been in bondage, was a free man again. All his +dreams of wealth had departed; indeed if anything, save in experience, +he was poorer than when first the shadow of yonder doorway fell upon +him. But at least he was safe, safe. The deed of partnership which had +been as a chain about his neck, was now white ashes; his name was erased +from that fearful prospectus of Sahara Limited, wherein millions which +someone would provide were spoken of like silver in the days of Solomon, +as things of no account. The bitterest critic could not say that he +had made a halfpenny out of the venture, in fact, if trouble came, his +voluntary abandonment of the profits due to him must go to his credit. +He had plunged into the icy waters of renunciation and come up clean if +naked. Never since he was a boy could Alan remember feeling so utterly +light-hearted and free from anxiety. Not for a million pounds would he +have returned to gather gold in that mausoleum of reputations. As for +the future, he did not in the least care what happened. There was no +one dependent on him, and in this way or in that he could always earn a +crust, a nice, honest crust. + +He ran down the street and danced for joy like a child, yes, and +presented a crossing-sweeper against whom he butted with a whole +sixpence in compensation. Thus he reached the Mansion House, not +unsuspected of inebriety by the police, and clambered to the top of a +bus crowded with weary and anxious-looking City clerks returning home +after a long day's labour at starvation wage. In that cold company and +a chilling atmosphere some of his enthusiasm evaporated. He remembered +that this step of his meant that sooner or later, within a year or two +at most, Yarleys, where his family had dwelt for centuries, must go to +the hammer. Why had he not accepted Aylward's offer and sold that old +fetish to him for L17,000? There was no question of share-dealing there, +and if a very wealthy man chose to give a fancy price for a curiosity, +he could take it without doubt or shame. At least it would have sufficed +to save Yarleys, which after all was only mortgaged for L20,000. For the +life of him he could not tell. He had acted on impulse, a very curious +impulse, and there was an end of it perhaps; it might be because his +uncle had told him as a boy that the thing was unique, or perhaps +because old Jeekie, his negro servant, venerated it so much and swore +that it was "lucky." At any rate he had declined and there was an end. + +But another and a graver matter remained. He had desired wealth to save +Yarleys, but he desired it still more for a different purpose. Above +everything on earth he loved Barbara, his distant cousin and the niece +of Mr. Champers-Haswell, who until an hour ago had been his partner. +Now she was a great heiress, and without fortune he could not marry her, +even if she would marry him, which remained in doubt. For one thing +her uncle and guardian Haswell, under her father's will, had absolute +discretion in this matter until she reached the age of twenty-five, and +for another he was too proud. Therefore it would seem that in abandoning +his business, he had abandoned his chance of Barbara also, which was a +truly dreadful thought. + +Well, it was in order that he might see her, that he had agreed to visit +The Court on the morrow, even though it meant a meeting with his late +partners, who were the last people with whom he desired to foregather +again so soon. Then and there he made up his mind that before he bade +Barbara farewell, he would tell her the whole story, so that she might +not misjudge him. After that he would go off somewhere--to Africa +perhaps. Meanwhile he was quite tired out, as tired as though he had +lain a week in the grip of fever. He must eat some food and get to +bed. Sufficient unto the day was the evil thereof, yet on the whole he +blessed the name of Jackson, editor of _The Judge_ and his father's old +friend. + + + +When Alan had left the office Sir Robert turned to Mr. Champers-Haswell +and asked him abruptly, "What the devil does this mean?" + +Mr. Haswell looked up at the ceiling and whistled in his own peculiar +fashion, then answered: + +"I cannot say for certain, but our young friend's strange conduct seems +to suggest that he has smelt a rat, possibly even that Jackson, the old +beast, has shown him a rat--of a large Turkish breed." + +Sir Robert nodded. + +"Vernon is a fellow who doesn't like rats; they seem to haunt his +sleep," he said; "but do you think that having seen it, he will keep it +in the bag?" + +"Oh! certainly, certainly," answered Mr. Haswell with cheerfulness; +"the man is the soul of honour; he will never give us away. Look how he +behaved about those shares. Still, I think that perhaps we are well rid +of him. Too much honour, like too much zeal, is a very dangerous quality +in any business." + +"I don't know that I agree with you," answered Sir Robert. "I am not +sure that in the long run we should not do better for a little more of +the article. For my part, although it will not hurt us publicly, for the +thing will never be noticed, I am sorry that we have lost Vernon, very +sorry indeed. I don't think him a fool, and awkward as they may be, I +respect his qualities." + +"So do I, so do I," answered Mr. Haswell, "and of course we have acted +against his advice throughout, which must have been annoying to him. +The scheme as he suggested it was a fair business proposition that might +have paid ten per cent. on a small capital, but what is the good of ten +per cent. to you and me? We want millions and we are going to get them. +Well, he is coming to The Court to-morrow, and perhaps after all we +shall be able to arrange matters. I'll give Barbara a hint; she has +great influence with him, and you might do the same, Aylward." + +"Miss Champers has great influence with everyone who is fortunate enough +to know her," answered Sir Robert courteously. "But even if she chooses +to use it, I doubt if it will avail in this case. Vernon has been making +up his mind for a long while. I have watched him and am sure of that. +To-night he determined to take the plunge and I do not think that we +shall see any more of him in this office. Haswell," he added with sudden +energy, "I tell you that of late our luck has been too good to last. The +boom, the real boom, came in with Vernon, and with Vernon I think that +it will go." + +"At any rate it must leave something pretty substantial behind it this +time, Aylward, my friend. Whatever happens, within a week we shall be +rich, really rich for life." + +"For life, Haswell, yes, for life. But what is life? A bubble that any +pin may prick. Oh! I know that you do not like the subject, but it is +as well to look it in the face sometimes. I'm no church-goer, but if +I remember right we were taught to pray the good Lord to deliver us +especially 'in all times of our wealth,' which is followed by something +about tribulation and sudden death, for when they wrote that prayer the +wheel of human fortune went round just as it does to-day. There, let's +get out of this before I grow superstitious, as men who believe in +nothing sometimes do, because after all they must believe in something, +I suppose. Got your hat and coat? So have I, come on," and he switched +off the light, so that the room was left in darkness except for the +faint glimmering of the fire. + +His partner grumbled audibly, for in turning he had knocked his hand +against the desk. + +"Leave me my only economy, Haswell," he answered with a hard little +laugh. "Electricity is strength and I hate to see strength burning to +waste. Why do you mind?" he went on as he stepped towards the door. +"Is it the contrast? In all times of our wealth, in all times of our +tribulation, from sickness and from sudden death----" + +"Good Lord deliver us," chimed in Mr. Haswell in a shaking voice behind +him. "What the devil's that?" + +Sir Robert looked round and saw, or thought that he saw, something very +strange. From the pillar on which it stood the golden fetish with a +woman's face, appeared to have floated. The firelight showed it gliding +towards them across, but a few inches above the floor of the great room. +It came very slowly, but it came. Now it reached them and paused, +and now it rose into the air until it attained the height of Mr. +Champers-Haswell and stayed there, staring into his face and not a +hand's breadth away, just as though it were a real woman glaring at him. + +He uttered a sound, half whistle and half groan, and fell back, as it +chanced on to a morocco-covered seat behind him. For a moment or two +the gleaming, golden mask floated in the air. Then it turned very +deliberately, rose a little way, and moving sidelong to where Sir Robert +stood, hung in front of _his_ face. + +Presently Aylward staggered to the mantelpiece and began to fumble for +the switch; in the silence his nails scratching at the panelling made +a sound like to that of a gnawing mouse. He found it at last, and next +instant the office broke into a blaze of light, showing Mr. Haswell, +his rubicund face quite pale, his hat and umbrella on the floor, gasping +like a dying man upon the couch, and Sir Robert himself clinging to the +mantel-shelf as a person might do who had received a mortal wound, while +the golden fetish reposed calmly on its pillar, to all appearance as +immovable and undisturbed as the antique Venus which matched it at the +other end of the room. For a while there was silence. Then Sir Robert, +recovering himself, asked: + +"Did you notice anything unusual just now, Haswell?" + +"Yes," whispered his partner. "I thought that hideous African thing +which Vernon brought here, came sliding across the floor and stared into +my face with its glittering eyes, and in the eyes----" + +"Well, what was in the eyes?" + +"I can't remember. It was a kind of picture and the meaning of it was +Sudden Death--oh Lord! Sudden Death. Tell me it was a fancy bred of that +ill-omened talk of yours?" + +"I can't tell you anything of the sort," answered Aylward in a hollow +voice, "for I saw something also." + +"What?" asked his partner. + +"Death that wasn't sudden, and other things." + +Again the silence fell till it was broken by Aylward. + +"Come," he said, "we have been over-working--too much strain, and now +the reaction. Keep this rubbish to yourself, or they will lock you up in +an asylum." + +"Certainly, Aylward, certainly. But can't you get rid of that beastly +image?" + +"Not on any account, Haswell, even if it haunts us all day. Here it +shall stop until the Saharas are floated on Monday, if I have to lock it +in the strongroom and throw the keys into the Thames. Afterwards Vernon +can take it, as he has a right to do, and I am sure that with it will go +our luck." + +"Then the sooner our luck goes, the better," replied Haswell, with +a mere ghost of his former whistle. "Life is better than luck, +and--Aylward, that Yellow God you are so fond of means to murder us. We +are being fatted for the sacrifice, that is all. I remember now, that +was one of the things I saw written in its eyes!" + + + +CHAPTER III + +JEEKIE TELLS A TALE + +The Court, Mr. Champers-Haswell's place, was a very fine house indeed, +of a sort. That is, it contained twenty-nine bedrooms, each of them with +a bathroom attached, a large number of sitting-rooms, ample garages, +stables, and offices, the whole surrounded by several acres of +newly-planted gardens. Incidentally it may be mentioned that it was +built in the most atrocious taste and looked like a suburban villa seen +through a magnifying glass. + +It was in this matter of taste that it differed from Sir Robert +Aylward's home, Old Hall, a few miles away. Not that this was old +either, for the original house had fallen down or been burnt a hundred +years before. But Sir Robert, being gifted with artistic perception, had +reared up in place of it a smaller but really beautiful dwelling of soft +grey stone, long and low, and built in the Tudor style with many gables. + +This house, charming as it was, could not of course compare with +Yarleys, the ancient seat of the Vernons in the same neighbourhood. +Yarleys was pure Elizabethan, although it contained an oak-roofed hall +which was said to date back to the time of King John, a remnant of a +former house. There was no electric light or other modern convenience +at Yarleys, yet it was a place that everyone went to see because of its +exceeding beauty and its historical associations. The moat by which it +was surrounded, the grass court within, for it was built on three sides +of a square, the mullioned windows, the towered gateway of red brick, +the low-panelled rooms hung with the portraits of departed Vernons, +the sloping park and the splendid oaks that stood about, singly or in +groups, were all of them perfect in their way. It was one of the most +lovely of English homes, and oddly enough its neglected gardens and the +air of decay that pervaded it, added to rather than decreased its charm. + +But it is with The Court that we have to do at present, not with +Yarleys. Mr. Champers-Haswell had a week-end party. There were ten +guests, all men, and with the exception of Alan, who it will be +remembered was one of them, all rich and in business. They included two +French bankers and three Jews, everyone a prop of the original Sahara +Syndicate and deeply interested in the forthcoming flotation. To +describe them is unnecessary, for they have no part in our story, being +only financiers of a certain class, remarkable for the riches they had +acquired by means that for the most part would not bear examination. The +riches were evident enough. Ever since the morning the owners of this +wealth had arrived by ones or twos in their costly motorcars, attended +by smart chauffeurs and valets. Their fur coats, their jewelled studs +and rings, something in their very faces suggested money, which indeed +was the bond that brought and held them together. + +Alan did not come until it was time to dress for dinner, for he knew +that Barbara would not appear before that meal, and it was her society +he sought, not that of his host or fellow guests. Accompanied by his +negro servant, Jeekie, for in a house like this it was necessary to have +someone to wait upon him, he drove over from Yarleys, a distance of ten +miles, arriving about eight o'clock. + +"Mr. Haswell as gone up to dress, Major, and so have the other +gentlemen," said the head butler, Mr. Smith, "but Miss Champers told me +to give you this note and to say that dinner is at half-past eight." + +Alan took the note and asked to be shown to his room. Once there, +although he had only five and twenty minutes, he opened it eagerly, +while Jeekie unpacked his bag. + +"Dear Alan," it ran: "Don't be late for dinner, or I may not be able to +keep a place next to me. Of course Sir Robert takes me in. They are a +worse lot than usual this time, odious--odious!--and I can't stand one +on the left hand as well as on the right. Yours, + +"B. + + +"P.S. What _have_ you been doing? Our distinguished guests, to say +nothing of my uncle, seem to be in a great fuss about you. I overheard +them talking when I was pretending to arrange some flowers. One of them +called you a sanctimonious prig and an obstinate donkey, and another +answered--I think it was Sir Robert --'No doubt, but obstinate donkeys +can kick and have been known to upset other people's applecarts ere +now.' Is the Sahara Syndicate the applecart? If so, I'll forgive you. + +"P.P.S. Remember that we will walk to church together to-morrow, but +come down to breakfast in knickerbockers or something to put them off, +and I'll do the same--I mean I'll dress as if I were going to golf. +We can turn into Christians later. If we don't--dress like that, I +mean--they'll guess and all want to come to church, except the Jews, +which would bring the judgment of Heaven on us. + +"P.P.P.S. Don't be careless and leave this note lying about, for the +under-footman who waits upon you reads all the letters. He steams them +over a kettle. Smith the butler is the only respectable man in this +house." + +Alan laughed outright as he finished this peculiar and outspoken +epistle, which somehow revived his spirits, that since the previous day +had been low enough. It refreshed him. It was like a breath of +frosty air from an open window blowing clean and cold into a scented, +overheated room. He would have liked to keep it, but remembering +Barbara's injunctions and the under-footman, threw it onto the fire and +watched it burn. Jeekie coughed to intimate that it was time for his +master to dress, and Alan turned and looked at him in an absent-minded +fashion. + +He was worth looking at, was Jeekie. Let the reader imagine a very tall +and powerfully-built negro with a skin as black as a well-polished boot, +woolly hair as white as snow, a little tufted beard also white, a +hand like a leg of mutton, but with long delicate fingers and pink, +filbert-shaped nails, an immovable countenance, but set in it beneath a +massive brow, two extraordinary humorous and eloquent black eyes which +expressed every emotion passing through the brain behind them, that is +when their owner chose to allow them to do so. Such was Jeekie. + +"Shall I unlace your boots, Major?" he said in his full, melodious voice +and speaking the most perfect English. "I expect that the gong will +sound in nine and a half minutes." + +"Then let it sound and be hanged to it," answered Alan; "no, I forgot--I +must hurry. Jeekie, put that fire out and open all the windows as soon +as I go down. This room is like a hot-house." + +"Yes, Major, the fire shall be extinguished and the sleeping-chamber +ventilated. The other boot, if you please, Major." + +"Jeekie," said Alan, "who is stopping in this place? Have you heard?" + +"I collected some names on my way upstairs, Major. Three of the +gentlemen you have never met before, but," he added suddenly breaking +away from his high-flown book-learned English, as was his custom when +in earnest, "Jeekie think they just black niggers like the rest, thief +people. There ain't a white man in this house, except you and Miss +Barbara and me, Major. Jeekie learnt all that in servant's hall palaver. +No, not now, other time. Everyone tell everything to Jeekie, poor old +African fool, and he look up an answer, 'O law! you don't say so?' but +keep his eyes and ears open all the same." + +"I'll be bound you do, Jeekie," replied Alan, laughing again. "Well, go +on keeping them open, and give me those trousers." + +"Yes, Major," answered Jeekie, reassuming his grand manner, "I shall +continue to collect information which may prove to your advantage, but +personally I wish that you were clear of the whole caboodle, except Miss +Barbara." + +"Hear, hear," ejaculated Alan, "there goes the gong. Mind you come in +and help to wait," and hurrying into his coat he departed downstairs. + +The guests were gathered in the hall drinking sherry and bitters, a +proceeding that to Alan's mind set a stamp upon the house. His host, Mr. +Champers-Haswell, came forward and greeted him with much affectionate +enthusiasm, and Alan noticed that he looked very pale, also that his +thoughts seemed to be wandering, for he introduced a French banker to +him as a noted Jew, and the noted Jew as the French banker, although +the distinction between them was obvious and the gentlemen concerned +evidently resented the mistake. Sir Robert Aylward, catching sight of +him, came across the hall in his usual, direct fashion, and shook him by +the hand. + +"Glad to see you, Vernon," he said, fixing his piercing eyes upon Alan +as though he were trying to read his thoughts. "Pleasant change this +from the City and all that eternal business, isn't it? Ah! you are +thinking that one is not quite clear of business after all," and he +glanced round at the company. "That's one of your cousin Haswell's +faults; he can never shake himself free of the thing, never get any real +recreation. I'd bet you a sovereign that he has a stenographer waiting +by a telephone in the next room, just in case any opportunity should +arise in the course of conversation. That is magnificent, but it is not +wise. His heart can't stand it; it will wear him out before his time. +Listen, they are all talking about the Sahara. I wish I were there; it +must be quiet at any rate. The sands beneath, the eternal stars above. +Yes, I wish I were there," he repeated with a sigh, and Alan noted that +although his face could not be more pallid than its natural colour, it +looked quite worn and old. + +"So do I," he answered with enthusiasm. + +Then a French gentleman on his left, having discovered that he was the +engineer who had formulated the great flooding scheme, began to address +him as "Cher maitre," speaking so rapidly his own language that Alan, +whose French was none of the best, struggled after him in vain. Whilst +he was trying to answer a question which he did not understand, the door +at the end of the hall opened, and through it appeared Barbara Champers. + +It was a large hall and she was a long way off, which caused her to look +small, who indeed was only of middle height. Yet even at that distance +it was impossible to mistake the dignity of her appearance. A slim woman +with brown hair, cheerful brown eyes, a well-modelled face, a rounded +figure and an excellent complexion, such was Barbara. Ten thousand young +ladies could be found as good, or even better looking, yet something +about her differentiated her from the majority of her sex. There was +determination in her step, and overflowing health and vigour in her +every movement. Her eyes had a trick of looking straight into any other +eyes they met, not boldly, but with a kind of virginal fearlessness +and enterprise that people often found embarrassing. Indeed she was +extremely virginal and devoid of the usual fringe of feminine airs and +graces, a nymph of the woods and waters, who although she was three and +twenty, as yet recked little of men save as companions whom she liked +or disliked according to her instincts. For the rest she was sweetly +dressed in a white robe with silver on it, and wore no ornaments save +a row of small pearls about her throat and some lilies of the valley at +her breast. + +Barbara came straight onwards, looking neither to the right or to the +left, till she reached her uncle, to whom she nodded. Then she walked to +Alan and, offering him her hand, said: + +"How do you do! Why did you not come over at lunch time? I wanted to +play a round of golf with you this afternoon." + +Alan answered something about being busy at Yarleys. + +"Yarleys!" she replied. "I thought that you lived in the City now, +making money out of speculations, like everyone else that I know." + +"Why, Miss Champers," broke in Sir Robert reproachfully, "I asked you to +play a round of golf before tea and you would not." + +"No," she answered, "because I was waiting for my cousin. We are better +matched, Sir Robert." + +There was something in her voice, usually so soft and pleasant, as she +spoke these words, something of steeliness and defiance that caused +Alan to feel at once happy and uncomfortable. Apparently also it caused +Aylward to feel angry, for he flashed a glance at Alan over her head of +which the purport could not be mistaken, though his pale face remained +as immovable as ever. "We are enemies. I hate you," said that glance. +Probably Barbara saw it; at any rate before either of them could speak +again, she said: + +"Thank goodness, there is dinner at last. Sir Robert, will you take me +in, and, Alan, will you sit on the other side of me? My uncle will show +the rest their places." + +The meal was long and magnificent; the price of each dish of it would +have kept a poor family for a month, and on the cost of the exquisite +wines they might have lived for a year or two. Also the last were well +patronized by everyone except Barbara, who drank water, and Alan, who +since his severe fever took nothing but weak whiskey and soda and a +little claret. Even Aylward, a temperate person, absorbed a good deal +of champagne. As a consequence the conversation grew animated, and under +cover of it, while Sir Robert was arguing with his neighbour on the +left, Barbara asked in a low voice: + +"What is the row, Alan? Tell me, I can't wait any longer." + +"I have quarrelled with them," he answered, staring at his mutton as +though he were criticizing it. "I mean, I have left the firm and have +nothing more to do with the business." + +Barbara's eyes lit up as she whispered back: + +"Glad of it. Best news I have heard for many a day. But then, may I ask +why you are here?" + +"I came to see you," he replied humbly--"thought perhaps you wouldn't +mind," and in his confusion he let his knife fall into the mutton, +whence it rebounded, staining his shirt front. + +Barbara laughed, that happy, delightful little laugh of hers, presumably +at the accident with the knife. Whether or no she "minded" did not +appear, only she handed her handkerchief, a costly, last-fringed trifle, +to Alan to wipe the gravy off his shirt, which he took thinking it was +a napkin, and as she did so, touched his hand with a little caressing +movement of her fingers. Whether this was done by chance or on purpose +did not appear either. At least it made Alan feel extremely happy. Also +when he discovered what it was, he kept that gravy-stained handkerchief, +nor did she ever ask for it back again. Only once in after days when she +happened to come across it stuffed away in the corner of a despatch-box, +she blushed all over, and said that she had no idea that any man could +be so foolish out of a book. + +"Now that _you_ are really clear of it, I am going for them," she said +presently when the wiping process was finished. "I have only restrained +myself for your sake," and leaning back in her chair she stared at the +ceiling, lost in meditation. + +Presently there came one of those silences which will fall upon +dinner-parties at times, however excellent and plentiful the champagne. + +"Sir Robert Aylward," said Barbara in that clear, carrying voice of +hers, "will you, as an expert, instruct a very ignorant person? I want a +little information." + +"Miss Champers," he answered, "am I not always at your service?" and +all listened to hear upon what point their hostess desired to be +enlightened. + +"Sir Robert," she went on calmly, "everyone here is, I believe, what +is called a financier, that is except myself and Major Vernon, who only +tries to be and will, I am sure, fail, since Nature made him something +else, a soldier and--what else did Nature make you, Alan?" + +As he vouchsafed no answer to question, although Sir Robert muttered an +uncomplimentary one between his lips which Barbara heard, or read, she +continued: + +"And you are all very rich and successful, are you not, and are going to +be much richer and much more successful--next week. Now what I want to +ask you is--how is it done?" + +"Accepting the premises for the sake of argument, Miss Champers," +replied Sir Robert, who felt that he could not refuse the challenge, +"the answer is that it is done by finance." + +"I am still in the dark," she said. "Finance, as I have heard of it, +means floating companies, and companies are floated to earn money for +those who invest in them. Now this afternoon as I was dull, I got hold +of a book called the Directory of Directors, and looked up all your +names in it, except those of the gentlemen from Paris, and the companies +that you direct--I found out about those in another book. Well, I could +not make out that any of these companies have ever earned any money, a +dividend, don't you call it? Therefore how do you all grow so rich, and +why do people invest in them?" + +Now Sir Robert frowned, Alan coloured, two or three of the company +laughed outright, and one of the French gentlemen who understood English +and had already drunk as much as was good for him, remarked loudly to +his neighbour, "Ah! she is charming. She do touch the spot, like that +ointment you give me to-day. How do we grow rich and why do the people +invest? _Mon Dieu!_ why do they invest? That is the great mystery. I +say that _cette belle demoiselle, votre niece, est ravissante. Elle a +d'esprit, mon ami Haswell._" + +Apparently her uncle did not share these sentiments, for he turned as +red as any turkey-cock, and said across the great round table: + +"My dear Barbara, I wish that you would leave matters which you do not +understand alone. We are here to dine, not to talk about finance." + +"Certainly, Uncle," she answered sweetly. "I stand, or rather sit, +reproved. I suppose that I have put my foot into it as usual, and the +worst of it is," she added, turning to Sir Robert, "that I am just as +ignorant as I was before." + +"If you want to master these matters, Miss Champers," said Aylward with +a rather forced laugh, "you must go into training and worship at the +shrine of"--he meant to say Mammon, then thinking that the word sounded +unpleasant, substituted--"the Yellow God as we do." + +At these words Alan, who had been studying his plate, looked up quickly, +and her uncle's face turned from red to white. But the irrepressible +Barbara seized upon them. + +"The Yellow God," she repeated. "Do you mean money or that fetish thing +of Major Vernon's with the terrible woman's face that I saw at the +office in the City. Well, to change the subject, tell us, Alan, what is +that yellow god of yours and where did it come from?" + +"My uncle Austin, who was my mother's brother and a missionary, brought +it from West Africa a great many years ago. He was the first to visit +the tribe who worship it; in fact I do not think that anyone has ever +visited them since. But really I do not know all the story. Jeekie can +tell you about it if you want to know, for he is one of that people and +escaped with my uncle." + +Now Jeekie having left the room, some of the guests wished to send +for him, but Mr. Champers-Haswell objected. The end of it was that +a compromise was effected, Alan undertaking to produce his retainer +afterwards when they went to play billiards or cards. + + + +Dinner was over at length and the diners, who had dined well, were +gathered in the billiard room to smoke and amuse themselves as they +wished. It was a very large room, sixty feet long indeed, with a wide +space in the centre between the two tables, which was furnished as a +lounge. When the gentlemen entered it they found Barbara standing by +the great fireplace in this central space, a little shape of white and +silver in its emptiness. + +"Forgive me for intruding on you," she said, "and please do not stop +smoking, for I like the smell. I have sat up expressly to hear Jeekie's +story of the Yellow God. Alan, produce Jeekie, or I shall go to bed at +once." + +Her uncle made a movement as though to interfere, but Sir Robert said +something to him which appeared to cause him to change his mind, while +the rest in some way or another signified an enthusiastic assent. All of +them were anxious to see this Jeekie and hear his tale, if he had one +to tell. So Jeekie was sent for and presently arrived clad in the dress +clothes which are common to all classes in England and America. There +he stood before them white-headed, ebony-faced, gigantic, imperturbable. +There is no doubt that his appearance produced an effect, for it was +unusual and indeed striking. + +"You sent for me, Major?" he said, addressing his master, to whom he +gave a military salute, for he had been Alan's servant when he was in +the Army. + +"Yes, Jeekie. Miss Barbara here and these gentlemen, wish you to tell +them all that you know about the Yellow God." + +The negro started and rolled his round eyes upwards till the whites of +them showed, then began in his school-book English: + +"That is a private subject, Major, upon which I should prefer not to +discourse before this very public company." + +A chorus of remonstrance arose and one of the Jewish gentlemen +approaching Jeekie, slipped a couple of sovereigns into his great hand, +which he promptly transferred to his pocket without seeming to notice +them. + +"Jeekie," said Barbara, "don't disappoint me." + +"Very well, miss, I fall in with your wishes. The Yellow God that all +these gentlemen worship, quite another god to that of which you desire +that I should tell you. You know all about him. My god is of female +sex." + +At this statement his audience burst into laughter while Jeekie rolled +his eyes again and waited till they had finished. "My god," he went on +presently, "I mean, gentlemen, the god I used to pray to, for I am a +good Christian now, has so much gold that she does not care for any +more," and he paused. + +"Then what does she care for?" asked someone. + +"Blood," answered Jeekie. "She is god of Death. Her name is Little +Bonsa or Small Swimming Head; she is wife of Big Bonsa or Great Swimming +Head." + +Again there was laughter, though less general--for instance, neither Sir +Robert nor Mr. Champers-Haswell laughed. This merriment seemed to excite +Jeekie. At any rate it caused him to cease his stilted talk and relapse +into the strange vernacular that is common to all negroes, tinctured +with a racy slang that was all his own. + +"You want to hear Yellow God palaver?" he said rapidly. "Very well, I +tell you, you cocksure white men who think you know everything, but +know nothing at all. My people, people of the Asiki, that mean people of +Spirits, what you call ghosts and say you no believe in, but always look +for behind door, they worship Yellow God, Bonsa Big and Bonsa Little, +worship both and call them one; only Little Bonsa on trip to this +country just now and sit and think in City office. Yellow God live long +way up a great river, then turn to the left and walk six days through +big forest where dwarf people shoot you with poisoned arrow. Then turn +to the right, walk up stream where many wild beasts. Then turn to the +left again and go in canoe through swamp where you die of fever, and +across lake. Then walk over grassland and mountains. Then in kloof of +the mountains where big black trees make a roof and river fall like +thunder, find Asiki and gold house of the Yellow God. All that mountain +gold, full of gold and beneath gold house Yellow God afloat in water. +She what you call Queen, priestess, live there also, always there, very +beautiful woman called Asika with face like Yellow God, cruel, cruel. +She take a husband every year, and every year he die because she always +hunt for right man but never find him." + +"Does she kill him then?" asked Barbara. + +"Oh! no, she no kill him, Miss, he kill himself at end of year, glad to +get away from Asika and go to spirits. While he live he have a very good +time, plenty to eat, plenty wives, fine house, much gold as he like, +only nothing to spend it on, pretty necklace, nice paint for face. But +Asika, little bit by little bit she eat up his spirit. He see too many +ghosts. The house where he sleep with dead men who once have his billet, +full of ghosts and every night there come more and sit with him, sit all +round him, look at him with great eyes, just like you look at me, till +at last when Asika finish eating up his spirit, he go crazy, he howl +like man in hell, he throw away all the gold they give him, and then, +sometimes after one week, sometimes after one month, sometimes after one +year if he be strong but never more, he run out at night and jump into +canal where Yellow God float and god get him, while Asika sit on the +bank and laugh, 'cause she hungry for new man to eat up his spirit too." + +Jeekie's big voice died away to a whisper and ceased. There was a +silence in the room, for even in the shine of the electric light and +through the fumes of champagne, in more than one imagination there rose +a vision of that haunted water in which floated the great Yellow God, +and of some mad being casting himself to his death beneath the moon, +while his beautiful witch wife who was "hungry for more spirits" sat +upon its edge and laughed. Although his language was now commonplace +enough, even ludicrous at times, the negro had undoubtedly the art of +narration. His auditors felt that he spoke of what he knew, or had seen, +that the very recollection of it frightened him, therefore he frightened +them. + +Again Barbara broke the silence which she felt to be awkward. + +"Why do more ghosts come very night to sit with the queen's husband, +Jeekie?" she asked. "Where do they come from?" + +"Out of the dead, miss, dead husbands of Asika from beginning of the +world; what they call Munganas. Also always they make sacrifice to +Yellow God. From far, far away them poor niggers send people to be +sacrifice that their house or tribe get luck. Sometimes they send kings, +sometimes great men, sometimes doctors, sometimes women what have twin +babies. Also the Asiki bring people what is witches, or have drunk +poison stuff which blacks call _muavi_ and have not been sick, or +perhaps son they love best to take curse off their roof. All these come +to Yellow God. Then Asiki doctor, they have Death-palaver. On night of +full moon they beat drum, and drum go Wow! Wow! Wow! and doctors pick +out those to die that month. Once they pick out Jeekie, oh! good Lord, +they pick out _me_," and as he said the words he gasped and with his +great hand wiped off the sweat that started from his brow. "But Yellow +God no take Jeekie that time, no want him and I escape." + +"How?" asked Sir Robert. + +"With my master, Major's uncle, Reverend Austin, he who come try to make +Asiki Christian. He snap his fingers, put on small mask of Yellow God +which he prig, Little Bonsa herself, that same face which sit in your +office now," and he pointed to Sir Robert, "like one toad upon a stone. +Priests think that god make herself into man, want holiday, take me out +into forest to kill me and eat my life. So they let us go by and we go +just as though devil kick us--fast, fast, and never see the Asiki any +more. But Little Bonsa I bring with me for luck, tell truth I no dare +leave her behind, she not stand that; and now she sit in your office and +think and think and make magic there. That why you grow rich, because +she know you worship her." + +"That's a nice way for a baptized Christian to talk," said Barbara, +adding, "But Jeekie, what do you mean when you say that the god did not +take you?" + +"I mean this, miss; when victim offered to Big Yellow God, priest-men +bring him to edge of canal where the great god float. Then if Yellow God +want him, it turn and swim across water." + +"Swim across water! I thought you said it was only a mask of gold?" + +"I don't know, miss, perhaps man inside the mask, perhaps spirit. I say +it swim across water in the night, always in the night, and lift +itself up and look in victim's face. Then priest take him and kill him, +sometimes one way--sometimes another. Or if he escape and they not kill +him, all same for that Johnnie, he die in about one year, always die, +no one ever live long if Yellow God swim to him in dark and rise up and +smile in his face. No matter if it Big Bonsa or Little Bonsa, for they +man and wife joined in holy matrimony and either do trick." + +As these words left Jeekie's lips Alan became aware of some unusual +movement on his left and looking round, saw that Mr. Champers-Haswell, +who stood by him, had dropped the cigar which he held and, white as a +sheet, was swaying to and fro. Indeed in another instant he would have +fallen had not Alan caught him in his arms and supported him till others +came to his assistance, when between them they carried him to a sofa. On +their way they passed a table where spirits and soda water were set out, +and to his astonishment Alan noticed that Sir Robert Aylward, looking +little if at all better than his partner, had helped himself to half a +tumbler of cognac, which he was swallowing in great gulps. Then there +was confusion and someone went to telephone the doctor, while the deep +voice of Jeekie was heard exclaiming: + +"That Yellow God at work--oh yes, Little Bonsa on the job. Jeekie +Christian man but no doubt she very powerful fetish and can do anything +she like to them that worship her, and you see, she sit in office of +these gentlemen. 'Spect she make Reverend Austin and me bring her +to England because she got eye on firm of Messrs. Aylward & Haswell, +London, E.C. Oh, shouldn't wonder at all, for Bonsa know everything." + +"Oh, confound you and your fetish! Be off, you old donkey," almost +shouted Alan. + +"Major," replied the offended Jeekie, assuming his grand manner +and language, "it was not I who wished to narrate this history of +blood-stained superstitions of poor African. Mustn't blame old Jeekie if +they make Christian gents sick as Channel steamer." + +"Be off," repeated Alan, stamping his foot. + +So Jeekie went, but outside the door, as it chanced, he encountered one +of the Jew gentlemen who also appeared to be a little "sick." An idea +striking him, he touched his white hair with his finger and said: + +"You like Jeekie's pretty story, sir? Well, Jeekie think that if you +make little present to him, like your brother in there, it please Yellow +God very much, and bring you plenty luck." + +Then acting upon some unaccustomed impulse, that Jew became exceedingly +generous. In his pocket was a handful of sovereigns which he had been +prepared to stake at bridge. He grasped them all and thrust them into +Jeekie's outstretched palm, where they seemed to melt. + +"Thank you, sir," said Jeekie. "Now I sure you have plenty luck, just +like your grandpa Jacob in Book when he do his brudder in eye." + + + +CHAPTER IV + +ALAN AND BARBARA + +There was no bridge or billiards at the Court that night, where +ordinarily the play ran high enough. After Mr. Haswell had been carried +to his room, some of the guests, among them Sir Robert Aylward, went to +bed, remarking that they could do no good by sitting up, while others, +more concerned, waited to hear the verdict of the doctor, who must drive +from six miles away. He came, and half an hour later Barbara entered +the billiard room and told Alan, who was sitting there smoking, that her +uncle had recovered from his faint, and that the doctor, who was to stay +all night, said that he was in no danger, only suffering from a heart +attack brought on apparently by over-work or excitement. + +When Alan woke next morning the first thing that he heard through his +open window was the sound of the doctor's departing dogcart. Then Jeekie +appeared and told him that Mr. Haswell was all right again, but that +all night he had shaken "like one jelly." Alan asked what had been the +matter with him, but Jeekie only shrugged his shoulders and said that he +did not know--"perhaps Yellow God touch him up." + +At breakfast, as in her note she had said she would, Barbara appeared +wearing a short skirt. Sir Robert, who was there, also looked extremely +pale even for him and with black rims round his eyes, asked her if she +were going to golf, to which she answered that she would think it over. +It was a somewhat melancholy meal, and as though by common consent no +mention was made of Jeekie's tale of the Yellow God, and beyond the +usual polite inquiries, very little of their host's seizure. + +As Barbara went out she whispered to Alan, who opened the door for her, +"Meet me at half-past ten in the kitchen garden." + +Accordingly, having changed his clothes surreptitiously, Alan, avoiding +the others, made his way by a circuitous route to this kitchen garden, +which after the fashion of modern places was hidden behind a belt of +trees nearly a quarter of a mile from the house. Here he wandered about +till presently he heard Barbara's pleasant voice behind him saying: + +"Don't dawdle so, we shall be late for church." + +So they started, somewhat furtively like runaway children. As they went +Alan asked how her uncle was. + +"All right now," she answered, "but he has had a bad shake. It was +that Yellow God story which did it. I know, for I was there when he +was coming to, with Sir Robert. He kept talking about it in a confused +manner, saying that it was swimming to him across the floor, till at +last Sir Robert bent over him and told him to be quiet quite sternly. +Do you know, Alan, I believe that your pet fetish has been manifesting +itself in some unpleasant fashion up there in the office?" + +"Indeed. If so, it must be since I left, for I never heard of anything +of the sort, nor are Aylward and your uncle likely people to see ghosts. +In fact Sir Robert wished to give me about L17,000 for the thing only +the day before yesterday, which doesn't look as though it had been +frightening him." + +"Well, he won't repeat the offer, Alan, for I heard him promise my uncle +only this morning that it should be sent back to Yarleys at once. But +why did he want to buy it for such a lot of money? Tell me quickly, +Alan, I am dying to hear the whole story." + +So he began and told her, omitting nothing, while she listened eagerly +to every word, hardly interrupting him at all. As he finished his tale +they reached the door of the quaint old village church just as the clock +was striking eleven. + +"Come in, Alan," she said gently, "and thank Heaven for all its mercies, +for you should be a grateful man to-day." + +Then without giving him time to answer she entered the church and they +took their places in the great square pew that for generations had been +occupied by the owners of the ancient house which Mr. Haswell pulled +down when he built The Court. There were their monuments upon the +wall and their gravestones in the chancel floor. But now no one except +Barbara ever sat in their pew; even the benches set aside for the +servants were empty, for those who frequented The Court were not +church-goers and "like master, like man." Indeed the gentle-faced old +clergyman looked quite pleased and surprised when he saw two inhabitants +of that palatial residence amongst his congregation, although it is true +that Barbara was his friend and helper. + +The simple service went on; the first lesson was read. It cried woe upon +them that joined house to house and field to field, that draw iniquity +with cords of vanity and sin as it were with a cart rope; that call evil +good and good evil, that put darkness for light and light for darkness, +that justify the wicked for reward; that feast full but regard not the +work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of His hand, for of +such it prophesied that their houses great and fair should be without +inhabitant and desolate. + +It was very well read, and Alan, listening, thought that the +denunciations of the old seer of thousands of years ago were not +inappropriate to the dwellers in some houses great and fair of his own +day, who, whatever they did or left undone, regarded not the work of +the Lord, neither considered the operation of His hand. Perhaps Barbara +thought so too; at any rate a rather sad little smile appeared once or +twice upon her sweet, firm face as the immortal poem echoed down the +aisle. + +The peace that passeth understanding was invoked upon their heads, and +rising with the rest of the scanty congregation they went away. + +"Shall we walk home by the woods, Alan?" asked Barbara. "It is three +miles round, but we don't lunch till two." + +He nodded, and presently they were alone in those woods, the beautiful +woods through which the breath of spring was breathing, treading upon +carpets of bluebells, violet and primrose; quite alone, unaccompanied +save by the wild things that stole across their path, undisturbed save +by the sound of the singing birds and of the wind among the trees. + +"What did you mean, Barbara, when you said that I should be a grateful +man to-day?" asked Alan presently. + +Barbara looked him in the eyes in that open, virginal fashion of hers +and answered in the words of the lesson, "'Woe unto them that draw +iniquity with the cords of vanity and sin as it were with a cart-rope, +that lay house to house,'" and through an opening in the woods she +pointed to the roof of The Court standing on one hill, and to the roof +of Old Hall standing upon another--"'and field to field,'" and with a +sweep of her hand she indicated all the country round, "'for many houses +great and fair that have music in their feasts shall be left desolate.'" +Then turning she said: + +"Do you understand now, Alan?" + +"I think so," he answered. "You mean that I have been in bad company." + +"Very bad, Alan. One of them is my own uncle, but the truth remains the +truth. Alan, they are no better than thieves; all this wealth is stolen, +and I thank God that you have found it out in time before you became one +of them in heart as well as in name." + +"If you refer to the Sahara Syndicate," he said, "the idea is sound +enough; indeed, I am responsible for it. The thing can be done, great +benefits would result, too long to go into." + +"Yes, yes, Alan, but you know that they never mean to do it, they only +mean to get the millions from the public. I have lived with my uncle for +ten years, ever since my poor father died, and I know the backstairs +of the business. There have been half a dozen schemes like this, and +although they have had their bad times, very bad times, he and Sir +Robert have grown richer and richer. But what has happened to those who +have invested in them? Oh! let us drop the subject, it is unpleasant. +For myself it doesn't matter, because although it isn't under my +control, I have money of my own. You know we are a plebeian lot on the +male side, my grandfather was a draper in a large way of business, my +father was a coal-merchant who made a great fortune. His brother, my +uncle, in whom my father always believed implicitly, took to what is +called Finance, and when my father died he left me, his only child, +in his guardianship. Until I am five and twenty I cannot even marry or +touch a halfpenny without his consent; in fact if I should marry against +his will the most of my money goes to him." + +"I expect that he has got it already," said Alan. + +"No, I think not. I found out that, although it is not mine, it is not +his. He can't draw it without my signature, and I steadily refuse to +sign anything. Again and again they have brought me documents, and I +have always said that I would consider them at five and twenty, when +I came of age under my father's will. I went on the sly to a lawyer +in Kingswell and paid him a guinea for his advice, and he put me up to +that. 'Sign nothing,' he said, and I have signed nothing, so, except by +forgery nothing can have gone. Still for all that it may have gone. +For anything I know I am not worth more than the clothes I stand in, +although my father was a very rich man." + +"If so, we are about in the same boat, Barbara," Alan answered with a +laugh, "for my present possessions are Yarleys, which brings in about +L100 a year less than the interest on its mortgages and cost of upkeep, +and the L1700 that Aylward paid me back on Friday for my shares. If I +had stuck to them I understand that in a week or two I should have been +worth L100,000, and now you see, here I am, over thirty years of age +without a profession, invalided out of the army and having failed in +finance, a mere bit of driftwood without hope and without a trade." + +Barbara's brown eyes grew soft with sympathy, or was it tears? + +"You are a curious creature, Alan," she said. "Why didn't you take the +L17,000 for that fetish of yours? It would have been a fair deal and +have set you on your legs." + +"I don't know," he answered dejectedly. "It went against the grain, so +what is the use of talking about it? I think my old uncle Austin told +me it wasn't to be parted with--no, perhaps it was Jeekie. Bother the +Yellow God! it is always cropping up." + +"Yes," replied Barbara, "the Yellow God is always cropping up, +especially in this neighbourhood." + +They walked on a while in silence, till suddenly Barbara sat down upon a +bole of felled oak and began to cry. + +"What is the matter with you?" asked Alan. + +"I don't know," she answered. "Everything goes wrong. I live in a kind +of gilded hell. I don't like my uncle and I loath the men he brings +about the place. I have no friends, I scarcely know a woman intimately, +I have troubles I can't tell you and--I am wretched. You are the only +creature I have left to talk to, and I suppose that after this row you +must go away too to make your living." + +Alan looked at her there weeping on the log and his heart swelled within +him, for he had loved this girl for years. + +"Barbara," he gasped, "please don't cry, it upsets me. You know you are +a great heiress----" + +"That remains to be proved," she answered. "But anyway, what has it to +do with the case?" + +"It has everything to do with it, at least so far as I am concerned. If +it hadn't been for that I should have asked you to marry me a long +while ago, because I love you, as I would now, but of course it is +impossible." + +Barbara ceased her weeping, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, +and looked up at him. + +"Alan," she said, "I think that you are the biggest fool I ever +knew--not but that a fool is rather refreshing when one lives among +knaves." + +"I know I am a fool," he answered. "If I wasn't I should not have +mentioned my misfortune to you, but sometimes things are too much for +one. Forget it and forgive me." + +"Oh! yes," she said; "I forgive you; a woman can generally forgive a +man for being fond of her. Whatever she may be, she is ready to take +a lenient view of his human weakness. But as to forgetting, that is +a different matter. I don't exactly see why I should be so anxious to +forget, who haven't many people to care about me," and she looked at him +in quite a new fashion, one indeed which gave him something of a shock, +for he had not thought the nymph-like Barbara capable of such a look as +that. She and any sort of passion had always seemed so far apart. + +Now after all Alan was very much a man, if a modest one, with all a +man's instincts, and therefore there are appearances of the female face +which even such as he could not entirely misinterpret. + +"You--don't--mean," he said doubtfully, "you don't really mean----" and +he stood hesitating before her. + +"If you would put your question a little more clearly, Alan, I might be +able to give you an answer," she replied, that quaint little smile of +hers creeping to the corners of her mouth like sunshine through a mist +of rain. + +"You don't really mean," he went on, "that you care anything about me, +like, like I have cared for you for years?" + +"Oh! Alan," she said, laughing outright, "why in the name of goodness +shouldn't I care about you? I didn't say that I do, mind, but why +shouldn't I? What is the gulf between us?" + +"The old one," he answered, "that between Dives and Lazarus--that +between the rich and the poor." + +"Alan," said Barbara, looking down, "I don't know what has come over me, +but for some unexplained and inexplicable reason I am inclined to +give Lazarus a lead--across that gulf, the first one, I mean, not the +second!" + +Like the glance which preceded it, this was a saying that even Alan +could not misunderstand. He sat himself on the log beside her, while +she, still looking down, watched him out of the corners of her eyes. +He went red, he went white, his heart beat very violently. Then he +stretched out his big brown hand and took her small white one, and as +this familiarity produced no remonstrance, let it fall, and passing his +arm about her, drew her to him and embraced her, not once, but +often, with such vigour that a squirrel which had been watching these +proceedings from a neighbouring tree, bolted round it scandalized and +was seen no more. + +"I love you, I love you," he said huskily. + +"So I gather," she answered in a feeble voice. + +"Do you care for me?" he asked. + +"It would seem that I must, Alan, otherwise I should scarcely--oh! you +foolish Alan," and heedless of her Sunday hat, which never recovered +from this encounter, but was kept as a holy relic, she let her head fall +upon his shoulder and began to cry again, this time for very happiness. + +He kissed her tears away, then as he could think of nothing else to say, +asked her if she would marry him. + +"It is the general sequel to this kind of thing, I believe," she +answered; "or at any rate it ought to be. But if you want a direct +answer--yes, I will, if my uncle will let me, which he won't, as you +have quarrelled with him, or at any rate two years hence, when I am five +and twenty and my own mistress; that is if we have anything to marry +on, for one must eat. At present our worldly possessions seem to consist +chiefly of a large store of mutual affection, a good stock of clothes +and one Yellow God, which after what happened last night, I do not think +you will get another chance of turning into cash." + +"I must make money somehow," he said. + +"Yes, Alan, but I am afraid it is not easy to do--honestly. Nobody +wants people without capital whose only stock in trade is a brief but +distinguished military career, and a large experience of African fever." + +Alan groaned at this veracious but discouraging remark, and she went on +quickly: + +"I mean to spend another guinea upon my friend the lawyer at Kingswell. +Perhaps he can raise the wind, by a post-obit, or something," she added +vaguely, "I mean a post-uncle-obit." + +"If he does, Barbara, I can't live on your money alone, it isn't right." + +"Oh! don't you trouble about that, Alan. If once I can get hold of those +dim thousands you will soon be able to make more, for unto him that hath +shall be given. But at present they are very dim, and for all I know may +be represented by stock in deceased companies. In short, the financial +position is extraordinarily depressed, as they say in the Market +Intelligence in _The Times_. But that's no reason why we should be +depressed also." + +"No, Barbara, for at any rate we have got each other." + +"Yes," she answered, springing up, "we have got each other, dear, until +Death do us part, and somehow I don't think he'll do that yet awhile; +it comes into my heart that he won't do that, Alan, that you and I are +going to live out our days. So what does the rest matter? In two years +I shall be a free woman. In fact, if the worst comes to the worst, I'll +defy them all," and she set her little mouth like a rock, "and marry you +straight away, as being over age, I can do, even if it costs me every +halfpenny that I've got." + +"No, no," he said, "it would be wrong, wrong to yourself and wrong to +your descendants." + +"Very well, Alan, then, we will wait, or perhaps luck will come our +way--why shouldn't it? At any rate for my part I never felt so happy in +my life; for, dear Alan, we have found what we were born to find, found +it once and for always, and the rest is mere etceteras. What would be +the use of all the gold of the Asiki people that Jeekie was talking +about last night, to either of us, if we had not each other? We can +get on without the wealth, but we couldn't get on apart, or at least I +couldn't and I don't mind saying so." + +"No, my darling, no," he answered, turning white at the very thought, +"we couldn't get on apart--now. In fact I don't know how I have done so +so long already, except that I was always hoping that a time would +come when we shouldn't be apart. That is why I went into that infernal +business, to make enough money to be able to ask you to marry me. +And now I have gone out of the business and asked you just when I +shouldn't." + +"Yes, so you see you might as well have done it a year or two ago when +perhaps things would have been simpler. Well, it is a fine example of +the vanity of human plans, and, Alan, we must be going home to lunch. If +we don't, Sir Robert will be organizing a search party to look for us; +in fact, I shouldn't wonder if he is doing that already, in the wrong +direction." + +The mention of Sir Robert Aylward's name fell on them both like a blast +of cold wind in summer, and for a while they walked in silence. + +"You are afraid of that man, Barbara," said Alan presently, guessing her +thoughts. + +"A little," she answered, "so far as I can be afraid of anything any +more. And you?" + +"A little also. I think that he will give us trouble. He can be very +malevolent and resourceful." + +"Resourceful, Alan; well, so can I. I'll back my wits against his any +day. He shan't separate us by anything short of murder, which he won't +go in for. Men like that don't like to break the law; they have too much +to lose. But no doubt he will make things uncomfortable for you, if he +can, for several reasons." + +Again they walked on lost in reflections, when Barbara suddenly saw her +lover's face brighten. + +"What is it, Alan?" she asked. + +"Something that is rare enough with me, Barbara--an idea. You remember +speaking about that Asiki gold just now. Well, why shouldn't I go and +get it?" + +She stared at him. + +"It sounds a little speculative," she said; "something like one of my +uncle's companies." + +"Not half so speculative as you think. I have no doubt it is there and +Jeekie knows the way. Also I seem to remember that there is a map and an +account of the whole thing in Uncle Austin's diaries, though to tell you +the truth the old fellow wrote such a fearful hand, that I have never +taken the trouble to read it. You see," he went on with enthusiasm, "it +is the kind of business that I can do. I am thoroughly salted to fever, +I know the West Coast, where I spent three years on that Boundary +Commission, I have studied the natives and can talk several of their +dialects. Of course there would be a risk, but there are risks in +everything, and like you I am not afraid about that, for I believe that +we have got our lives before us." + +"Read up those diaries, Alan, and we will talk the thing over again. +I'll pump Jeekie, who will tell me anything by coaxing, and try to get +at the truth. Meanwhile what are you going to do about my uncle?" + +"Speak to him, of course, and have the row over." + +"Yes," she answered, "that is the best and the most honest. Of course +he can turn you out, but he can't prevent my seeing you. If he does, go +home to Yarleys and I'll come over and call. Here we are, let us go in +by the back door," and she pointed to her crushed hat, and laughed. + + + +CHAPTER V + +BARBARA MAKES A SPEECH + +While Alan and Barbara, on the most momentous occasion of their lives, +were seated upon the fallen oak in the woods that thrilled with +the breath of spring, another interview was taking place in Mr. +Champers-Haswell's private suite at The Court, the decorations of +which, as he was wont to inform his visitors, had cost nearly L2000. Sir +Robert, whose taste at any rate was good, thought them so appalling that +while waiting for his host and partner, whom he had come to see, he took +a seat in the bow window of the sitting-room and studied the view that +nobody had been able to spoil. Presently Mr. Haswell emerged from his +bedroom, wrapped in a dressing gown and looking very pale and shaky. + +"Delighted to see you all right again," said Sir Robert as he wheeled up +a chair into which Mr. Haswell sank. + +"I am not all right, Aylward," he answered; "I am not all right at all. +Never had such an upset in my life; thought I was going to die when that +accursed savage told his beastly tale. Aylward, you are a man of the +world, tell me, what is the meaning of the thing? You remember what we +thought we saw in the office, and then--that story." + +"I don't know," he answered; "frankly I don't know. I am a man who has +never believed in anything I cannot see and test, one who utterly lacks +faith. In my leisure I have examined into the various religious +systems and found them to be rubbish. I am convinced that we are but +highly-developed mammals born by chance, and when our day is done, +departing into the black nothingness out of which we came. Everything +else, that is, what is called the higher and spiritual part, I attribute +to the superstitions incident to the terror of the hideous position in +which we find ourselves, that of gods of a sort hemmed in by a few years +of fearful and tormented life. But you know the old arguments, so why +should I enter on them? And now I am confronted with an experience +which I cannot explain. I certainly thought that in the office on Friday +evening I saw that gold mask to which I had taken so strange a fancy +that I offered to give Vernon L17,000 for it because I thought that it +brought us luck, swim across the floor of our room and look first into +your face and then into mine. Well, the next night that negro tells his +story. What am I to make of it?" + +"Can't tell you," answered Mr. Champers-Haswell with a groan. "All I +know is that it nearly made a corpse of me. I am not like you, Aylward, +I was brought up as an Evangelical, and although I haven't given much +thought to these matters of late years--well, we don't shake them off in +a hurry. I daresay there is something somewhere, and when the black +man was speaking, that something seemed uncommonly near. It got up and +gripped me by the throat, shaking the mortal breath out of me, and upon +my word, Aylward, I have been wishing all the morning that I had led a +different kind of life, as my old parents and my brother John, Barbara's +father, who was a very religious kind of man, did before me." + +"It is rather late to think of all that now, Haswell," said Sir Robert, +shrugging his shoulders. "One takes one's line and there's an end. +Personally I believe that we are overstrained with the fearful and +anxious work of this flotation, and have been the victims of an +hallucination and a coincidence. Although I confess that I came to look +upon the thing as a kind of mascot, I put no trust in any fetish. How +can a bit of gold move, and how can it know the future? Well, I have +written to them to clear it out of the office to-morrow, so it won't +trouble us any more. And now I have come to speak to you on another +matter." + +"Not business," said Mr. Haswell with a sigh. "We have that all the week +and there will be enough of it on Monday." + +"No," he answered, "something more important. About your niece Barbara." + +Mr. Haswell glanced at him with those little eyes of his which were so +sharp that they seemed to bore like gimlets. + +"Barbara?" he said. "What of Barbara?" + +"Can't you guess, Haswell? You are pretty good at it, generally. Well, +it is no use beating about the bush; I want to marry her." + +At this sudden announcement his partner became exceedingly interested. +Leaning back in the chair he stared at the decorated ceiling, and +uttered his favourite wind-in-the-wires whistle. + +"Indeed," he said. "I never knew that matrimony was in your line, +Aylward, any more than it has been in mine, especially as you are always +preaching against it. Well, has the young lady given her consent?" + +"No, I have not spoken to her. I meant to do so this morning, but she +has slipped off somewhere, with Vernon, I suppose." + +Mr. Haswell whistled again, but on a new note. + +"Pray do stop that noise," said Sir Robert; "it gets upon my nerves, +which are shaky this morning. Listen: It is a curious thing, one less +to be understood even than the coincidence of the Yellow God, but at +my present age of forty-four, for the first time in my life I have +committed the folly of what is called falling in love. It is not the +case of a successful, middle-aged man wishing to _ranger_ himself and +settle down with a desirable _partie_, but of sheer, stark infatuation. +I adore Barbara; the worse she treats me the more I adore her. I had +rather that the Sahara flotation should fail than that she should refuse +me. I would rather lose three-quarters of my fortune than lose her. Do +you understand?" + +His partner looked at him, pursed up his lips to whistle, then +remembered and shook his head instead. + +"No," he answered. "Barbara is a nice girl, but I should not have +imagined her capable of inspiring such sentiments in a man almost old +enough to be her father. I think that you are the victim of a kind of +mania, which I have heard of but never experienced. Venus--or is it +Cupid?--has netted you, my dear Aylward." + +"Oh! pray leave gods and goddesses out of it, we have had enough of them +already," he answered, exasperated. "That is my case at any rate, and +what I want to know now is if I have your support in my suit. Remember, +I have something to offer, Haswell, for instance, a large fortune of +which I will settle half--it is a good thing to do in our business,--and +a baronetcy that will be a peerage before long." + +"A peerage! Have you squared that?" + +"I think so. There will be a General Election within the next three +months, and on such occasions a couple of hundred thousand in cool cash +come in useful to a Party that is short of ready money. I think I may +say that it is settled. She will be the Lady Aylward, or any other name +she may fancy, and one of the richest women in England. Now have I your +support?" + +"Yes, my dear friend, why not, though Barbara does not want money, for +she has plenty of her own, in first-class securities that I could never +persuade her to vary, for she is shrewd in that way and steadily refuses +to sign anything. Also she will probably be my heiress--and, Aylward," +here a sickly look of alarm spread itself over his face, "I don't know +how long I have to live. That infernal doctor examined my heart this +morning and told me that it was weak. Weak was his word, but from the +tone in which he said it, I believe that he meant more. Aylward, I +gather that I may die any day." + +"Nonsense, Haswell, so may we all," he replied, with an affectation of +cheerfulness which failed to carry conviction. + +Presently Mr. Haswell, who had hidden his face in his hand, looked up +with a sigh and said: + +"Oh! yes, of course you have my support, for after all she is my only +relation and I should be glad to see her safely married. Also, as it +happens, she can't marry anyone without my consent, at any rate until +she is five and twenty, for if she does, under her father's will all her +property goes away, most of it to charities, except a beggarly L200 a +year. You see my brother John had a great horror of imprudent marriages +and a still greater belief in me, which as it chances, is a good thing +for you." + +"Had he?" said Sir Robert. "And pray why is it a good thing for me?" + +"Because, my dear Aylward, unless my observation is at fault, there is +another Richard in the field, our late partner, Vernon, of whom, by +the way, Barbara is extremely fond, though it may only be in a friendly +fashion. At any rate she pays more attention to his wishes and opinions +than to mine and yours put together." + +At the mention of Alan's name Aylward started violently. + +"I feared it," he said, "and he is more than ten years my junior and +a soldier, not a man of business. Also there is no use disguising the +truth, although I am a baronet and shall be a peer and he is nothing +but a beggarly country gentleman with a D.S.O. tacked on to his name, +he belongs to a different class to us, as she does too on her mother's +side. Well, I can smash him up, for you remember I took over that +mortgage on Yarleys, and I'll do it if necessary. Practically our friend +has not a shilling that he can call his own. Therefore, Haswell, unless +you play me false, which I don't think you will, for I can be a nasty +enemy," he added with a threat in his voice, "Alan Vernon hasn't much +chance in that direction." + +"I don't know, Aylward, I don't know," replied Haswell, shaking his +white head. "Barbara is a strong-willed woman and she might choose to +take the man and let the money go, and then--who can stop her? Also I +don't like your idea of smashing Vernon. It isn't right, and it may come +back on our own heads, especially yours. I am sorry that he has left us, +as you were on Friday night, for somehow he was a good, honest stick to +lean on, and we want such a stick. But I am tired now, I really can't +talk any more. The doctor warned me against excitement. Get the girl's +consent, Aylward, and we'll see. Ah! here comes my soup. Good-bye for +the present." + +When Sir Robert came down to luncheon he found Barbara looking +particularly radiant and charming, already presiding at that meal and +conversing in her best French to the foreign gentlemen, who were paying +her compliments. + +"Forgive me for being late," he said; "first of all I have been +talking to your uncle, and afterwards skimming through the articles in +yesterday's papers on our little venture which comes out to-morrow. A +cheerful occupation on the whole, for with one or two exceptions they +are all favourable." + +"Mon Dieu," said the French gentlemen on the right, "seeing what +they did cost, that is not strange. Your English papers they are so +expensive; in Paris we have done it for half the money." + +Barbara and some of the guests laughed outright, finding this frankness +charming. + +"But where have you been, Miss Champers? I thought that we were going to +have a round of golf together. The caddies were there, I was there, the +greens had been specially rolled this morning, but there was no You." + +"No," she answered, "because Major Vernon and I walked to church and +heard a very good sermon upon the observance of the Sabbath." + +"You are severe," he said. "Do you think it wrong for men who work hard +all the week to play a harmless game on Sunday?" + +"Not at all, Sir Robert." Then she looked at him and, coming to a sudden +decision, added, "If you like I will play you nine holes this afternoon +and give you a stroke a hole, or would you prefer a foursome?" + +"No, let us fight alone and let the best player win." + +"Very well, Sir Robert; but you mustn't forget that I am handicapped." + +"Don't look angry," she whispered to Alan as they strolled out into the +garden after lunch, "I must clear things up and know what we have to +face. I'll be back by tea-time, and we will have it out with my uncle." + + + +The nine holes had been played, and by a single stroke Barbara had won +the match, which pleased her very much, for she had done her best, and +with such heavy odds in his favour Sir Robert, who had also done his +best, was no mean opponent, even for a player of her skill. Indeed the +fight had been quite earnest, for each party knew that it was but a +prelude to another and more serious fight, and looked upon the result as +in some sense an omen. + +"I am conquered," he said in a voice in which vexation struggled with a +laugh, "and by a woman over whom I had an advantage. It is humiliating, +for I confess I do not like being beaten." + +"Don't you think that women generally win if they mean to?" asked +Barbara. "I believe that when they fail, which is often enough, it +is because they don't care, or can't make up their minds. A woman in +earnest is a dangerous antagonist." + +"Yes," he answered, "or the best of allies." Then he gave the clubs and +half-a-crown to the caddies, and when they were out of hearing, added, +"Miss Champers, I have been wondering for some time whether it is +possible that you would become such an ally to me." + +"I know nothing of business, Sir Robert; my tastes do not lie that way." + +"You know well that I was not speaking of business, Miss Champers. I was +speaking of another kind of partnership, that which Nature has ordained +between men and women--marriage. Will you accept me as a husband?" + +She opened her lips to speak, but he lifted his hand and went on. +"Listen before you give that ready answer which it is so hard to recall, +or smooth away. I know all my disadvantages, my years, which to you may +seem many; my modest origin; my trade, which, not altogether without +reason, you despise and dislike. Well, the first two cannot be changed +except for the worse; the second can be, and already is, buried beneath +the gold and ermine of wealth and titles. What does it matter if I am +the son of a City clerk who never earned more than L2 a week and was +born in a tenement at Battersea, when I am one of the rich men of this +rich land and shall die a peer in a palace, leaving millions and honours +to my children? As for the third, my occupation, I am prepared to give +it up. It has served my turn, and after next week I shall have earned +the amount that years ago I determined to earn. Thenceforth, set above +the accidents of fortune, I propose to devote myself to higher aims, +those of legitimate ambition. So far as my time would allow I have +already taken some share in politics as a worker; I intend to continue +in them as a ruler which I still have the health and ability to do. I +mean to be one of the first men in this Empire, to ride to power over +the heads of all the nonentities whose only claim upon the confidence of +their countrymen is that they were born in a certain class, with money +in their pockets and without the need to spend the best of their manhood +in work. With you at my side I can do all these things and more, and +such is the future that I have to offer you." + +Again she would have broken in upon his speech and again he stopped her, +reading the unspoken answer on her lips. + +"Listen: I have not told you all. Perhaps I have put first what should +have come last. I have not told you that I love you earnestly and +sincerely, with the settled, unalterable love that sometimes comes to +men in middle-age who have never turned their thought that way before. +I will not attempt the rhapsodies of passion which at my time of life +might sound foolish or out of place; yet it is true that I am filled +with this passion which has descended on me and taken possession of me. +I who often have laughed at such things in other men, adore you. You +are a joy to my eyes. If you are not in the room, for me it is empty. I +admire the uprightness of your character, and even your prejudices, and +to your standard I desire to approximate my own. I think that no man can +ever love you quite so well as I do, Barbara Champers. Now speak. I am +ready to meet the best or the worst." + +After her fashion Barbara looked him straight in the face with her +steady eyes, and answered gently enough, for the man's method of +presenting his case, elaborate and prepared though it evidently was, had +touched her. + +"I fear it is the worst, Sir Robert. There are hundreds of women +superior to myself in every way who would be glad to give you the help +and companionship you ask, with their hearts thrown in. Choose one of +them, for I cannot do so." + +He heard and for the first time his face broke, as it were. All this +while it had remained masklike and immovable, even when he spoke of his +love, but now it broke as ice breaks at the pressure of a sudden flood +beneath, and she saw the depths and eddies of his nature and understood +their strength. Not that he revealed them in speech, angry or pleading, +for that remained calm and measured enough. She did not hear, she saw, +and even then it was marvellous to her that a mere change in a man's +expression could explain so much. + +"Those are very cruel words," he said. "Are they unalterable?" + +"Quite. I do not play in such matters, it would be wicked." + +"May I ask you one question, for if the answer is in the negative, I +shall still continue to hope? Do you care for any other man?" + +Again she looked at him with her fearless eyes and answered: + +"Yes, I am engaged to another man." + +"To Alan Vernon?" + +She nodded. + +"When did that happen? Some years ago?" + +"No, this morning." + +"Great Heavens!" he muttered in a hoarse voice turning his head away, +"this morning. Then last night it might not have been too late, and last +night I should have spoken to you, I had arranged it all. Yes, if it had +not been for the story of that accursed fetish and your uncle's illness, +I should have spoken to you, and perhaps succeeded." + +"I think not," she said. + +He turned upon her and notwithstanding the tears in his eyes they burned +like fire. + +"You think--you think," he gasped, "but I know. Of course after this +morning it was impossible. But, Barbara, I say that I will win you yet. +I have never failed in any object that I set before myself, and do +not suppose that I shall fail in this. Although in a way I liked and +respected him, I have always felt that Vernon was my enemy, one destined +to bring grief and loss upon me, even if he did not intend to do so. +Now I understand why, and he shall learn that I am stronger than he. God +help him! I say." + +"I think He will," Barbara answered, calmly. "You are speaking wildly, +and I understand the reason and hope that you will forget your words, +but whether you forget or remember, do not suppose that you frighten +me. You men who have made money," she went on with swelling indignation, +"who have made money somehow, and have bought honours with the moneys +somehow, think yourselves great, and in your little day, your little, +little day that will end with three lines in small type in _The Times_, +you are great in this vulgar land. You can buy what you want and people +creep round you and ask you for doles and favours, and railway porters +call you 'my Lord' at every other step. But you forget your limitations +in this world, and that which lives above you. You say you will do this +and that. You should study a book which few of you ever read, where it +tells you that you do not know what you will be on the morrow; that your +life is even as a vapour appearing for a little time and then vanishing +away. You think that you can crush the man to whom I have given my heart +because he is honest and you are dishonest, because you are rich and he +is poor, and because he chances to have succeeded where you have not. +Well, for myself and for him I defy you. Do your worst and fail, and +when you have failed, in the hour of your extremity remember my words +to-day. If I have given you pain by refusing you it is not my fault and +I am sorry, but when you threaten the man who has honoured me with +his love and whom I honour above every creature upon the earth, then I +threaten back, and may the Power that made us all judge between you and +me, as judge it will," and bursting into tears she turned and left him. + +Sir Robert watched her go. + +"What a woman!" he said meditatively, "what a woman--to have lost. Well +she has set the stakes and we will play out the game. The cards all seem +to be in my hands, but it would not in the least surprise me if she +won the rubber, for the element that I call Chance and she would call +something else, may come in. Still, I never refused a challenge yet and +we will play the game out without pity to the loser." + + + +That night the first trick was played. When he got back to The Court Sir +Robert ordered his motorcar and departed on urgent business, either +to his own place, Old Hall, or to London, saying only that he had been +summoned away by telegram. As the 70-horse-power Mercedes glided out of +the gates a pencilled note was put into Mr. Haswell's hand. + +It ran: "I have tried and failed--for the present. By ill-luck A.V. had +been before me, only this morning. If I had not missed my chance last +night owing to your illness, it would have been different. I do not, +however, in the least abandon my plan, in which of course I rely on and +expect your support. Keep V. in the office or let him go as you like. +Perhaps it would be better if you could prevail upon him to stop there +until after the flotation. But whatever you say at the moment, I trust +to you to absolutely veto any engagement between him and your niece, and +to that end to use all your powers and authority as her guardian. Burn +this note. + +"R.A." + + + +CHAPTER VI + +MR. HASWELL LOSES HIS TEMPER + +Alan and Barbara sat in Mr. Champers-Haswell's private sitting-room with +the awful decorations, and before them by the fire Mr. Champers-Haswell +reclined upon his couch. Alan in a few, brief, soldier-like words had +just informed him of his engagement to Barbara. During the recital of +this interesting fact Barbara said nothing, but Mr. Haswell had whistled +several times. Now at length he spoke, in that tone of forced geniality +which he generally adopted towards his cousin. + +"You are asking for the hand of a considerable heiress, Alan my boy," he +said, "but you have neglected to inform me of your own position." + +"Where is the use of telling you what you know already, Mr. Haswell? I +have left the firm, therefore I have practically nothing." + +"You have practically nothing, and yet----Well, in my young days men +were more delicate, they did not like being called fortune-hunters, but +of course times have changed." + +Alan bit his lip and Barbara sat up quite straight in her chair, +observing which indications, Mr. Haswell went on hurriedly: + +"Now if you had stopped in the firm and earned the very handsome +competence in a small way which would have become due to you this week, +instead of throwing us over at the last moment for some quixotic reasons +of your own, it might have been a different matter. I do not say it +would have been, I say it might have been, and you may remember a +proverb about winks and nods and blind horses. So I ask you whether you +are inclined to withdraw that resignation of yours and bring up this +question again let us say, next Sunday?" + +Alan thought a while before he answered. As he understood Mr. Haswell +practically was promising to assent to the engagement upon these terms. +The temptation was enormously great, the fiercest that he had ever been +called upon to face. He looked at Barbara. She had closed her eyes and +made absolutely no sign. For some reason of her own she had elected that +he should determine this vital point without the slightest assistance +from her. And it must be determined at once; procrastination was +impossible. For a moment he hesitated. On the one side was Barbara, on +the other his conscience. After long doubts he had come to a certain +conclusion which he quite understood to be inconvenient to his partners. +Should he throw it over now? Should he even try to make a sure and +certain bargain as the price of his surrender? Probably he would +not suffer if he did. The flotation was underwritten and bound to go +through; the scandal would come afterwards, months or years hence, long +before which he might get out, as most of the others meant to do. No, he +could not. His conscience was too much for him. + +"I do not see any use in reconsidering that question, Mr. Haswell," he +said quietly; "we settled it on Friday night." + +Barbara reopened her brown eyes and stared amiably at the painted +ceiling, and Mr. Haswell whistled. + +"Then I am afraid," he said, "that I do not see any use in discussing +your kind proposal for my niece's hand. Listen--I will be quite open +with you. I have other views for Barbara, and as it happens I have the +power to enforce them, or at any rate to prevent their frustration by +you. If Barbara marries against my will before she is five and twenty, +that is within the next two years, her entire fortune, with the +exception of a pittance, goes elsewhere. This I am sure is a fact that +will influence you, who have nothing and even if it did not, I presume +that you are scarcely so selfish as to wish to beggar her." + +"No," answered Alan, "you need not fear that, for it would be wrong. I +understand that you absolutely refuse to sanction my suit on the ground +of my poverty, which under the circumstances is perhaps not wonderful. +Well, the only thing to do is to wait for two years, a long time, but +not endless, and meanwhile I can try to better my position." + +"Do what you will, Alan," said Mr. Haswell harshly, for now all his +_faux bonhomme_ manner had gone, leaving him revealed in his true +character of an unscrupulous tradesman with dark ends of his own to +serve. "Do what you will, but understand that I forbid all communication +between you and my niece, and that the sooner you cease to trespass upon +a hospitality which you have abused, the better I shall be pleased." + +"I will go at once," said Alan, rising, "before my temper gets the +better of me and I tell you some truths that I might regret, for after +all you are Barbara's uncle. But on your part I ask you to understand +that I refuse to cut off from my cousin, who is of full age and has +promised to be my wife," and he turned to go. + +"Stop a minute, Alan," said Barbara, who all this while had sat silent. +"I have something to say which I wish you to hear. You told us just now, +uncle, that you have other views for me, by which you meant that you +wish me to marry Sir Robert Aylward, whom, as you are probably aware, I +refused definitely this afternoon. Now I wish to make it clear at once +that no earthly power will induce me to take as a husband a man whom I +dislike, and whose wealth, of which you think so much, has in my opinion +been dishonestly acquired." + +"What are you saying?" broke in her uncle furiously. "He has been my +partner for years, you are reflecting upon me." + +"I am sorry, uncle, but I withdraw nothing. Even if Alan here were dead, +I would not marry that man, and perhaps you will make him understand +this," she added with emphasis. "Indeed I had sooner die myself. You +told us also that if I marry against your will, you can take away all +the property that my father left to me. Uncle, I shall not give you that +satisfaction. I shall wait until I am twenty-five and do what I please +with myself and my fortune. Lastly, you said that you forbade us to see +each other or to correspond. I answer that I shall both write to and see +Alan as often as I like. If you attempt to prevent me from doing so, +I shall go to the Court of Chancery, lay all the facts before it, as I +have been advised that I can do--not by Alan--please remember, _all_ the +facts, and ask for its protection and for a separate maintenance out of +my estate until I am twenty-five. I am sure that the Court would grant +me this and would declare that considering his distinguished family and +record Alan is a perfectly proper person to be my affianced husband. I +think that is all I have to say." + +"All you have to say!" gasped Mr. Haswell, "all you have to say, you +impertinent and ungrateful minx!" Then he fell into a furious fit of +rage and in language that need not be repeated, poured a stream of +threats and abuse upon Alan and herself. Barbara waited until he ceased +from exhaustion. + +"Uncle," she said, "you should remember that your heart is weak and +you must not overexcite yourself, also when you are calmer, that if you +speak to me like that again, I shall go to the Court at once, for I will +not be sworn at by you or by any other man. I apologize to you, Alan; +I am afraid I have brought you into strange company. Come, my dear, +we will go and order your dogcart," and putting her arm affectionately +through his, she went with him from the room. + +"I wonder who put her up to all this?" gasped Haswell, as the door +closed behind them. "Some infernal lawyer, I'll be bound. Well, she has +got the whip hand of me, and I can't face an investigation in Chancery, +especially as the only thing against Vernon is that the value of his +land has fallen. But I swear that she shall never marry him while I +live," he ended in a kind of shout and the domed and painted ceiling +echoed back his words--"_while I live_" after which the room was silent, +save for the heavy thumping of his heart. + + + +When Alan reached home that night after his ten-mile drive he sent +Jeekie to tell the housekeeper to find him some food. In his mysterious +African fashion the negro had already collected much intelligence as +to the events of the day, mostly in the servants' hall, and more +particularly from the two golf-caddies, sons of one of the gardeners, +who it seemed instead of retiring with the clubs, had taken shelter in +some tall whins and thence followed the interview between Barbara and +Sir Robert with the intensest interest. Reflecting that this was not +the time to satisfy his burning curiosity, Jeekie went and in due course +returned with some cold mutton and a bottle of claret. Then came his +chance, for Alan could scarcely touch the mutton and demanded toast and +butter. + +"Very inferior chop"--that was his West African word for food--"for a +gentleman, Major," he said, shaking his white head sympathetically and +pointing to the mutton,--"specially when he has unexpectedly departed +from magnificent eating of The Court. Why did you not wait till after +dinner, Major, before retiring?" + +Alan laughed at the man's inflated English, and answered in a more +nervous and colloquial style: + +"Because I was kicked out, Jeekie." + +"Ah! I gathered that kicking was in the wind, Major. Sir Robert Aylward, +Bart., he also was kicked out, but by smaller toe." + +Again Alan laughed and, as it was a relief to talk even to Jeekie, asked +him: + +"How do you know that?" + +"I gathered it out of atmosphere, Major; from Sir Robert's gentleman, +from two youths who watch Sir Robert and Miss Barbara talking upon golf +green No. 9, from the machine driver of Sir Robert whose eyes he damn in +public, and last but not least from his own noble countenance." + +"I see that you are observant, Jeekie." + +"Observation, Major, it is art of life. I see Miss Barbara's eyes +red like morning sky and I deduct. I see you shot out and gloomy like +evening cloud, and I deduct. I listen at door of Mr. Haswell's room, +I hear him curse and swear like holy saint in Book, and you and Miss +Barbara answer him not like saint, though what you speak I cannot hear, +and I deduct. Jeekie deduct this--that you make love to Miss Barbara +in proper gentlemanlike, 'nogamous, Christian fashion such as your late +Reverend Uncle approve, and Miss Barbara, she make love to you with +ten per cent. compound interest, but old gent with whistle, he _not_ +approve; he say, 'Where corresponding cash!' He say 'Noble Sir Robert +have much cash and interested in identical business. I prefer Sir +Robert. Get out, you Cashless.' Often I see this same thing when boy in +West Africa, very common wherever sun shine. I note all these matters +and I deduct--that Jeekie's way and Jeekie seldom wrong." + +Alan laughed for the third time, until the tears ran down his face +indeed. + +"Jeekie," he said, "you are a great rascal----" + +"Yes, yes," interrupted Jeekie, "great rascal. Best thing to be in +this world, Major. Honourable Sir Robert, Bart., M.P., and Mr. +Champers-Haswell, D.L., J.P., they find that out long ago and sit on +top of tree of opulent renown. Jeekie great rascal and therefore have +Savings Bank account--go on, Major." + +"Well, Jeekie, because if you are a rascal you are kind-hearted and +because I believe that you care for me----" + +"Oh! Major," broke in Jeekie again, "that most 'utterably true. Honour +bright I love you, Major, better than anyone on earth, except my late +old woman, now happily dead, gone and forgotten in best oak coffin, L4 +10 without fittings but polished, and perhaps your holy uncle, Reverend +Mr. Austin, also coffined and departed, who saved me from early +extinction in a dark place. Major, I no like graves, I see too much of +them, and can't tell what lie on other side. Though everyone say they +know, Jeekie not quite sure. May be all light and crowns of glory, may +be damp black hole and no way out. But this at least true, that I love +you better, yes, better than Miss Barbara, for love of woman very poor, +uncertain thing, quick come, quick go. Jeekie find that out--often. Yes, +if need be, though death most nasty, if need be I say I die for you, +which great unpleasant sacrifice," and Jeekie in the genuine enthusiasm +of his warm heart, throwing himself upon his knees after the African +fashion, seized his master's hand and kissed it. + +"Thanks, Jeekie," said Alan, "very kind of you, I am sure. But we +haven't come to that yet, though no one knows what may happen later on. +Now sit upon that chair and take a little whisky--not too much--for I am +going to ask your advice." + +"Major," said Jeekie, "I obey," and seizing the whisky bottle in a +casual manner, he poured out half a tumbler full, for Jeekie was fond of +whisky. Indeed before now this taste had brought him into conflict with +the local magistrates. + +"Put back three parts of that," said Alan, and Jeekie did so. "Now," he +went on, "listen: this is the case, Miss Barbara and I are----" and he +hesitated. + +"Oh! I know; like me and Mrs. Jeekie once," said Jeekie, gulping down +some of the neat whisky. "Go on, Major." + +"And Sir Robert Aylward is----" + +"Same thing, Major. Continue." + +"And Mr. Haswell has----" + +"Those facts all ascertained, Major," said Jeekie, contemplating his +glass with a mournful eye. "Now come to the point, Major." + +"Well, the point is, Jeekie, that I am what you called just now +cashless, and therefore----" + +"Therefore," interrupted Jeekie again, "stick fast in honourable +intention towards Miss Barbara owing to obstinate opposition of Mr. +Haswell, legal uncle with control of property fomented by noble Sir +Robert who desire same girl." + +"Quite right, Jeekie, but if you would talk a little less and let me +talk a little more, we might get on better." + +"I henceforth silent, Major," and lifting his empty tumbler Jeekie +looked through it as if it were a telescope, a hint that Alan ignored. + +"Jeekie, you infernal old fool, I want money." + +"Yes, Major, I understand, Major. Forgive me for breaking conspiracy of +silence, but if L500 in Savings Bank any use, very much at your service, +Major; also L20 more extracted last night from terror of wealthy Jew who +fear fetish." + +"Jeekie, you old donkey, I don't want your L500; I want a great deal +more, L50,000 or L500,000. Tell me how to get it." + +"City best place, Major. But you chuck City, too much honest man, great +mistake to be honest in this terrestrial sphere. Often notice that in +West Africa." + +"Perhaps, Jeekie, but I have done with the City. As you would say, for +me it is 'wipe out, finish.'" + +"Yes, Major, too much pickpocket, too much dirt. Bottom always drop out +of bucket shop at last. I understand, end in police court and severe +magistrate, or perhaps even 'Gentlemen of Jury'; etcetera." + +"Well, Jeekie, then what remains? Now last night when you told us that +amazing yarn of yours, you said something about a mountain full of gold, +and houses full of gold, among your people. Jeekie, do you think----" +and he paused, looking at him. + +Jeekie rolled his black eyes round the room and in a fit of +absentmindedness helped himself to some more whisky. + +"Do I think, Major, that this useless lucre could be converted into coin +of gracious King Edward? Not at all, Major, by no one, Major, by no one +whatsoever, except possibly by Major Alan Vernon, D.S.O., and by one, +Jeekie, Christian surname Smith." + +"Proceed, Jeekie," said Alan, removing the whisky bottle, "proceed and +explain." + +"Major, thus: The Asiki tribe care nothing about all that gold, it no +good to them. Dead people who live long, long ago, no one know when, dig +it up and store it there and make the great fetish which they call Bonsa +to keep away enemy who want to steal. Also old custom when any one in +country round find big nugget, or pretty stone, like ladies wear on +bosom, to bring it as offering to Bonsa, so that there now great plenty +of all this stuff. But no one use it for anything except to set on walls +of house of Asiki, or to make basin, stool, table and pot to cook with. +Once Arab come there and I see the priests give him weight in gold for +iron hoe, though afterwards they murder him, not for the gold, but lest +he go away and tell their secret." + +"One might trade with them then, Jeekie?" + +He shook his white head doubtfully. + +"Yes, perhaps, if you can find anything they want buy and can carry it +there. But I think there only one thing they want, and you got that, +Major." + +"I, Jeekie! What have I got?" + +The negro leant forward and tapped his master on the knee, saying in a +portentous whisper: + +"You got Little Bonsa, which much more holy than anything, even than +Big Bonsa her husband, I mean greater, more powerful devil. That Little +Bonsa sit in front room Asika's house, and when she want see things, she +put it in big basin of gold, but I no tell you what it float in. Also +once or twice every year they take out Little Bonsa; Asika wear it on +head as mask, and whoever they meet they kill as offering to Little +Bonsa, so that spirit come back to world to be priest of Bonsa. I tell +you, Major, that Yellow God see many thousand of people die." + +"Indeed," said Alan. "A pleasing fetish truly. I should think that the +Asiki must be glad it is gone." + +"No, not glad, very sorry. No luck for them when Little Bonsa go away, +but plenty luck for those who got her. That why firm Aylward & Haswell +make so much money when you join them and bring her to office. She drop +green in eye of public so they no smell rat. That why you so lucky, not +die of blackwater fever when you should; get safe out of den of thieves +in City with good name; win love of sweet maiden, Miss Barbara. Little +Bonsa do all those things for you, and by and by do plenty more, as +Little Bonsa bring my old master, your holy uncle, safe out of that +country because all the Asiki run away when they see him wear her on +head, for they think she come sacrifice them after she eat up my life." + +"I don't wonder that they ran," said Alan, laughing, for the vision of a +missionary with Little Bonsa on his head caught his fancy. "But come to +the point, you old heathen. What do you mean that I should do?" + +"Jeekie not heathen now, Major, but plenty other things true in this +world, besides Christian religion. I no want you do anything, but I say +this--you go back to Asiki wearing Little Bonsa on head and dressed +like Reverend uncle whom you very like, for he just your age then thirty +years ago, and they give you all the gold you want, if you give them +back Little Bonsa whom they love and worship for ever and ever, for +Little Bonsa very, very old." + +Alan sat up in his chair and stared at Jeekie, while Jeekie nodded his +head at him. + +"There is something in it," he said slowly, speaking more to himself +than to the negro, "and perhaps that is why I would not sell the fetish, +for as you say, there are plenty of true things in the world besides +those which we believe. But, Jeekie, how should I find the way?" + +"No trouble, Major, Little Bonsa find way, want to get back home, very +hungry by now, much need sacrifice. Think it good thing kill pig to +Little Bonsa--or even lamb. She know you do your best, since human being +not to be come at in Christian land, and say 'thank you for life of +pig.'" + +"Stop that rubbish," said Alan. "I want a guide; if I go, will you come +with me?" + +At this suggestion the negro looked exceedingly uncomfortable. + +"Not like to, not like to at all," he said, rolling his eyes. +"Asiki-land very funny place for native-born. But," he added sadly, "if +you go Jeekie must, for I servant of Little Bonsa and if I stay behind, +she angry and kill me because I not attend her where she walk. But +perhaps if I go and take her to Gold House again, she pleased and let me +off. Also I able help you there. Yes, if you and Little Bonsa go, think +I go too." + +After this announcement Jeekie rose and walked down the room, carrying +the cold mutton in his hand. Then he returned, replaced it on the table +and standing in front of Alan, said earnestly: + +"Major, I tell you all truth, just this once. Jeekie believe he _got_ +go with you to Asiki-land. Jeekie have plenty bad dream lately, Little +Bonsa come in middle of the night and sit on his stomach and scratch his +face with her gold leg, and say, 'Jeekie, Jeekie, you son of Bonsa, you +get up quick and take me back Bonsa Town, for I darned tired of City fog +and finished all I come here to do. Now I want jolly good sacrifice and +got plenty business attend to there at home, things you not understand +just yet. You take me back sharp, or I make you sit up, Jeekie, my +boy;'" and he paused. + +"Indeed," said Alan; "and did she tell you anything else in her midnight +visitations?" + +"Yes, Major. She say, 'You take that white master of yours along also, +for I want come back Asiki-land on his head, and someone wish see him +there, old pal, what he forget but what not forget him. You tell him +Little Bonsa got score she wants settle with that party and wish use him +to square account. You tell him too that she pay him well for trip; he +lose nothing if he play her game 'cause she got no score against him. +But if he not go, that another matter, then he look out, for Little +Bonsa very nasty customer if she riled, as his late partners find out +one day.'" + +"Oh! shut up, Jeekie. What's the use of wasting time telling me your +nightmares?" + +"Very well, Major, just as you like, Major. But I got other reasons why +I willing go. Jeekie want see his ma." + +"Your ma? I never heard you had a ma. Besides she must be dead long +ago." + +"No, Major, 'cause she turn up in dream too, very much alive, swear at +me 'cause I bag her blanket. Also she tough old woman, take lot kill +her." + +"Perhaps you have a pa too," suggested Alan. + +"Think not, Major, my ma always say she forget him. What she mean, +she not like talk about him, he such a swell. Why Jeekie so strong, so +clever and with such beautiful face? No doubt because he is son of +very great man. All this true reason why he want to go with you, Major. +Still, p'raps poor old Jeekie make mistake, p'raps he dream 'cause he +eat too much supper, p'raps his ma dead, after all. If so, p'raps better +stay at home--not know." + +"No," answered Alan, "not know. What between Little Bonsa and one thing +and another my head is swimming--like Little Bonsa in the water." + +"Big Bonsa swim in water," interrupted Jeekie. "Little Bonsa swim in +gold tub." + +"Well, Big Bonsa, or Little Bonsa, I don't care which. I'm going to bed +and you had better clear away these things and do the same. But, Jeekie, +if you say a word of our talk to anyone, I shall be very angry. Do you +understand?" + +"Yes, Major, I understand. I understand that if I tell secrets of Little +Bonsa to anyone except you with whom she live in strange land far away +from home, Little Bonsa come at me like one lion, and cut my throat. +No fear Jeekie split on Little Bonsa, oh! no fear at all," and still +shaking his head solemnly, for the second time he seized the cold mutton +and vanished from the room. + +"A farrago of superstitious nonsense," thought Alan to himself when +he had gone. "But still there may be something to be made out of it. +Evidently there is lots of gold in this Asiki country, if only one can +persuade the people to deal." + +Then weary of Jeekie and his tribal gods, Alan lit his pipe and sat a +while thinking of Barbara and all the events of that tumultuous +day. Notwithstanding his rebuff at the hands of Mr. Haswell and the +difficulties and dangers which threatened, he felt even then that it had +been a happy and a fortunate day. For had he not discovered that Barbara +loved him with all her heart and soul as he loved Barbara? And as this +was so, he did not care a--Little Bonsa about anything else. The future +must look to itself, sufficient to the day was the abiding joy thereof. + +So he went to bed and for a while to sleep, but he did not sleep very +long, for presently he fell to dreaming, something about Big Bonsa and +Little Bonsa which sat, or rather floated on either side of his couch +and held an interminable conversation over him, while Jeekie and Sir +Robert Aylward, perched respectively at its head and its foot, like the +symbols of the good and evil genii on a Mahommedan tomb, acted as a kind +of insane chorus. He struck his repeater, it was only one o'clock, so he +tried to go to sleep again, but failed utterly. Never had he been more +painfully awake. + +For an hour or more Alan persevered, then at last in despair he jumped +out of bed wondering what he could do to occupy his mind. Suddenly he +remembered the diary of his uncle, the Rev. Mr. Austin, which he had +inherited with the Yellow God and a few other possessions, but never +examined. They had been put away in a box in the library about fifteen +years before, just at the time he entered the army, and there doubtless +they remained. Well, as he could not sleep, why should he not examine +them now, and thus get through some of this weary night? + +He lit a candle and went down to the library, an ancient and beautiful +apartment with black oak panelling between the bookcases, set there in +the time of Elizabeth. In this panelling there were cupboards, and in +one of the cupboards was the box he sought, made of teak wood. On its +lid was painted, "The Reverend Henry Austin. Passenger to Acra," showing +that it had once been his uncle's cabin box. The key hung from the +handle, and having lit more candles, Alan drew it out and unlocked it, +to be greeted by a smell of musty documents done up in great bundles. +One by one he placed them on the floor. It was a dreary occupation alone +there in that great, silent room at the dead of night, one indeed with +which he was soon satisfied, for somehow it reminded him of rifling +coffins in a vault. Before him so carefully put away lay the records of +a good if not a distinguished life, and until this moment he had never +found the energy even to look through them. + +At length he came to the end of the bundles and saw that beneath lay +a number of manuscript books packed closely with their backs upwards, +marked--"Journal"--and with the year and sometimes the place of the +author's residence. As he glanced at them in dismay, for they were many, +his eye caught the title of one inscribed--as were several others--"West +Africa," and written in brackets beneath--"This vol. contains all +that is left of the notes of my escape with Jeekie from the Asiki +Devil-worshippers." + +Alan drew it out, and having refilled and closed the box, bore it off to +his room, where he proceeded to read it in bed. As a matter of fact he +found that there was not very much to read, for the reason that most +of the closely-written volume had been so damaged by water, that the +pencilled writing had run and become utterly illegible. The centre +pages, however, not having been soaked, could still be deciphered, at +any rate in part, also there was a large manuscript map, executed in +ink, apparently at a later date, on the back of which was written: "I +purpose, D.V., to re-write at some convenient time all the history of my +visit to the unknown Asiki people, as my original notes were practically +destroyed when the canoe overset in the rapids and most of our few +possessions were lost, except this book and the gold fetish mask which +is called Little Bonsa or Small Swimming Head. This I think I can +do with the aid of Jeekie from memory, but as the matter has only a +personal and no religious interest, seeing that I was not able even to +preach the Word among those benighted and blood-thirsty savages in +whose country, as I verily believe, the Devil has one of his principal +habitations, it must stand over till a convenient season, such as the +time of old age or sickness. H.A." + +"P.S. I ought to add with gratitude that even out of this hell fire I +was enabled to snatch one brand from the burning, namely, the negro +lad, Jeekie, to whose extraordinary resource and faithfulness I owe +my escape. After a long hesitation I have been able to baptize him, +although I fear that the taint of heathenism still clings to him. Thus +not six months ago I caught him sacrificing a white cock to the image, +Little Bonsa, in gratitude, as to my horror he explained, for my having +been appointed an Honorary Canon of the Cathedral. I have told him to +take that ugly mask which has been so often soaked in human blood, and +melt it down over the kitchen stove, after picking out the gems in the +eyes, that the proceeds may be given to the poor. _Note._ I had better +see to this myself, as where Little Bonsa is concerned, Jeekie is not to +be trusted. He says (with some excuse) that it has magic, and that if +he melts it down, he will melt down too, and so shall I. How dark and +ridiculous are the superstitions of the heathen! Perhaps, however, +instead of destroying the thing, which is certainly unique, I might sell +it to a museum, and thus spare the feelings of that weak vessel, Jeekie, +who otherwise would very likely take it into his head to waste away and +die, as these Africans do when their nerves are affected by terror of +their fetish." + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE DIARY + +Reflecting that time evidently had made little change in Jeekie, Alan +studied this route map with care, and found that it started from Old +Calabar, in the Bight of Biafra, on the west coast of Africa, whence it +ran up to the Great Qua River, which it followed for a long way. Then it +struck across country marked "dense forest," northwards, and came to a +river called Katsena, along the banks of which the route went eastwards. +Thence it turned northward again through swamps, and ended in mountains +called Shaku. In the middle of these mountains was written "Asiki People +live here on Raaba River." + +The map was roughly drawn to scale, and Alan, who was an engineer +accustomed to such things, easily calculated that the distance of this +Raaba River from Old Calabar was about 350 miles as the crow flies, +though probably the actual route to be travelled was nearer five hundred +miles. + +Having mastered the map, he opened the water-soaked diary. Turning page +after page, only here and there could he make out a sentence, such as +"so I defied that beautiful but terrific woman. I, a Christian minister, +the husband of a heathen priestess! Perish the thought. Sooner would I +be sacrificed to Bonsa." + +Then came more illegible pages and again a paragraph that could be +read--"They gave me 'The Bean' in a gold cup, and knowing its deadly +nature I prepared myself for death. But happily for me my stomach, +always delicate, rejected it at once, though I felt queer for days +afterwards. Whereon they clapped their hands and said I was evidently +innocent and a great medicine man." + +And again, further on--"never did I see so much gold whether in dust, +nuggets, or worked articles. I imagine it must be worth millions, but +at that time gold was the last thing with which I wished to trouble +myself." + +After this entry many pages were utterly effaced. + +The last legible passage ran as follows--"So guided by the lad Jeekie, +and wearing the gold mask, Little Bonsa, on my head, I ran through +them all, holding him by the hand as though I were dragging him away. +A strange spectacle I must have been with my old black clergyman's coat +buttoned about me, my naked legs and the gold mask, as pretending to be +a devil such as they worship, I rushed through them in the moonlight, +blowing the whistle in the mask and bellowing like a bull. . . . Such +was the beginning of my dreadful six months' journey to the coast. +Setting aside the mercy of Providence that preserved me for its own +purposes, I could never have lived to reach it had it not been for +Little Bonsa, since curiously enough I found this fetish known and +dreaded for hundreds of miles, and that by people who had never seen it, +yes, even by the wild cannibals. Whenever it was produced food, bearers, +canoes, or whatever else I might want were forthcoming as though by +magic. Great is the fame of Big and Little Bonsa in all that part of +West Africa, although, strange as it may seem, the outlying tribes +seldom mention them by name. If they must speak of either of these +images which are supposed to be man and wife, they call it the +'Yellow-God-who-lives-yonder.'" + +Not another word of all this strange history could Alan decipher, so +with aching eyes he shut up the stained and tattered volume, and at +last, just as the day was breaking, fell asleep. + +At eleven o'clock on that same morning, for he had slept late, Alan rose +from his breakfast and went to smoke his pipe at the open door of the +beautiful old hall in Yarleys that was clad with brown Elizabethan +oak for which any dealer would have given hundreds of pounds. It was a +charming morning, one of those that comes to us sometimes in an English +April when the air is soft like that of Italy and the smell of the earth +rises like that of incense, and little clouds float idly across a sky +of tender blue. Standing thus he looked out upon the park where the elms +already showed a tinge of green and the ash-buds were coal black. Only +the walnuts and the great oaks, some of them pollards of a thousand +years of age, remained stark and stern in their winter dress. + +Alan was in a reflective mood and involuntarily began to wonder how many +of his forefathers had stood in that same spot upon such April mornings +and looked out upon those identical trees wakening in the breath of +spring. Only the trees and the landscape knew, those trees which had +seen every one of them borne to baptism, to bridal and to burial. The +men and women themselves were forgotten. Their portraits, each in the +garb of his or her generation, hung here and there upon the walls of the +ancient house which once they had owned or inhabited, but who remembered +anything of them to-day? In many cases their names even were lost, for +believing that they, so important in their time, could never sink into +oblivion, they had not thought it necessary to record them upon their +pictures. + +And now the thing was coming to an end. Unless in this way or in that +he could save it, what remained of the old place, for the outlying lands +had long since been sold, must go to the hammer and become the property +of some pushing and successful person who desired to found a family, and +perhaps in days to be would claim these very pictures that hung upon the +walls as those of his own ancestors, declaring that he had brought in +the estate because he was a relative of the ancient and ruined race. + +Well, it was the way of the world, and perhaps it must be so, but the +thought of it made Alan Vernon sad. If he could have continued that +business, it might have been otherwise. By this hour his late partners, +Sir Robert Aylward and Mr. Champers-Haswell, were doubtless sitting in +their granite office in the City, probably in consultation with Lord +Specton, who had taken his place upon the Board of the great Company +which was being subscribed that day. No doubt applications for shares +were pouring in by the early posts and by telegram, and from time to +time Mr. Jeffreys respectfully reported their number and amount, while +Sir Robert looked unconcerned and Mr. Haswell rubbed his hands and +whistled cheerfully. Almost he could envy them, these men who were +realizing great fortunes amidst the bustle and excitement of that fierce +financial life, whilst he stood penniless and stared at the trees and +the ewes which wandered among them with their lambs, he who, after all +his work, was but a failure. With a sigh he turned away to fetch his +cap and go out walking--there was a tenant whom he must see, a shifty, +new-fangled kind of man who was always clamouring for fresh buildings +and reductions in his rent. How was he to pay for more buildings? He +must put him off, or let him go. + +Just then a sharp sound caught his ear, that of an electric bell. It +came from the telephone which, since he had been a member of a City +firm, he had caused to be put into Yarleys at considerable expense in +order that he might be able to communicate with the office in London. +"Were they calling him up from force of habit?" he wondered. He went to +the instrument which was fixed in a little room he used as a study, and +took down the receiver. + +"Who is it?" he asked. "I am Yarleys. Alan Vernon." + +"And I am Barbara," came the answer. "How are you, dear? Did you sleep +well?" + +"No, very badly." + +"Nerves--Alan, you have got nerves. Now although I had a worse day than +you did, I went to bed at nine, and protected by a perfect conscience, +slumbered till nine this morning, exactly twelve hours. Isn't it clever +of me to think of this telephone, which is more than you would ever have +done? My uncle has departed to London vowing that no letter from you +shall enter this house, but he forgot that there is a telephone in +every room, and in fact at this moment I am speaking round by his +office within a yard or two of his head. However, he can't hear, so that +doesn't matter. My blessing be on the man who invented telephones, +which hitherto I have always thought an awful nuisance. Are you feeling +cheerful, Alan?" + +"Very much the reverse," he answered; "never was more gloomy in my life, +not even when I thought I had to die within six hours of blackwater +fever. Also I have lots that I want to talk to you about and I can't do +it at the end of this confounded wire that your uncle may be tapping." + +"I thought it might be so," answered Barbara, "so I just rang you up to +wish you good-morning and to say that I am coming over in the motor to +lunch with my maid Snell as chaperone. All right, don't remonstrate, I +_am coming_ over to lunch--I can't hear you--never mind what people +will say. I am coming over to lunch at one o'clock, mind you are in. +Good-bye, I don't want much to eat, but have something for Snell and the +chauffeur. Good-bye." + +Then the wire went dead, nor could all Alan's "Hello's" and "Are you +there's?" extract another syllable. + +Having ordered the best luncheon that his old housekeeper could provide +Alan went off for his walk in much better spirits, which were further +improved by his success in persuading the tenant to do without the new +buildings for another year. In a year, he reflected, anything might +happen. Then he returned by the wood where a number of new-felled oaks +lay ready for barking. This was not a cheerful sight; it seemed so cruel +to kill the great trees just as they were pushing their buds for another +summer of life. But he consoled himself by recalling that they had been +too crowded and that the timber was really needed on the estate. As he +reached the house again carrying a bunch of white violets which he +had plucked in a sheltered place for Barbara, he perceived a motor +travelling at much more than the legal speed up the walnut avenue which +was the pride of the place. In it sat that young lady herself, and her +maid, Snell, a middle-aged woman with whom, as it chanced, he was on +very good terms, as once, at some trouble to himself, he had been able +to do her a kindness. + +The motor pulled up at the front door and out of it sprang Barbara, +laughing pleasantly and looking fresh and charming as the spring itself. + +"There will be a row over this, dear," said Alan, shaking his head +doubtfully when at last they were alone together in the hall. + +"Of course, there'll be a row," she answered. "I mean that there should +be a row. I mean to have a row every day if necessary, until they leave +me alone to follow my own road, and if they won't, as I said, to go to +the Court of Chancery for protection. Oh! by the way, I have brought +you a copy of _The Judge_. There's a most awful article in it about that +Sahara flotation, and among other things it announces that you have left +the firm and congratulates you upon having done so." + +"They'll think I have put it in," groaned Alan as he glanced at the head +lines, which were almost libellous in their vigour, and the summaries +of the financial careers of Sir Robert Aylward and Mr. Champers-Haswell. +"It will make them hate me more than ever, and I say, Barbara, we can't +live in an atmosphere of perpetual warfare for the next two years." + +"I can, if need be," answered that determined young woman. "But I admit +that it would be trying for you, if you stay here." + +"That's just the point, Barbara. I must not stay here, I must go away, +the further the better, until you are your own mistress." + +"Where to, Alan?" + +"To West Africa, I think." + +"To West Africa?" repeated Barbara, her voice trembling a little. "After +that treasure, Alan?" + +"Yes, Barbara. But first come and have your lunch, then we will talk. I +have got lots to tell and show you." + +So they lunched, speaking of indifferent things, for the servant was +there waiting on them. Just as they were finishing their meal Jeekie +entered the room carrying a box and a large envelope addressed to his +master, which he said had been sent by special messenger from the office +in London. + +"What's in the box?" asked Alan, looking somewhat nervously at the +envelope, which was addressed in a writing that he knew. + +"Don't know for certain, Major," answered Jeekie, "but think Little +Bonsa; think I smell her through wood." + +"Well, look and see," replied Alan, while he broke the seal of the +envelope and drew out its contents. They proved to be sundry documents +sent by the firm's lawyers, among which were a notice of the formal +dissolution of partnership to be approved by him before it appeared +in the _Gazette_, a second notice calling in a mortgage for fifteen +thousand and odd pounds on Yarleys, which as a matter of business had +been taken over by the firm while he was a partner; a cash account +showing a small balance against him, and finally a receipt for him to +sign acknowledging the return of the gold image that was his property. + +"You see," said Alan with a sigh, pushing over the papers to Barbara, +who read them carefully one by one. + +"I see," she answered presently. "It is war to the knife. Alan, I hate +the idea of it, but perhaps you had better go away. While you are here +they will harass the life out of you." + +Meanwhile with the aid of a big jack-knife and the dining-room poker, +Jeekie had prized off the lid of the box. Chancing to look round Barbara +saw him on his knees muttering something in a strange tongue, and bowing +his white head until it touched an object that lay within the box. + +"What are you doing, Jeekie?" she asked. + +"Make bow to Little Bonsa, Miss Barbara, tell her how glad I am see her +come back from town. She like feel welcome. Now you come bow too, Little +Bonsa take that as compliment." + +"I won't bow, but I will look, Jeekie, for although I have heard so much +about it I have never really examined this Yellow God." + +"Very good, you come look, miss," and Jeekie propped up the case upon +the end of the dining-room table. As from its height and position she +could not see its contents very well whilst standing above it, Barbara +knelt down to get a better view of it. + +"My goodness!" she exclaimed, "what a terrible face, beautiful too in +its way." + +Hardly had the words left her lips when for some reason unexplained that +probably had to do with the shifting of the centre of gravity, Little +Bonsa appeared to glide or fall out of her box with a startling +suddenness, and project herself straight at Barbara, who, with a faint +scream, fearing lest the precious thing should be injured, caught it in +her arms and for a moment hugged it to her breast. + +"Saved!" she exclaimed, recovering herself and placing it on the table, +whereon Jeekie, to their astonishment, began to execute a kind of war +dance. + +"Oh! yes," he said, "saved, very much saved. All saved, most magnificent +omen. Lady kneel to Little Bonsa and Little Bonsa nip out of box, make +bow and jump in lady's arms. That splendid, first-class luck, for miss +and everybody. When Little Bonsa do that need fear nothing no more. All +come right as rain." + +"Nonsense," said Barbara, laughing. Then from a cautious distance she +continued her examination of the fetish. + +"See," said Jeekie, pointing to the misshapen little gold legs which +were yet so designed that it could be stood up upon them, "when anyone +wear Little Bonsa, tie her on head behind by these legs; look, here same +old leather string. Now I put her on, for she like to be worn +again," and with a quick movement he clapped the mask on to his face, +manipulated the greasy black leather thongs and made them fast. Thus +adorned the great negro looked no less than terrific. + +"I see you, miss," he said, turning the fixed eyes of opal-like stone, +bloodshot with little rubites, upon Barbara, "I see you, though you no +see me, for these eyes made very cunning. But listen, you hear me," +and suddenly from the mask, produced by some contrivance set within it, +there proceeded an awful, howling sound that made her shiver. + +"Take that thing off, Jeekie," said Alan, "we don't want any banshees +here." + +"Banshees? Not know him, he poor English fetish p'raps," said Jeekie, as +he removed the mask. "This real African god, howl banshee and all that +sort into middle of next week. This Little Bonsa and no mistake, ten +thousand years old and more, eat up lives, so many that no one can +count them, and go on eating for ever, yes unto the third and fourth +generation, as Ten Commandments lay it down for benefit of Christian +man, like me. Look at her again, Miss Barbara." + +Miss Barbara took the hateful, ancient thing in her hands and studied +it. No one could doubt its antiquity, for the gold plate of which it was +made was literally worn away wherever it had touched the foreheads of +the high priests or priestesses who donned it upon festive occasions or +days of sacrifice, showing that hundreds and hundreds of them must have +used it thus in succession. So was the vocal apparatus within the mouth, +and so were the little toad-like feet upon which it was stood up. Also +the substance of the gold itself as here and there pitted as though with +acid or salts, though what those salts were she did not inquire. +And yet, so consummate was the art with which it had originally been +fashioned, that the battered beautiful face of Little Bonsa still peered +at them with the same devilish smile that it had worn when it left the +hands of its maker, perhaps before Mohammed preached his holy war, or +even earlier. + +"What is all that writing on the back of it?" asked Barbara, pointing to +the long lines of rune-like characters which were inscribed within it. + +"Not know, miss, think they dead tongue cut in the beginning when black +men could write. But Asiki priests swear they remember every one of +them, and that why no one can copy Little Bonsa, for they look inside +and see if marks all right. They say they names of those who died for +Little Bonsa, and when they all done, Little Bonsa begin again, for +Little Bonsa never die. But p'raps priests lie." + +"I daresay," said Barbara, "but take Little Bonsa away, for however +lucky she may be, she makes me feel sick." + +"Where I put her, Major?" asked Jeekie of Alan. "In box in library where +she used to live, or in plate-safe with spoons? Or under your bed where +she always keep eye on you?" + +"Oh! put her with the spoons," said Alan angrily, and Jeekie departed +with his treasure. + +"I think, dear," remarked Barbara as the door closed behind him, "that +if I come to lunch here any more, I shall bring my own christening +present with me, for I can't eat off silver that has been shut up with +that thing. Now let us get to business--show me the diary and the map." + +"Dearest Alan," wrote Barbara from The Court two days later, "I have +been thinking everything over, and since you are so set upon it, +I suppose that you had better go. To me the whole adventure seems +perfectly mad, but at the same time I believe in our luck, or rather in +the Providence which watches over us, and I don't believe that you, or I +either, will come to any harm. If you stop here, you will only eat +your heart out and communication between us must become increasingly +difficult. My uncle is furious with you, and since he discovered that we +were talking over the telephone, to his own great inconvenience he has +had the wires cut outside the house. That horrid letter of his to +you saying that you had 'compromised' me in pursuance of a 'mercenary +scheme' is all part and parcel of the same thing. How are you to stop +here and submit to such insults? I went to see my friend the lawyer, and +he tells me that of course we can marry if we like, but in that case my +father's will, which he has consulted at Somerset House, is absolutely +definite, and if I do so in opposition to my uncle's wishes, I must lose +everything except L200 a year. Now I am no money-grubber, but I will not +give my uncle the satisfaction of robbing me of my fortune, which may +be useful to both of us by and by. The lawyer says also that he does not +think that the Court of Chancery would interfere, having no power to do +so as far as the will is concerned, and not being able to make a ward +of a person like myself who is over age and has the protection of the +common law of the country. So it seems to me that the only thing to do +is to be patient, and wait until time unties the knot. + +"Meanwhile, if you can make some money in Africa, so much the better. +So go, Alan, go as soon as you like, for I do not wish to prolong this +agony, or to see you exposed daily to all you have to bear. Whenever you +return you will find me waiting for you, and if you do not return, still +I shall wait, as you in like circumstances will wait for me. But I think +you will return." + +Then followed much that need not be written, and at the end a postscript +which ran: + +"I am glad to hear that you have succeeded in shifting the mortgage on +Yarleys, although the interest is so high. Write to me whenever you get +a chance, to the care of the lawyer, for then the letters will reach me, +but never to this house, or they may be stopped. I will do the same to +you to the address you give. Good-bye, dearest Alan, my true and only +lover. I wonder where and when we shall meet again. God be with us both +and enable us to bear our trial. + +"P.P.S. I hear that the Sahara flotation was _really_ a success, +notwithstanding the _Judge_ attacks. Sir Robert and my uncle have made +millions. I wonder how long they will keep them." + +A week after he received this letter Alan was on the seas heading for +the shores of Western Africa. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE DWARF FOLK + +It was dawn at last. All night it had rained as it can rain in West +Africa, falling on the wide river with a hissing splash, sullen and +continuous. Now, towards morning, the rain had ceased and everywhere +rose a soft and pearly mist that clung to the face of the waters and +seemed to entangle itself like strands of wool among the branches of +the bordering trees. On the bank of the river at a spot that had been +cleared of bush, stood a tent, and out of this tent emerged a white man +wearing a sun helmet and grey flannel shirt and trousers. It was Alan +Vernon, who in these surroundings looked larger and more commanding than +he had done at the London office, or even in his own house of Yarleys. +Perhaps the moustache and short brown beard which he had grown, or +his skin, already altered and tanned by the tropics, had changed his +appearance for the better. At any rate it was changed. So were his +manner and bearing, whereof all the diffidence had gone. Now they were +those of a man accustomed to command who found himself in his right +place. + +"Jeekie," he called, "wake up those fellows and come and light the +oil-stove. I want my coffee." + +Thereon a deep voice was heard speaking in some native tongue and +saying: + +"Cease your snoring, you black dogs, and arouse yourselves, for your +lord calls you," an invocation that was followed by the sound of kicks, +thumps, and muttered curses. + +A minute or two later Jeekie himself appeared, and he also was much +changed in appearance, for now instead of his smart, European clothes, +he wore a white robe and sandals that gave him an air at once dignified +and patriarchal. + +"Good-morning, Major," he said cheerfully. "I hope you sleep well, +Major, in this low-lying and accursed situation, which is more than we +do in boat that half full of water, to say nothing of smell of black man +and prevalent mosquito. But the rain it over and gone, and presently the +sun shine out, so might be much worse, no cause at all complain." + +"I don't know," answered Alan, with a shiver. "I believe that I am fever +proof, but otherwise I should have caught it last night, and--just give +me the quinine, I will take five grains for luck." + +"Yes, yes, for luck," answered Jeekie as he opened the medicine chest +and found the quinine, at the same time glancing anxiously out of the +corner of his eye at his master's face, for he knew that the spot where +they had slept was deadly to white men at this season of the year. "You +not catch fever, Little Bonsa," here he dropped his voice and looked +down at the box which had served Alan for a pillow, "see to that. But +quinine give you appetite for breakfast. Very good chop this morning. +Which you like best? Cold ven'son, or fish, or one of them ducks you +shoot yesterday?" + +"Oh! some of the cold meat, I think. Give the ducks to the boatmen, I +don't fancy them in this hot place. By the way, Jeekie, we leave the Qua +River here, don't we?" + +"Yes, yes, Major, just here. I 'member spot well, for your uncle he pray +on it one whole hour; I pretend pray too, but in heart give thanks +to Little Bonsa, for heathen in those days, quite different now. This +morning we begin walk through forest where it rather dark and cool +and comfortable, that is if we no see dwarf people from whom good Lord +deliver us," and he bowed towards the box containing Little Bonsa. + +"Will those four porters come with us through the forest, Jeekie, as +they promised?" + +"Yes, yes, they come. Last night they say they not come, too much afraid +of dwarf. But I settle their hash. I tell them I save up bits of their +hair and toe nails when they no thinking, and I mix it with medicine, +and if they not come, they die every one before they get home. They +think me great doctor and they believe. Perhaps they die if they go on. +If so, I tell them that because they want show white feather, and they +think me greater doctor still. Oh! they come, they come, no fear, or +else Jeekie know reason why. Now, here coffee, Major. Drink him hot +before you go take tub, but keep in shallow water, because crocodile he +very early riser." + +Alan laughed, and departed to "take tub." Notwithstanding the mosquitoes +that buzzed round him in clouds, the water was cool and pleasant by +comparison with the hot, sticky air, and the feel of it seemed to rid +him of the languor resulting from his disturbed night. + +A month had passed since he had left Old Calabar, and owing to the +incessant rains the journeying had been hard. Indeed the white men there +thought that he was mad to attempt to go up the river at this season. +Of course he had said nothing to them of the objects of his expedition, +hinting only that he wished to explore and shoot, and perhaps prospect +for mines. But knowing as they did, that he was an Engineer officer with +a good record and much African experience, they soon made up their minds +that he had been sent by Government upon some secret mission that for +reasons of his own he preferred to keep to himself. This conclusion, +which Jeekie zealously fostered behind his back, in fact did Alan a good +turn, since owing to it he obtained boatmen and servants at a season +when, had he been supposed to be but a private person, these would +scarcely have been forthcoming at any price. Hitherto his journey had +been one long record of mud, mosquitoes, and misery, but otherwise +devoid of incident, except the eating of one of his boatmen by a +crocodile which was a particularly "early riser," for it had pulled +the poor fellow out of the canoe in which he lay asleep at night. Now, +however, the real dangers were about to begin, since at this spot he +left the great river and started forward through the forest on foot with +Jeekie and the four bearers whom he had paid highly to accompany him. + +He could not conceal from himself that the undertaking seemed somewhat +desperate. But of this he said nothing in the long letter he had written +to Barbara on the previous night, sighing as he sealed it, at the +thought that it might well be the last which would ever reach her from +him, even if the boatmen got safely back to Calabar and remembered to +put it in the post. The enterprise had been begun and must be carried +through, until it ended in success--or death. + +An hour later they started. First walked Alan as leader of the +expedition, carrying a double-barrelled gun that could be used either +for ball or shot, about fifty cartridges with brass cases to protect +them from the damp, a revolver, a hunting-knife, a cloth mackintosh, and +lastly, strapped upon his back like a knapsack, a tin box containing +the fetish, Little Bonsa, which was too precious to be trusted to anyone +else. It was quite a sufficient load for any white man in that climate, +but being very wiry, Alan did not feel its weight, at any rate at first. + +After him in single file came the four porters, laden with a small tent, +some tinned provisions and brandy, ammunition, a box containing beads, +watches, etc. for presents, blankets, spare clothing and so forth. These +were stalwart fellows enough, who knew the forest, but their dejected +air showed that now they had come face to face with its dangers, they +heartily wished themselves anywhere else. Indeed, notwithstanding their +terror of Jeekie's medicine, at the last moment they threw down their +loads intending to make a wild rush for the departing boat, only to be +met by Jeekie himself who, anticipating some such move, was waiting for +them on the bank with a shotgun. Here he remained until the canoe was +too far out in the stream for them to reach it by swimming. Then he +asked them if they wished to sit and starve there with the devils he +would leave them for company, of if they would carry out their bargain +like honest men? + +The end of it was they took up their loads again and marched, while +behind them walked the terrible and gigantic Jeekie, the barrels of +the shotgun which he carried at full cock and occasionally used to +prod them, pointing directly at their backs. A strange object he looked +truly, for in addition to the weapons with which he bristled, several +cooking-pots were slung about him, to say nothing of a cork mattress +and a mackintosh sheet tied in a flat bundle to his shoulders, a box +containing medicines and food which he carried on his head, and fastened +to the top of it with string like a helmet on a coffin, an enormous +solar-tope stuffed full of mosquito netting, of which the ends fell +about him like a green veil. When Alan remonstrated with him as to the +cork mattress, suggesting that it should be thrown away as too hot to +wear, Jeekie replied that he had been cold for thirty years, and wished +to get warm again. Guessing that his real reason for declining to part +with the article, was that his master should have something to lie on, +other than the damp ground, Alan said no more at the time, which, as +will be seen, was fortunate enough for Jeekie. + +For a mile or more their road ran through fantastic-looking mangrove +trees rooted in the mud, that in the mist resembled, Alan thought, +many-legged arboreal octopi feeling for their food, and tall reeds on +the tops of which sat crowds of chattering finches. Then just as the sun +broke out, strongly, cheering them with its warmth and sucking up the +vapours, they entered sparse bush with palms and great cotton trees +growing here and there, and so at length came to the borders of the +mighty forest. + +Oh! dark, dark was that forest; he who entered it from the cheerful +sunshine felt as though suddenly and without preparation he had wandered +out of the light we know into some dim Hades such as the old Greek fancy +painted, where strengthless ghosts flit aimlessly, mourning the lost +light. Everywhere the giant boles of trees shooting the height of a +church tower into the air without a branch; great rib-rooted trees, and +beneath them a fierce and hungry growth of creepers. Where a tree had +fallen within the last century or so, these creepers ramped upwards in +luxuriance, their stems thick as the body of a man, drinking the shaft +of light that pierced downwards, drinking it with eagerness ere the +boughs above met again and starved them. Where no tree had fallen the +creepers were thin and weak; from year to year they lived on feebly, +biding their time, but still they lived, knowing that some day it would +come. And always it was coming to those expectant parasites, since from +minute to minute, somewhere in the vast depths, miles and miles away +perhaps, a great crash echoed in the stillness, the crash of a tree +that, sown when the Saxons ruled in England, or perhaps before Cleopatra +bewitched Anthony, came to its end at last. + +On the second day of their march in the forest Alan chanced to see such +a tree fall, and the sight was one that he never could forget. As it +happened, owing to the vast spread of its branches which had killed out +all rivals beneath, for in its day it had been a very successful tree +embued with an excellent constitution by its parent, it stood somewhat +alone, so that from several hundred yards away as these six human beings +crept towards it like ants towards a sapling in a cornfield, its mighty +girth and bulk set upon a little mound and the luxuriant greenness of +its far-reaching boughs made a kind of landmark. Then in the hot noon +when no breath of wind stirred, suddenly the end came. Suddenly that +mighty bole seemed to crumble; suddenly those far-reaching arms were +thrown together as their support failed, gripping at each other like +living things, flogging the air, screaming in their last agony, and with +an awful wailing groan sinking, a tumbled ruin, to the earth. + +Silence again, and in the midst of the silence Jeekie's cheerful voice. + +"Old tree go flop! Glad he no flop on us, thanks be to Little Bonsa. Get +on, you lazy nigger dog. Who pay you stand there and snivel? Get on or +I blow out your stupid skull," and he brought the muzzle of the +full-cocked, double-barrelled gun into sharp contact with that part of +the terrified porter's anatomy. + +Such was the forest. Of their march through it for the first four +days, there is nothing to tell. Its depths seemed to be devoid of +life, although occasionally they heard the screaming of parrots in the +treetops a couple of hundred feet above, or caught sight of the dim +shapes of monkeys swinging themselves from bough to bough. That was in +the daytime, when, although they could not see it, they knew that the +sun was shining somewhere. But at night they heard nothing, since beasts +of prey do not come where there is no food. What puzzled Alan was that +all through these impenetrable recesses there ran a distinct road +which they followed. To the right and left rose a wall of creepers, but +between them ran this road, an ancient road, for nothing grew on it, and +it only turned aside to avoid the biggest of the trees which must have +stood there from time immemorial, such a tree as that which he had seen +fall; indeed it was one of those round which the road ran. + +He asked Jeekie who made the road. + +"People who come out Noah's Ark," answered Jeekie, "I think they run up +here to get out of way of water, and sent them two elephants ahead to +make path. Or perhaps dwarf people make it. Or perhaps those who go up +to Asiki-land to do sacrifice like old Jews." + +"You mean you don't know," said Alan. + +"No, of course don't know. Who know about forest path made before +beginning of world. You ask question, Major, I answer. More lively +answer than to shake head and roll eyes like them silly fool porters." + +It was on the fourth night that the trouble began. As usual they had lit +a huge fire made of the fallen boughs and rotting tree trunks that lay +about in plenty. There was no reason why the fire should be so large, +since they had little to cook and the air was hot, but they made it +so for the same reason that Jeekie answered questions, for the sake of +cheerfulness. At least it gave light in the darkness, leaping up in red +tongues of flame twenty or thirty feet high, and its roar and crackle +were welcome in the primeval silence. + +Alan lay upon the cork mattress in the open, for here there was no need +to pitch the tent; if any rain fell above, the canopy of leaves absorbed +it. He was amusing himself while he smoked his pipe with watching the +reflection of the fire-light against a patch of darkness caused probably +by some bush about twenty yards away, and by picturing in his own mind +the face of Barbara, that strong, pleasant English face, as it might +appear on such a background. Suddenly there, on the identical spot he +did see a face, though one of a very different character. It was round +and small and hideous, resembling in its general outline that of a +bloated child. At this distance he could not distinguish the features, +except the lips, which were large and pendulous, and between them the +flash of white teeth. + +"Look here," he whispered to Jeekie in English, and Jeekie looked, then +without saying a word, lifted the shotgun that lay at his side and fired +straight at the bush. Instantly there arose a squeaking noise, such as +might be made by a wounded animal, and the four porters sprang up in +alarm. + +"Sit down," said Jeekie to them in their own tongue, "a leopard was +stalking us and I fired to frighten it away. Don't go near the place, +as it may be wounded and angry, but drag up some boughs and make a fence +round the fire, for fear of others." + +The men who dreaded leopards, looking on these animals, indeed, with +superstitious reverence, obeyed readily enough, and as there was plenty +of wood lying within a few yards, soon constructed a _boma_ fence that, +rough as it was, would serve for protection. + +"Jeekie," said Alan presently as they laboured at the fence, "that was +not a leopard, it was a man." + +"No, no, Major, not man, little dwarf devil, him that have poisoned +arrow. I shoot at once to make him sit up. Think he no come back +to-night, too much afraid of shot fetish. But to-morrow, can't say. Not +tell those fellows anything," and he nodded towards the porters, "or +perhaps they bolt." + +"I think you would have done better to leave the dwarf alone," said +Alan, "and they might have left us alone. Now they will have a blood +feud against us." + +"Not agree, Major, only chance for us put him in blue funk. If I not +shoot, presently he shoot," and he made a sound that resembled the +whistling of an arrow, then added, "Now you go sleep. I not tired, I +watch, my eyes see in dark better than yours. Only two more days of this +damn forest, then open land with tree here and there, where dwarf no +come because he afraid of lion and cannibal man, who like eat him." + +As there was nothing else to be done Alan took Jeekie's advice and in +time fell fast asleep, nor did he wake again till the faint light which +for the want of a better name they called dawn, was filtering down to +them through the canopy of boughs. + +"Been to look," said Jeekie as he handed him his coffee. "Hit that dwarf +man, see his blood, but think others carry him away. Jeekie very good +shot, stone, spear, arrow, or gun, all same to him. Now get off as quick +as we can before porters smell a rat. You eat chop, Major, I pack." + +Presently they started on their trudge through those endless trees, +with Fear for a companion. Even the porters, who had been told nothing, +seemed more afraid than usual, though whether this was because they +"smell rat," as Jeekie called it, or owing to the progressive breakdown +of their nervous systems, Alan did not know. About midday they stopped +to eat because the men were too tired to walk further without rest. For +an hour or more they had been looking for a comparatively open place, +but as it chanced could find none, so were obliged to halt in dense +forest. Just as they had finished their meal and were preparing to +proceed, that which they had feared, happened, since from somewhere +behind the tree boles came a volley of reed arrows. One struck a porter +in the neck, one fixed itself in Alan's helmet without touching him, +and no less than three hit Jeekie on the back and stuck there, +providentially enough in the substance of the cork mattress that he +still carried on his shoulders, which the feeble shafts had not the +strength to pierce. + +Everybody sprang up and with a curious fascination instead of attempting +to do anything, watched the porter who had been hit in the neck +somewhere in the region of the jugular vein. The poor man rose to his +feet with great deliberation, reminding Alan in some grotesque way of a +speaker who has suddenly been called on to address a meeting and seeks +to gain time for the gathering of his thoughts. Then he turned +towards that vast audience of the trees, stretched out his hand with a +declamatory gesture, said something in a composed voice, and fell upon +his face stone dead! The swift poison had reached his heart and done its +work. + +His three companions looked at him for a moment and the next with a yell +of terror, rushed off into the forest, hurling down their loads as they +ran. What became of them Alan never learned, for he saw them no more, +and the dwarf people keep their secrets. At the time indeed he scarcely +noticed their departure, for he was otherwise engaged. + +One of their hideous little assailants, made bold by success, ventured +to run across an open space between two trees, showing himself for +a moment. Alan had a gun in his hand, and mad with rage at what had +happened, he raised it and swung on him as he would upon a rabbit. He +was a quick and practised shot and his skill did not fail him now, for +just as the dwarf was vanishing behind a tree, the bullet caught him and +next instant he was seen rolling over and over upon its further side. + +"That very nice," said Jeekie reflectively, "very nice indeed, but I +think we best move out of this." + +"Aren't you hurt?" gasped Alan. "Your back is full of arrows." + +"Don't feel nothing, Major," he answered, "best cork mattress, 25/3 at +Stores, very good for poisoned arrow, but leave him behind now, because +perhaps points work through as I run, one scratch do trick," and as +he spoke Jeekie untied a string or several strings, letting the little +mattress fall to the ground. + +"Great pity leave all those goods," said Jeekie, surveying the loads +that the porters had cast away, "but what says Book? Life more than +raiment. Also take no thought for morrow. Dwarf people do that for us. +Come, Major, make tracks," and dashing at a bag of cartridges which he +cast about his neck, a trifling addition to his other impedimenta, and +a small case of potted meats that he hitched under his arm, he poked his +master in the back with the muzzle of his full-cocked gun as a signal +that it was time to start. + +"Keep that cursed thing off me," said Alan furiously. "How often have I +told you never to carry firearms at full cock?" + +"About one thousand times, Major," answered Jeekie imperturbably, "but +on such occasion forget discreetness. My ma just same, it run in family, +but story too long tell you now. Cut, Major, cut like hell. Them dwarfs +be back soon, but," he puffed, "I think, I think Little Bonsa come +square with them one day." + +So Alan "cut" and the huge Jeekie blundered along after him, the +paraphernalia with which he was hung about rattling like the hoofs of a +galloping giraffe. Nor for all his load did he ever turn a hair. Whether +it were fear within or a desire to save his master, or a belief in the +virtues of Little Bonsa, or that his foot was, as it were, once more +upon his native heath, the fact remained that notwithstanding the +fifty years, almost, that had whitened his wool, Jeekie was absolutely +inexhaustible. At least at the end of that fearful chase, which lasted +all the day, and through the night also, for they dared not camp, he +appeared to be nearly as fresh as when he started from Old Calabar, nor +did his spirits fail him for one moment. + +When the light came on the following morning, however, they perceived +by many signs and tokens that the dwarf people were all about them. Some +arrows were shot even, but these fell short. + +"Pooh!" said Jeekie, "all right now, they much afraid. Still, no time +for coffee, we best get on." + +So they got on as they could, till towards midday the forest began to +thin out. Now as the light grew stronger they could see the dwarfs, of +whom there appeared to be several hundred, keeping a parallel course +to their own on either side of them at what they thought to be a safe +distance. + +"Try one shot, I think," said Jeekie, kneeling down and letting fly at +a clump of the little men, which scattered like a covey of partridges, +leaving one of its number kicking on the ground. "Ah! my boy," shouted +Jeekie in derision, "how you like bullet in tummy? You not know Paradox +guaranteed flat trajectory 250 yard. You remember that next time, +sonny." Then off they went again up a long rise. + +"River other side of that rise," said Jeekie. "Think those tree-monkeys +no follow us there." + +But the "monkeys" appeared to be angry and determined. They would not +come any more within the range of the Paradox, but they still marched +on either side of the two fugitives, knowing well that at last their +strength must fail and they would be able to creep up and murder them. +So the chase went on till Alan began to wonder whether it would not be +better to face the end at once. + +"No, no, if say die, can't change mind to-morrow morning," gasped Jeekie +in a hoarse voice. "Here top rise, much nearer than I thought. Oh, my +aunt! who those?" and he pointed to a large number of big men armed with +spears who were marching up the further side of the hill from the river +that ran below. + +At the same moment these savages, who were not more than two hundred +yards away, caught sight of them and of their pursuers, who just then +appeared on the ridge to the right and left. The dwarfs, on perceiving +these strangers, uttered a shrill yell of terror, and wheeled about to +fly to their fastnesses in the forest, which evidently they regretted +ever having left. It was too late. With an answering shout the +spearsmen, who were extended in a long line, apparently hunting for +game, charged after them at full speed. They were fresh and their legs +were long. Therefore very soon they overtook the dwarfs and even got +in front of them, heading them off from the forest. The end may +be guessed,--save a few whom they reserved alive, they killed them +mercilessly, and almost without loss to themselves, since the little +forest folk were too terrified and exhausted to shoot at them with their +poisoned arrows, and they had no other weapons. + +In fact, as Alan discovered afterwards, for generations there had been +war between them, since all the other tribes hate the dwarfs, whom they +look upon as dangerous human monkeys, and never before had the big men +found such a chance of squaring their account. + +When Jeekie saw this fearful-looking company, for the first time his +spirits seemed to fail him. + +"Ogula!" he exclaimed with a groan and sat himself upon a flat rock, +pulling Alan down beside him. "Ogula! Know them by hair and spears," he +repeated. "Up gum tree now, say good-night." + +"Why? Who are they?" gasped Alan. + +"Great cannibal, Major, eat man, eat us to-night, or perhaps to-morrow +morning when we nice and cool. Say prayers, Major, quick no time waste." + +"I think I will shoot an Ogula or two first," said Alan grimly, as he +stood up and lifted his gun. + +"No, not shoot, no good. Pretend not be afraid, best chance. Let Jeekie +think, let Jeekie think," and he slapped his forehead with his large +hand. + +Apparently the action brought inspiration, for next instant he grabbed +his master by the arm and dragged him back behind the shelter of a +big boulder which they had just passed. Then with really marvellous +swiftness he cut the straps of the tin box that Alan wore upon his back, +and since there was no time to find the key and unlock it, seized the +little padlock with which it was fastened between his finger and thumb, +and putting out his great strength, with a single wrench twisted it off. + +"What are you----" began Alan. + +"Hold tongue," he answered savagely, "make you god, I priest. Ogula know +Little Bonsa. Quick, quick!" + +In a minute it was done, the golden mask was clapped on to Alan's head, +and the leather thongs were fastened. Moreover, Jeekie himself was +arrayed in the solar-tope to which all this while he had clung, allowing +streams of green mosquito netting to hang down over his white robe. + +"Come out now, Major," he said, "and play god. You whistle, I do +palaver." + +Then hand in hand they walked from behind the rock. By this time the +particular company of the cannibals that was opposite to them, which +happened to include their chief, had climbed the steep slope of the hill +and arrived within a distance of twenty yards. Having seen the two men +and guessed that they had taken refuge behind the rock, their spears +were lifted to kill them, since when he beholds anything strange, the +first impulse of a savage is to bring it to its death. They looked; they +saw. Of a sudden down went the raised spears. + +Some of those who held them fell upon their faces, while others turned +to fly, appalled by the vision of this strangely clad man with the head +of gold. Only their chief, a great yellow-toothed fellow who wore a +necklace of baboon claws, remained erect, staring at them with open +mouth. + +Alan blew the whistle that was set between the lips of the mask, and +they shivered. Then Jeekie spoke to them in some tongue which they +understood, saying: + +"Do you, O Ogula, dare to offer violence to Little Bonsa and her +priests? Say now, why should we not strike you dead with the magic of +the god which she has borrowed from the white man?" and he tapped the +gun he held. + +"This is witchcraft," answered the chief. "We saw two men running, +hunted by the dwarfs, not three minutes ago, and now we see--what we +see," and he put his hand before his eyes, then after a pause went +on--"As for Little Bonsa, she left this country in my father's day. He +gave her passage upon the head of a white man and the Asiki wizards have +mourned her ever since, or so I hear." + +"Fool," answered Jeekie, "as she went, so she returns, on the head of +a white man. Yonder I see an elder with grey hair who doubtless knew of +Little Bonsa in his youth. Let him come up and look and say whether or +no this is the god." + +"Yes, yes," exclaimed the chief, "go up, old man, go up," and he jabbed +at him with his spear until, unwillingly enough, he went. + +The elder arrived, making obeisance, and when he was near, Alan blew the +whistle in his face, whereon he fell to his knees. + +"It is Little Bonsa," he said in a trembling voice, "Little Bonsa +without a doubt. I should know, as my father and my elder brother were +sacrificed to her, and I only escaped because she rejected me. Down on +your face, Chief, and do honour to the Yellow God before she slay you." + +Instantly every man within hearing prostrated himself and lay still. +Then Jeekie strode up and down among them shouting out: + +"Little Bonsa has come back and brought to you, Man-eaters, a fat +offering, an offering of the dwarf-people whom you hate, of the +treacherous dwarf-people who when you walk the ancient forest path, +murder you with their poisoned arrows. Praise Little Bonsa who delivers +you from your foes, and hearken to her bidding. Send on messengers to +the Asiki saying that Little Bonsa comes home again from across the +Black Water bringing the White Preacher, whom she led away in the day of +their fathers. Say to them that the Asiki must send out a company that +Little Bonsa and the Magician with whom she ran away, may be escorted +back to her house with the state which has been hers from the beginning +of time. Say to them also that they must prepare a great offering of +pure gold out of their store, as much gold as fifty strong men can +carry, not one handful less, to be given to the White Magician who +brings back Small Swimming Head, for if they withhold such an offering, +he and Little Bonsa will vanish never to be seen again, and curses +and desolation will fall upon their land. Rise and obey, Chief of the +Ogula." + +Then the man scrambled to his feet and answered: + +"It shall be done, O Priest of the Yellow God. To-morrow at the dawn +swift messengers will start for the Gold House of the Asiki. To-night +they cannot leave, as we are all very hungry and must eat." + +"What must you eat?" asked Jeekie suspiciously. + +"O Priest," answered the chief with a deprecatory gesture, "when first +we saw you we hoped that it would be the white man and yourself, for we +have never tasted white man. But now we fear that you will not consent +to this, and as you are holy and the guardian of the god, we cannot eat +you without your own consent. Therefore fat dwarf must be our food, of +which, however, there will be plenty for you as well as us." + +"You dog!" exclaimed Jeekie in a voice of furious indignation. "Do you +think that white men and their high-born companions, such as myself, +were made to fill your vile stomachs? I tell you that a meal of the +deadly Bean would agree better with you, for if you dare so much as to +look on us, or on any of the white race with hunger, agony shall seize +your vitals and you and all your tribe shall die as though by poison. +Moreover, we do not touch the flesh of men, nor will we see it eaten. +It is our '_orunda_,' it is consecrate to us, it must not pass our +lips, nor may our eyes behold it. Therefore we will camp apart from you +further up the stream and find our own food. But to-morrow at the dawn +the messengers must leave as we have commanded. Also you shall provide +strong men and a large canoe to bear Little Bonsa forward towards her +own home until she finds her people coming out to greet her. + +"It shall be done," answered the chief humbly, "Everything shall be done +according to the will of Little Bonsa spoken by her priest, that she +may leave a blessing and not a curse upon the heads of the tribe of the +Ogula. Say where you wish to camp and men shall run to build a house of +reeds for the god to dwell in." + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE DAWN + +Jeekie looked up and down the river and saw that in the centre of it +about half a mile away, there was an island on which grew some trees. + +"Little Bonsa will camp yonder," he said. "Go, make her house ready, +light fire and bring canoe to paddle us across. Now leave us, all of +you, for if you look too long upon the face of the Yellow God she will +ask a sacrifice, and it is not lawful that you should see where she +hides herself away." + +At this saying the cannibals departed as one man, and at top speed, some +of the canoes and others to warn their fellows who were engaged in +the congenial work of hunting and killing the dwarfs, not to dare to +approach the white man and his companion. A third party ran to the bank +of the river that was opposite to the island to make ready as they had +been bidden, so that presently Alan and Jeekie were left quite alone. + +"Ah!" said Jeekie, with a gasp of satisfaction, "_that_ all right, +everything arranged quite comfortable. Thought Little Bonsa come out top +somehow and score off dirty dwarf monkeys. _They_ never get home to tea +anyway--stay and dine with Ogula." + +"Stop chattering, Jeekie, and untie this infernal mask, I am almost +choked," broke in Alan in a hollow voice. + +"Not say 'infernal mask,' Major, say 'face of angel.' Little Bonsa woman +and like it better, also true, if on this occasion only, for she save +our skins," said Jeekie as he unknotted the thongs and reverently +replaced the fetish in its tin box. "My!" he added, contemplating his +master's perspiring countenance, "you blush like garden carrot; well, +gold hot wear in afternoon sun beneath Tropic of Cancer. Now we walk +on quietly and I tell you all I arrange for night's lodging and future +progress of joint expedition." + +So gathering together what remained of their few possessions, they +started leisurely down the slope towards the island, and as they went +Jeekie explained all that had happened, since Ogula was not one of the +African languages with which Alan was acquainted and he had only been +able to understand a word here and there. + +"Look," said Jeekie when he had finished, and turning, he pointed to the +cannibals who were driving the few survivors of the dwarfs before them +to the spot where their canoes were beached. "Those dwarfs done for; +capital business, forest road quite safe to travel home by; Ogula best +friends in world; very remarkable escape from delicate situation." + +"Very remarkable indeed," said Alan; "I shall soon begin to believe in +the luck of Little Bonsa." + +"Yes, Major, you see she anxious to get home and make path clear. But," +he added gloomily, "how she behave when she reach there, can't say." + +"Nor can I, Jeekie, but meanwhile I hope she will provide us with some +dinner, for I am faint for want of food and all the tinned meat is +lost." + +"Food," repeated Jeekie. "Yes, necessity for human stomach, which +unhappily built that way, so Ogula find out, and so dwarfs find out +presently." Then he looked about him and in a kind of aimless manner +lifted his gun and fired. "There we are," he said, "Little Bonsa +understand bodily needs," and he pointed to a fat buck of the sort that +in South Africa is called Duiker, which his keen eyes had discovered +in its form against a stone where it now lay shot through the head and +dying. "No further trouble on score of grub for next three day," he +added. "Come on to camp, Major. I send one savage skin and bring that +buck." + +So on they went to the river bank, Alan so tired now that the excitement +was over, that he was not sorry to lean upon Jeekie's arm. Reaching the +stream they drank deep of its water, and finding that it was shallow at +this spot, waded through it to the island without waiting for a canoe +to ferry them over. Here they found a party of the cannibals already at +work clearing reeds with their large, curved knives, in order to make a +site for the hut. Another party under the command of their chief himself +had gone to the top end of the island, to cut the stems of a willow-like +shrub to serve as uprights. These people stared at Alan, which was not +strange, as they had never before seen the face of a white man and were +wondering, doubtless, what had become of the ancient and terrible fetish +that he had worn. Without entering into explanations Jeekie in a great +voice ordered two of them to fetch the buck, which the white man, whom +he described as "husband of the goddess," had "slain by thunder." When +these had departed upon their errand, leaving Jeekie to superintend the +building operations, Alan sat down upon a fallen tree, watching one of +the savages making fire with a pointed stick and some tinder. + +Just then from the head of the island where the willows were being +cut, rose the sound of loud roarings and of men crying out in affright. +Seizing his gun Alan ran towards the spot whence the noise came. Forcing +his way through a brake of reeds, he saw a curious sight. The Ogula in +cutting the willows which grew about some tumbled rocks, had disturbed +a lioness that had her lair there, and being fearless savages, had tried +to kill her with their spears. The brute, rendered desperate by wounds, +and the impossibility of escape, for here the surrounding water was +deep, had charged them boldly, and as it chanced, felled to the ground +their chief, that yellow-toothed man to whom Jeekie gave his orders. Now +she was standing over him looking round her royally, her great paw upon +his breast, which it seemed almost to cover, while the Ogula ran round +and round shouting, for they feared that if they tried to attack her, +she would kill the chief. This indeed she seemed about to do, for just +as Alan arrived she dropped her head as though to tear out the man's +throat. Instantly he fired. It was a snap shot, but as it chanced a +good one, for the bullet struck the lioness in the back of the neck just +forward of and between the shoulders, severing the spine so that without +a sound or any further movement she sank stone dead upon the prostrate +cannibal. For a while his followers stood astonished. They might have +heard of guns from the coast people, but living as they did in the +interior where white folk did not dare to travel, they had never seen +their terrible effects. + +"Magic!" they cried. "Magic!" + +"Of course," exclaimed Jeekie, who by now had arrived upon the scene. +"What else did you expect from the husband of Little Bonsa? Magic, the +greatest of magic. Go, roll that beast away before your chief is crushed +to death." + +They obeyed, and the man sat up, a fearful spectacle, for he was +smothered with the blood of the lion and somewhat cut by her claws, +though otherwise unhurt. Then feeling that the life was still whole in +him, he crept on his hands and knees to where Alan stood, and kissed his +feet. + +"Aha!" said Jeekie, "Little Bonsa score again. Cannibal tribe our slave +henceforth for evermore. Yes, till kingdom come. Come on, Major, and +cook supper in perfect peace." + +The supper was cooked and eaten with gratitude, for seldom had two men +needed a square meal more, and never did venison taste better. By the +time that it was finished darkness had fallen, and before they turned in +to sleep in the neat reed hut that the Ogula had built, Alan and Jeekie +walked up the island to see if the lioness had been skinned, as they +directed. This they found was done; even the carcase itself had been +removed to serve as meat for these foul-feeding people. They climbed on +to the pile of rocks in which the beast had made her lair, and looked +down the river to where, two hundred yards away, the Ogula were +encamped. From this camp there rose a sound of revelry, and by the light +of the great fires that burned there, they perceived that the hungry +savages were busy feasting, for some of them sat in circles, whilst +others, their naked forms looking at that distance like those of imps in +the infernal regions, flitted to and fro against the glowing background +of the fires, bearing strange-looking joints on prongs of wood. + +"I suppose they are eating the lioness," said Alan doubtfully. + +"No, no, Major, not lioness; eat dwarf by dozen--just like oysters +at seaside. But for Little Bonsa _we_ sit on those forks now and look +uncommon small." + +"Beasts!" said Alan in disgust; "they make me feel uncommon sick. Let us +go to bed. I suppose they won't murder us in our sleep, will they?" + +"Not they, Major, too much afraid. Also we their blood-brothers now, +because we bring them first-class dinner and save chief from lion's +fury. No blame them too much, Major, good fellows really with gentle +heart, but grub like that from generation to generation. Every mother's +son of them have many men inside, that why they so big and strong. Ogula +people cover great multitude like Charity in Book. No doubt sent by +Providence to keep down extra pop'lation. Not right to think too hard +of poor fellows who, as I say, very kind and gentle at heart and most +loving in family relation, except to old women whom they eat also, so +that they no get bored with too long life." + +Weary and disgusted by this abominable sight though he was, Alan burst +out laughing at his retainer's apology for the sweet-natured Ogula, who +struck him as the most repulsive blackguards that he had ever met or +heard of in all his experience of African savages. Then wishing to see +and hear no more of them that night, he retreated rapidly to the hut +and was soon fast asleep with his head pillowed on the box that hid the +charms of Little Bonsa. When he awoke it was broad daylight. Rising he +went down to the river to wash, and never had a bath been more welcome, +for during all their journey through the forest no such thing was +obtainable. On his return he found his garments well brushed with dry +reeds and set upon a rock in the hot sun to air, while Jeekie in a +cheerful mood, was engaged cooking breakfast in the frying-pan, to which +he had clung through all the vicissitudes of their flight. + +"No coffee, Major," he said regretfully, "that stop in forest. But never +mind, hot water better for nerve. Ogula messengers gone in little canoe +to Asiki at break of day. Travel slow till they work off dwarf, but +afterwards go quick. I send lion skin with them as present from you to +great high-priestess Asika, also claws for necklace. No lions there and +she think much of that. Also it make her love mighty man who can kill +fierce lion like Samson in Book. Love of head woman very valuable ally +among beastly savage peoples." + +"I am sure I hope it won't," said Alan with earnestness, "but no doubt +it is as well to keep on the soft side of the good lady if we can. What +time do we start?" + +"In one hour, Major. I been to camp already, chosen best canoe and +finest men for rowers. Chief--he called Fanny--so grateful that he come +with them himself." + +"Indeed. That is very kind of him, but I say, Jeekie, what are these +fellows going to live on? I can't stand what you call their 'favourite +chop.'" + +"No, no, Major, that all right. I tell them that when they travel with +Little Bonsa, they must keep Lent like pious Roman Catholic family that +live near Yarleys. They catch plenty fish in river, and perhaps we shoot +game, or rich 'potamus, which they like 'cause he fat." + +Evidently the Ogula chief, Fahni by name, not Fanny, as Jeekie called +him, was a man of his word, for before the hour was up he appeared at +the island in command of a large canoe manned by twelve splendid-looking +savages. Springing to land, he prostrated himself before Alan, kissing +his feet as he had done on the previous night, and making a long speech. + +"That very good spirit," exclaimed Jeekie. "Like to see heathen in his +darkness lick white gentleman's boot. He say you his lord and great +magician who save his life, and know all Little Bonsa's secrets, which +many and unrepeatable. He say he die for you twice a day if need be, and +go on dying to-morrow and all next year. He say he take you safe till +you meet Asiki and for your sake, though he hungry, eat no man for one +whole month, or perhaps longer. Now we start at once." + +So they started up the river that was called Katsena, Alan and Jeekie +seated in a lordly fashion near the stern of the canoe beneath an awning +made out of some sticks and a grass mat. In truth after their severe +toil and adventures in the forest, this method of journeying proved +quite luxurious. Except for a rapid here and there over or round which +the canoe must be dragged, the river was broad and the scenery on its +banks park-like and beautiful. Moreover the country, perhaps owing +to the appetites of the Ogula, appeared to be practically uninhabited +except by vast herds of every sort of game. + +All day they sat in the canoe which the stalwart rowers propelled, in +silence for the most part, since they were terribly afraid of the white +man, and still more so of the renowned fetish which they knew he carried +with him. Then when evening came they moored their craft to the bank +and camped till the following morning. Nor did they lack for food, since +game being so plentiful, it was only necessary for Alan to walk a few +hundred yards and shoot a fat eland, or hartebeest, or other buck +which in its ignorance of guns would allow him to approach quite close. +Elephants, rhinoceros, and buffalo were also common, while great herds +of giraffe might be seen wandering between the scattered trees, but as +they were not upon a hunting trip and their ammunition was very limited, +with these they did not interfere. + +Having their daily fill of meat which their souls loved, the Ogula +oarsmen remained in an excellent mood, indeed the chief, Fahni, informed +Alan that if only they had such magic tubes wherewith to slaughter game, +he and his tribe would gladly give up cannibalism--except on feast days. +He added sadly that soon they would be obliged to do so, or die, since +in those parts there were now few people left to eat, and they hated +vegetables. Moreover, they kept no cattle, it was not the custom of that +tribe, except a very few for milk. Alan advised them to increase their +herds, since, as he pointed out to them, "dog should not eat dog" or the +human being his own kind. + +The chief answered that there was a great deal in what he said, which +on his return he would lay before his head men. Indeed Alan, to his +astonishment, discovered that Jeekie had been quite right when he +alleged that these people, so terrible in their mode of life, were +yet "kind and gentle at heart." They preyed upon mankind because for +centuries it had been their custom so to do, but if anyone had been +there to show them a better way, he grew sure that they would follow it +gladly. At least they were brave and loyal and even after their first +fear of the white man had worn off, fulfilled their promises without a +murmur. Once, indeed, when he chanced to have gone for a walk unarmed +and to be charged by a bull elephant, these Ogula ran at the brute with +their spears and drove it away, a rescue in which one of them lost his +life, for the "rogue" caught and killed him. + +So the days went on while they paddled leisurely up the river, Alan +employing the time by taking lessons in the Asiki tongue from Jeekie, a +language which he had been studying ever since he left England. The task +was not easy, as he had no books and Jeekie himself after some thirty +years of absence, was doubtful as to many of its details. Still being a +linguist by nature and education and finding in the tongue similarities +to other African dialects which he knew, he was now able to speak it a +little, in a halting fashion. + +On the fifth day of their ascent of the river, they came to a tributary +that flowed into it from the north, up which the Ogula said they +must proceed to reach Asiki-land. The stream was narrow and sluggish, +widening out here and there into great swamps through which it was not +easy to find a channel. Also the district was so unhealthy that even +several of the Ogula contracted fever, of which Alan cured them by heavy +doses of quinine, for fortunately his travelling medicine chest remained +to him. These cures were effected after their chief suggested that they +should be thrown overboard, or left to die in the swamp as useless, +with the result that the white man's magical powers were thenceforth +established beyond doubt or cavil. Indeed the poor Ogula now looked +on him as a god superior even to Little Bonsa, whose familiar he was +supposed to be. + +The journey through that swamp was very trying, since in this wet season +often they could find no place on which to sleep at night, but must stay +in the canoe tormented by mosquitoes, and in constant danger of being +upset by the hippopotami that lived there. Moreover, as no game was now +available, they were obliged to live on these beasts, fish when they +could catch them, and wildfowl, which sometimes they were unable to cook +for lack of fuel. This did not trouble the Ogula, who ate them raw, as +did Jeekie when he was hungry. But Alan was obliged to starve until they +could make a fire. This it was only possible to do when they found drift +or other wood, since at that season the rank vegetation was in full +growth. Also the fearful thunderstorms which broke continually and in a +few minutes half filled their canoe with water, made the reeds and the +soil on which they grew, sodden with wet. As Jeekie said: + +"This time of year only fit for duck and crocodile. Human should +remember uncontrollable forces of nature and wait till winter come in +due course, when quagmire bear sole of his foot." + +This elaborate remark he made to Alan during the progress of a +particularly fearful tempest. The lightning blazed in the black sky +and seemed to strike all about them like stabbing swords of fire, the +thunder crashed and bellowed as it may be supposed that it will do on +that day when the great earth, worn out at last, shall reel and stagger +to its doom. The rain fell in a straight and solid sheet; the tall reeds +waved confusedly like millions of dim arms and while they waved, uttered +a vast and groaning noise; the scared wildfowl in their terror, with +screams and the sough of wings, rushed past them in flocks a thousand +strong, now seen and now lost in the vapours. To keep their canoe afloat +the poor, naked Ogula oarsmen, shivering with cold and fear, baled +furiously with their hands, or bowls of hollowed wood, and called back +to Alan to save them as though he were the master of the elements. Even +Jeekie was depressed and appeared to be offering up petitions, though +whether these were directed to Little Bonsa or elsewhere it was +impossible to know. + +As for Alan, the heart was out of him. It is true that so far he had +escaped fever or other sickness, which in itself was wonderful, but he +was chilled through and through and practically had eaten nothing for +two days, and very little for a week, since his stomach turned from +half-cooked hippopotamus fat and wildfowl. Moreover, they had lost the +channel and seemed to be wandering aimlessly through a wilderness of +reeds broken here and there by lines of deeper water. + +According the Ogula they should have reached the confines of the great +lake several days before and landed on healthful rising ground that +was part of the Asiki territory. But this had not happened, and now he +doubted whether it ever would happen. It was more likely that they would +come to their deaths, there in the marsh, especially as the few ball and +shot cartridges which they had saved in their flight were now exhausted. +Not one was left; nothing was left except their revolvers with some +charges, which of course were quite useless for the killing of game. +Therefore they were in a fair way to die of hunger, for here if fish +existed, they refused to be caught and nought remained for them to fill +themselves with except water slugs, and snails which the boatmen were +already gathering and crunching up in their great teeth. Or, perhaps +the Ogula, forgetting friendship under the pressure of necessity, would +murder them as they slept and--revert to their usual diet. + +Jeekie was right, he should have remembered the "uncontrollable forces +of Nature." Only a madman would have undertaken such an expedition in +the rains. No wonder that the Asiki remained a secret and hidden people +when their frontier was protected by such a marsh as this upon the one +side and, as he understood, by impassable mountains upon the other. + +There came a lull in the tempest and the boatmen began to get the better +of the water, which now was up to their knees. Alan asked Jeekie if he +thought it was over, but that worthy shook his white head mournfully, +causing the spray to fly as from a twirling mop, and replied: + +"Can't say, cats and dogs not tumble so many for present, only pups and +kitties left, so to speak, but think there plenty more up there," and he +nodded at the portentous fire-laced cloud which seemed to be spreading +over them, its black edges visible even through the gloom. + +"Bad business, I am afraid, Jeekie. Shouldn't have brought you here, or +those poor beggars either," and he looked at the scared, frozen Ogula. +"I begin to wonder----" + +"Never wonder, Major," broke in Jeekie in alarm. "If wonder, not +live, if wonder, not be born, too much wonder about everywhere. Can't +understand nothing, so give it up. Say, 'Right-O and devil hindermost!' +Very good motto for biped in tight place. Better drown here than in City +bucket shop. But no drown. Should be dead long ago, but Little Bonsa +play the game, she not want to sink in stinking swamp when so near her +happy home. Come out all right somehow, as from dwarf. Every cloud have +silver lining, Major, even that black chap up there. Oh! my golly!" + +This last exclamation was wrung from Jeekie's lips by a sudden +development of "forces of Nature" which astonished even him. Instead of +a silver lining the "black chap" exhibited one of gold. In an instant it +seemed to turn to acres of flame; it was as though the heavens had taken +fire. A flash or a thunderbolt struck the water within ten yards of +their canoe, causing the boatmen to throw themselves upon their faces +through shock or terror. Then came the hurricane, which fortunately was +so strong that it permitted no more rain to fall. The tall reeds were +beaten flat beneath its breath; the canoe was seized in its grip and +whirled round and round, then driven forward like an arrow. Only the +weight of the men and the water in it prevented it from oversetting. +Dense darkness fell upon them and although they could see no star, they +knew that it must be night. On they rushed, driven by that shrieking +gale, and all about and around them this wall of darkness. No one spoke, +for hope was abandoned, and if they had, their voices could not have +been heard. The last thing that Alan remembered was feeling Jeekie +dragging a grass mat over him to protect him a little if he could. Then +his senses wavered, as does a dying lamp. He thought that he was back in +what Jeekie had rudely called "City bucket shop," bargaining across the +telephone wire, upon which came all the sounds of the infernal regions, +with a financial paper for an article on a Little Bonsa Syndicate that +he proposed to float. He thought he was in The Court woods with Barbara, +only the birds in the trees sang so unnaturally loud that he could not +hear her voice, and she wore Little Bonsa on her head as a bonnet. Then +she departed in flame, leaving him and Death alone. + + + +Alan awoke. Above the sun shone hotly, warming him back to life, but in +front was a thick wall of mist and rising beyond it in the distance he +saw the rugged swelling forms of mountains. Doubtless these had been +visible before, but the tall reeds through which they travelled had +hid the sight of them. He looked behind him and there in a heap lay the +Ogula around their chief, insensible or sleeping. He counted them and +found that two were gone, lost in the tempest, how or where no man ever +learned. He looked forward and saw a peculiar sight, for in the prow of +the drifting canoe stood Jeekie clad in the remains of his white robe +and wearing on his head the battered helmet and about his shoulders the +torn fragments of green mosquito net. While Alan was wondering strangely +why he had adopted this ceremonial garb, from out of the mist there came +a sound of singing, of wild and solemn singing. Jeekie seemed to listen +to it; then he lifted up his great musical voice and sang as though in +answer. What he sang Alan could not understand, but he recognized that +the language which he used was that of the Asiki people. + +A pause and a confused murmuring, and now again the wild song rose and +again Jeekie answered. + +"What the deuce are you doing? Where are we?" asked Alan faintly. + +Jeekie turned and beamed upon him; although his teeth were chattering +and his face was hollow, still he beamed. + +"You awake, Major?" he said. "Thought good old sun do trick. Feel your +heart now and find it beat. Pulse, too, strong, though temp'rature +not normal. Well, good news this morning. Little Bonsa come out top as +usual. Asiki priests on bank there. Can't see them, but know their song +and answer. Same old game as thirty years ago. Asiki never change, which +good business when you been away long while." + +"Hang the Asiki," said Alan feebly, "I think all these poor beggars are +dead, and he pointed to the rowers. + +"Look like it, Major, but what that matter now since you and I alive? +Plenty more where they come from. Not dead though, think only sleep, no +like cold, like dormouse. But never mind cannibal pig. They serve our +turn, if they live, live; if they die, die and God have mercy on souls, +if cannibal have soul. Ah! here we are," and from beneath six inches of +water he dragged up the tin box containing Little Bonsa, from which he +extracted the fetish, wet but uninjured. + +"Put her on now, Major. Put her on at once and come sit in prow of +canoe. Must reach Asiki-land in proper style. Priests think it your +reverend uncle come back again, just as he leave. Make very good +impression." + +"I can't," said Alan feebly. "I am played out, Jeekie." + +"Oh! buck up, Major, buck up!" he replied imploringly. "One kick more +and you win race, mustn't spoil ship for ha'porth of tar. You just wear +fetish, whistle once on land, and then go to sleep for whole week if you +like. I do rest, say it all magic, and so forth--that you been dead and +just come out of grave, or anything you like. No matter if you turn up +as announced on bill and God bless hurricane that blow us here when we +expect die. Come, Major, quick, quick! mist melt and soon they see you." +Then without waiting for an answer Jeekie clapped the wet mask on his +master's head, tied the thongs and led Alan to the prow of the canoe, +where he set him down on a little cross bench, stood behind supporting +him and again began to sing in a great triumphant voice. + +The mist cleared away, rolling up like a curtain and revealing on the +shore a number of men and women clad in white robes, who were martialled +in ranks there, chanting and staring out at the dim waters of the +lagoon. Yonder upon the waters, driven forward by the gentle breeze, +floated a canoe and lo! in the prow of that canoe sat a white man and +on his head the god which they had lost a whole generation gone. On +the head of a white man it had departed; on the head of a white man it +returned. They saw and fell upon their knees. + +"Blow, Major, blow!" whispered Jeekie, and Alan blew a feeble note +through the whistle in the mouth of the mask. It was enough, they knew +it. They sprang into the water and dragged the canoe to land. They set +Alan on the shore and worshipped him. They haled up a lad as though for +sacrifice, for a priest flourished a great knife above his head, but +Jeekie said something that caused them to let him go. Alan thought it +was to the effect that Little Bonsa had changed her habits across the +Black Water, and wanted no blood, only food. Then he remembered no more; +again the darkness fell upon him. + + + +CHAPTER X + +BONSA TOWN + +When consciousness returned to Alan, the first thing of which he became +dimly aware was the slow, swaying motion of a litter. He raised himself, +for he was lying at full length, and in so doing felt that there was +something over his face. + +"That confounded Little Bonsa," he thought. "Am I expected to spend the +rest of my life with it on my head like the man in the iron mask?" + +Then he put up his hand and felt the thing, to find that it was not +Little Bonsa, but something made apparently of thin, fine linen, fitted +to the shape of his face, for there was a nose on it, and eyeholes +through which he could see, yes, and a mouth whereof the lips by some +ingenious contrivance could be moved up and down. + +"Little Bonsa's undress uniform, I expect," he muttered, and tried to +drag it off. This, however, proved to be impossible, for it was fitted +tightly to his head and laced or fastened at the back of his neck so +securely that he could not undo it. Being still weak, soon he gave up +the attempt and began to look about him. + +He was in a litter, a very fine litter hung round with beautifully +woven and coloured grass mats, inside of which were a kind of couch and +cushions of soft wool or hair, so arranged that he could either sit up +or lie down. He peeped between two of these mats and saw that they were +travelling in a mountainous country over a well-beaten road or trail, +and that his litter was borne upon the shoulders of a double line of +white-robed men, while all around him marched numbers of other men. They +seemed to be soldiers, for they were arranged in companies and carried +large spears and shields. Also some of them wore torques and bracelets +of yellow metal that might be either brass or gold. Turning himself +about he found an eyehole in the back of the litter so contrived that +its occupant could see without being seen, and perceived that his escort +amounted to a veritable army of splendid-looking, but sombre-faced +savages of a somewhat Semitic cast of countenance. Indeed many of them +had aquiline features and hair that, although crisped, was long and +carefully arranged in something like the old Egyptian fashion. Also +he saw that about thirty yards behind and separated from him by a +bodyguard, was borne a second litter. By means of a similar aperture in +front he discovered yet more soldiers, and beyond them, at the head of +the procession, was what appeared to be a body of white-robed men and +women bearing strange emblems and banners. These he took to be priests +and priestesses. + +Having examined everything that was within reach of his eye, Alan sank +back upon his cushions and began to realize that he was very faint and +hungry. It was just then that the sound of a familiar voice reached his +ears. It was the voice of Jeekie, and he did not speak, he chanted in +English to a melody which Alan at once recognized as a Gregorian tone, +apparently from the second litter. + +"Oh, Major," he sang, "have you yet awoke from refre-e-eshing sleep? +If so, please answer me in same tone of voice, for remember that you +de-e-evil of a swell, Lord of the Little Bonsa, and must not speak like +co-o-ommon cad." + +Feeble as he was Alan nearly burst out laughing, then remembering that +probably he was expected not to laugh, chanted his answer as directed, +which having a good tenor voice, he did with some effect, to the evident +awe and delight of all the escort within hearing. + +"I am awake, most excellent Jee-e-ekie, and feel the need of food, if +you have such a thing abou-ou-out you and it is lawful for the Lord of +Little Bonsa to take nu-tri-ment." + +Instantly Jeekie's deep voice rose in reply. + +"That good tidings upon the mountain tops, Ma-ajor. Can't come out to +bring you chop because too i-i-infra dig, for now I also biggish bug, +the little bird what sit upon the rose, as poet sa-a-ays. I tell these +Johnnies bring you grub, which you eat without qualm, for Asiki Al +coo-o-ook." + +Then followed loud orders issued by Jeekie to his immediate _entourage_, +and some confusion. + +As a result presently Alan's litter was halted, the curtains were opened +and kneeling women thrust through them platters of wood upon which, +wrapped up in leaves, were the dismembered limbs of a bird which he took +to be chicken or guinea-fowl, and a gold cup containing water pleasantly +flavoured with some essence. This cup interested him very much both on +account of its shape and workmanship, which if rude, was striking +in design, resembling those drinking vessels that have been found in +Mycenian graves. Also it proved to him that Jeekie's stories of +the abundance of the precious metal among the Asiki had not been +exaggerated. If it were not very plentiful, they would scarcely, he +thought, make their travelling cups of gold. Evidently there was wealth +in the land. + +After the food had been handed to him the litter went on again, and +seated upon his cushions, he ate and drank heartily enough, for now that +the worst of his fatigue had passed away, his hunger was great. In some +absurd fashion this meal reminded him of that which a traveller makes +out of a luncheon basket upon a railway line in Europe or America. +Only there the cups are not of gold and among the Asiki were no paper +napkins, no salt and mustard, and no three and sixpence or dollar to +pay. Further, until he got used to it, luncheon in a linen mask with +a moveable mouth was not easy. This difficulty he overcame at last by +propping the imitation lips apart with a piece of bone, after which +things were easier. + +When he had finished he threw the platter and the remains out of the +litter, retaining the cup for further examination, and recommenced his +intoned and poetical converse with Jeekie. + +To set it out at length would be wearisome, but in the course of an hour +or so he collected a good deal of information. Thus he learned that they +were due to arrive at the Asiki city, which was called Bonsa Town, by +nightfall, or a little after. Also he was informed that the mask he wore +was, as he had guessed, a kind of undress uniform without which he must +never appear, since for anyone except the Asika herself to look upon the +naked countenance of an individual so mysteriously mixed up with Little +Bonsa, was sacrilege of the worst sort. Indeed Jeekie assured him that +the priests who had put on the headdress when he was insensible were +first blindfolded. + +This news depressed Alan very much, since the prospect of living in a +linen mask for an indefinite period was not cheerful. Recovering, he +chanted a query as to the fate of the Ogula crew and their chief Fahni. + +"Not de-ad," intoned Jeekie in reply, "and not gone back. A-all alive-O, +somewhere behind there. Fanny very sick about it, for he think Asiki +bring them along for sacrifice, poo-or beg-gars." + +Finally he inquired where Little Bonsa was and was answered that he +himself as its lawful guardian, was sitting on the fetish in its tin +box, tidings that he was able to verify by groping beneath the cushions. + +After this his voice gave out, though Jeekie continued to sing items of +interesting news from time to time. Indeed there were other things that +absorbed Alan's attention. Looking through the peepholes and cracks in +the curtains, he saw that at last they had reached the crest of a ridge +up which they had been climbing for hours. Before them lay a vast and +fertile valley, much of which seemed to be under cultivation, and down +it flowed a broad and placid river. Opposite to him and facing west a +great tongue of land ran up to a wall of mountains with stark precipices +of black rock that seemed to be hundreds, or even thousands, of feet +high, and at the tip of this tongue a mighty waterfall rushed over +the precipice, looking at that distance like a cascade of smoke. This +torrent, which he remembered was called Raaba, fell into a great pool +and there divided itself into two rushing branches that enclosed +an ellipse of ground, surrounded on all sides by water, for on its +westernmost extremity the branches met again and after flowing a while +as one river, divided once more and wound away quietly to north and +south further than the eye could reach. On the island thus formed, which +may have been three miles long by two in breadth, stood thousands of +straw-roofed, square-built huts with verandas, neatly arranged in blocks +and lines and having between them streets that were edged with palms. + +On the hither side of the pool was what looked like a park, for here +grew great, black trees, which from their flat shape Alan took to be +some variety of cedar, and standing alone in the midst of this park +where no other habitations could be discovered, was a large, low +building with dark-coloured walls and gabled roofs that flashed like +fire. + +"The Gold House!" said Alan to himself with a gasp. "So it is not a +dream or a lie." + +The details at that distance he could not discover, nor did he try to +do so, for the general glory of the scene held him in its grip. At this +evening hour, for a little while, the level rays of the setting sun +poured straight up the huge, water-hollowed kloof. They struck upon the +face of the fall, staining it and the clouds of mist that hung above, +to a hundred glorious hues; indeed the substance of the foaming water +seemed to be interlaced with rainbows whereof the arch reached their +crest and the feet were lost in the sullen blackness of the pool +beneath. Beautiful too was the valley, glowing in the quiet light of +evening, and even the native town thus gilded and glorified, looked like +some happy home of peace. + +The sun was sinking rapidly, and before the litter reached the foot of +the hill and began to cross the rich valley, all the glory had departed +and only the cataract showed white and ghost-like through the gloom. +But still the light, which seemed to gather to itself, gleamed upon that +golden roof amid the cedar trees; then the moon rose and the gold was +turned to silver. Alan lay back upon his cushions full of wonder, almost +of awe. It was a marvellous thing that he should have lived to reach +this secret place hidden in the heart of Africa and defended by swamps, +mountains and savages to which, so far as he knew, only one white man +had ever penetrated. And to think of it! That white man, his own uncle, +had never even held it worth while to make public any account of its +wonders, which apparently had seemed to him of no importance. Or perhaps +he thought that if he did he would not be believed. Well, there they +were before and about him, and now the question was, what would be his +fate in this Gold House where the great fetish dwelt with its priestess? + +Ah! that priestess! Somehow he shivered a little when he thought of her; +it was as though her influence were over him already. Next moment he +forgot her for a while, for they had come to the river brink and the +litter was being carried on to a barge or ferry, about which were +gathered many armed men. Evidently the Gold House was well defended both +by Nature and otherwise. The ferry was pulled or rowed across the river, +he could not see which, and they passed through a gateway into the town +and up a broad street where hundreds of people watched his advent. They +did not seem to speak, or if they spoke their voices were lost in the +sound of the thunder of the great cataract which dominated the place +with its sullen, continuous roar. It took Alan days to become accustomed +to that roar, but by the inhabitants of Asiki-land apparently it was not +noticed; their ears and voices were attuned to overcome its volume which +their fathers had known from the beginning. + +Presently they were through the town and a wooden gate in an inner wall +which surrounded the park where the cedars grew. At this spot Alan noted +that everybody left them except the bearers and a few men whom he took +to be priests. On they stole like ghosts beneath the mighty trees, from +whose limbs hung long festoons of moss. It was very dark there, only in +places where a bough was broken the moonlight lay in white gules upon +the ground. Another wall and another gate, and suddenly the litter was +set down. Its curtains opened, torches flashed, women appeared clad in +white robes, veiled and mysterious, who bowed before him, then half led +and half lifted him from his litter. He could feel their eyes on him +through their veils, but he could not see their faces. He could see +nothing except their naked, copper-coloured arms and long thin hands +stretched out to assist him. + +Alan descended from the litter as slowly as he could, for somehow he +shrank from the quaint, carved portal which he saw before him. He did +not wish to pass it; its aspect filled him with reluctance. The women +drew him on, their hands pulled at his arms, their shoulders pressed him +from behind. Still he hung back, looking about him, till to his delight +he saw the other litter arrive and out of it emerge Jeekie, still +wearing his sun-helmet with its fringe of tattered mosquito curtain. + +"Here we are, Major," he said in his cheerful voice, "turned up all +right like a bad ha'penny, but in odd situation." + +"Very odd," echoed Alan. "Could you persuade these ladies to let go of +me?" + +"Don't know," answered Jeekie. "'Spect they doubtfully your wives; +'spect you have lots of wives here; don't get white man every day, so +make most of him. Best thing you do, kick out and teach them place. +Rub nose in dirt at once and make them good, that first-class plan with +female. I no like interfere in such delicate matter." + +Terrified by this information, Alan put out his strength and shook the +women off him, whereon without seeming to take any offence they drew +back to a little distance and began to bow, like automata. Then Jeekie +addressed them in their own language, asking them what they meant by +defiling this mighty lord, born of the Heavens, with the touch of their +hands, whereat they went on bowing more humbly than before. Next +he threw aside the cushions of the litter and finding the tin box +containing Little Bonsa, held it before him in both hands and bade the +women lead on. + +The march began, a bewildering march. It was like a nightmare. Veiled +women with torches before and behind, Jeekie stalking ahead carrying the +battered tin box, long passages lined with gold, a vision of black water +edged with a wide promenade, and finally a large lamp-lit room whereof +the roof was supported by gilded columns, and in the room couches of +cushions, wooden stools inlaid with ivory, vessels of water, great +basins made of some black, hard wood, and in the centre a block of stone +that looked like an altar. + +Jeekie set down the tin box upon the altar-like stone, then he turned +to the crowd of women and said, "Bring food." Instantly they departed, +closing the door of the room behind them. + +"Now for a wash," said Alan, "unlace this confounded mask, Jeekie." + +"Mustn't, Major, mustn't. Priests tell me that. If those girls see you +without mask, perhaps they kill them. Wait till they gone after supper, +then take it off. No one allowed see you without mask except Asika +herself." + +Alan stepped to one of the wooden bowls full of water which stood under +a lamp, and gazed at his own reflection. The mask was gilded; the sham +lips were painted red and round the eye-holes were black lines. + +"Why, it is horrible," he exclaimed, starting back. "I look like a devil +crossed with Guy Fawkes. Do you mean to tell me that I have got to live +in this thing?" + +"Afraid so, Major, upon all public occasion. At least they say that. You +holy, not lawful see your sacred face." + +"Who do the Asiki think I am, then, Jeekie?" + +"They think you your reverend uncle come back after many, many year. +You see, Major, they not believe uncle run away with Little Bonsa; they +believe Little Bonsa run away with uncle just for change of air and so +on, and that now, when she tired of strange land, she bring him back +again. That why you so holy, favourite of Little Bonsa who live with you +all this time and keep you just same age, bloom of youth." + +"In Heaven's name," asked Alan, exasperated, "what is Little Bonsa, +beyond an ancient and ugly gold fetish?" + +"Hush," said Jeekie, "mustn't call her names here in her own house. +Little Bonsa much more than fetish, Little Bonsa alive, or so," he added +doubtfully, "these silly niggers say. She wife of Big Bonsa, you see, +to-morrow p'raps. But their story this, that she get dead sick of Big +Bonsa and bolt with white Medicine man, who dare preach she nothing but +heathen idol. She want show him whether or no she only idol. That the +yarn, priests tell it me to-day. They always watch for her there by the +edge of the lake. They always sure Little Bonsa come back. Not at all +surprised, but as she love you once, you stop holy; and I holy also, +thank goodness, because she take me too as servant. Therefore we sleep +in peace, for they not cut out throats, at any rate at present, though I +think," he added mournfully, "they not let us go either." + +Alan sat down on a stool and groaned at the appalling prospect suggested +by this information. + +"Cheer up, Major," said Jeekie sympathetically. "Perhaps manage hook it +somehow, and meanwhile make best of bad business and have high old time. +You see you want to come Asiki-land, though I tell you it rum place, +and," he added with certitude and a circular sweep of his hand, "by +Jingo! you here now and I daresay they give you all the gold you want." + +"What's the good of gold unless one can get away with it? What's the +good of anything if we are prisoners among these devils?" + +"Perhaps time show, Major. Hush! here come dinner. You sit still on +stool and look holy." + +The door opened and through it appeared four of the women bearing dishes +and cups full of drink, fashioned of gold like that which had been given +to Alan in the litter. He noticed at once that they had removed their +veils and outer garments, if indeed they were the same women, and now, +like many other Africans, were but lightly clad in linen capes open in +front that hung over their shoulders, short petticoats or skirts about +their middles, and sandals. Such was their attire which, scanty as it +might be, was yet becoming enough and extremely rich. Thus the cape was +fastened with a brooch of worked gold, so were the sandal straps, +while the petticoat was adorned with beads of gold that jingled as they +walked, and amongst them strings of other beads of various and beautiful +colours, that might be glass or might be precious stones. Moreover, +these women were young and handsome, having splendid figures and +well-cut features, soft, dark eyes and rather long hair worn in the +formal and attractive fashion that has been described. + +Advancing to Alan two of them knelt before him, holding out the trays +upon which was the food. So they remained while he ate, like bronze +statues, nor would they consent to change their posture even when +he told them in their language to be pleased to go away. On hearing +themselves addressed in the Asiki language, they seemed surprised, for +their faces changed a little, but go they would not. The result was +that Alan grew extremely nervous and ate and drank so rapidly that he +scarcely noted what he was putting into his mouth. Then before Jeekie, +to whom the women did not kneel, had half finished his dinner, Alan +rose and walked away, whereon two of the women gathered up everything, +including the dishes that had been given to Jeekie, and in spite of his +remonstrances carried them out of the room. + +"I say, Major," said Jeekie, "if you gobble chop so fast you go ill +inside. Poor nigger like me can't keep up with you and sleep hungry +to-night." + +"I am sorry, Jeekie," said Alan with a little laugh, "but I can't eat +off living tables, especially when they stare at one like that. You tell +them that to-morrow we will breakfast alone." + +"Oh, yes, I tell them, Major, but I don't know if they listen. They mean +it great compliment and only think you not like those girls and send +others." + +"Look here, Jeekie," exclaimed Alan, turning his masked face towards the +two who remained, "let us come to an understanding at once. Clear them +out. Tell them I am so holy that Little Bonsa is enough for me. Say +I can't bear the sight of females, and that if they stop here I will +sacrifice them. Say anything you like, only get rid of them and lock the +door." + +Thus adjured, Jeekie began to reason with the women, and as they treated +his remarks with lofty disdain, at last seized first one and then the +other by the elbows and literally ran them out of the room. + +"There," he said, "baggage gone since you make such fuss about it, +though I 'spect they try to give me Bean for this job" (here he spoke +not in figurative English slang, but of the Calabar bean, which is a +favourite native poison). "Well, dinner gone and girls gone, and we +tired, so best go to bed. Think we all private here now, though in Gold +House never can be sure," and he looked round him suspiciously, adding, +"rummy place, Gold House, full of all sort of holes made by old fellows +thousand year ago, which no one know but Bonsa priests. Still, best risk +it and take off your face so that you have decent wash," and he began to +unlace the mask on his master's head. + +Never has a City clerk dressed up for a fancy ball in the armour of a +Norman knight, been more glad to get rid of his costume than was Alan of +that hateful head-dress. At length it was gone with his other garments +and the much-needed wash accomplished, after which he clothed himself in +a kind of linen gown which apparently had been provided for him, and lay +down on one of the couches, placing his revolver by his side. + +"Will those lamps burn all night, Jeekie?" he asked. + +"Hope so, Major, as we haven't got no match. Not fond of dark in Gold +House," answered Jeekie sleepily. Then he began to snore. + +Alan fell asleep, but was too excited and tired to rest very soundly. +All sorts of dreams came to him, one of which he remembered on +awakening, perhaps because it was the last. He dreamed that he heard +some noise and opened his eyes, to see that they were no longer alone in +the room. The oil lamps had burned quite low, indeed some of them were +out, but by the light of those that remained he saw a tall figure which +seemed to appear at the edge of the surrounding blackness, a woman's +figure. It walked forward to the altar-like stone upon which lay the tin +box containing Little Bonsa, and after several rather awkward attempts, +succeeded in opening it, thereby making a noise which, in his dream, +finally awoke Alan. For a while the figure gazed at the fetish. Then it +shut the box, glided to his bed and bent down as though to study him. +Out of the corners of his eyes he peered up at it, pretending all the +while to be fast asleep. + +It was that of a woman wonderfully clad in gold-spangled, veil-like +garments with round bosses shaped to the breast, covered with thin +plates of gold fashioned like the scales of a fish which showed off the +extraordinary elegance of her lithe form. The low lamp-light shone upon +her face and the coronet of gold set upon her dark hair. What a face it +was! Never in all his days had he seen its like for evil loveliness. +The great, languid, oblong eyes, the rich red lips bent like a bow, the +cruel smile of the mouth, the broad forehead on which the hair grew low, +the delicately arched eyebrows and the long curving lashes of the heavy +lids beneath them, the rounded cheeks, smooth as a ripe fruit, the firm, +shapely chin, the snake-like poise of the head, the long bending neck, +and the feline smile; all of these combined made such a dream-vision +as he had never seen before, and to tell the truth, notwithstanding +its beauty, for that could not be doubted, never wished to see again. +Somehow he felt that if Satan should happen to have a copper-coloured +wife, the exact picture of that lady had projected itself upon his +sleeping senses. + +She seemed to study him very earnestly, with a kind of passionate +eagerness, indeed, moving a little now and again to let the light fall +upon some part that was in shadow. Once even she stretched out her +rounded arm and just lifted the edge of the blanket so as to expose his +hand, the left. As it chanced on the little finger of this hand Alan +wore a plain gold ring which Barbara had given him; once it had been her +grandfather's signet. This ring, which had a coat of arms cut upon its +bezel seemed to interest her very much as she examined it for a long +while. Then she drew off from her own finger another ring of gold +fashioned of two snakes curiously intertwined, and gently, so gently +that in his sleep he scarcely felt it, slipped it on to his finger above +Barbara's ring. + +After this she seemed to vanish away, and Alan slept soundly until the +morning, when he awoke to find the light of the sun pouring into the +room through the high-set latticed window places. + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE HALL OF THE DEAD + +Alan rose and stretched himself, and hearing him, Jeekie, who had a +dog's faculty of instantly awaking from what seemed to be the deepest +sleep, sat up also. + +"You rest well, Major? No dream, eh?" he asked curiously. + +"Not very," answered Alan, "and I had a dream, of a woman who stood over +me and vanished away, as dreams do." + +"Ah!" said Jeekie. "But where you find that new ring on finger, Major?" + +Alan stared at his hand and started, for there set on it above that of +Barbara, was the little circlet formed of twisted snakes which he had +seen in his sleep. + +"Then it must have been true," he said in a low and rather frightened +voice. "But how did she come and go?" + +"Funny place, Gold House. I tell you that yesterday, Major. People come +up through hole, like rat. Never quite sure you alone in Gold House. But +what this lady like?" + +Alan described his visitor to the best of his ability. + +"Ah!" said Jeekie, "pretty girl. Big eyes, gold crown, gold stays which +fit tight in front, very nice and decent; sort of night-shirt with +little gold stars all over--by Jingo! I think that Asika herself. If +so--great compliment." + +"Confound the compliment, I think it great cheek," answered Alan +angrily. "What does she mean by poking about here at night and putting +rings on my finger?" + +"Don't know, Major, but p'raps she wish make you understand that she +like cut of your jib. Find out by and by. Meanwhile you wear ring, for +while that on finger no one do you any harm." + +"You told me that this Asika is a married woman, did you not?" remarked +Alan gloomily. + +"Oh, yes, Major, always married; one down, other come on, you see. But +she not always like her husband, and then she make him sit up, poor +devil, and he die double quick. Great honour to be Asika's husband, but +soon all finished. P'raps----" + +Then he checked himself and suggested that Alan should have a bath while +he cleaned his clothes, an attention that they needed. + +Scarcely had Alan finished his toilet, donned the Arab-looking linen +robe over his own fragmentary flannels, and above it the hateful mask +which Jeekie insisted he must wear, when there came a knocking on the +door. Motioning to Alan to take his seat upon a stool, Jeekie undid the +bars, and as before women appeared with food and waited while they +ate, which this time, having overcome his nervousness, Alan did more +leisurely. Their meal done, one of the women asked Jeekie, for to his +master they did not seem to dare to speak, whether the white lord did +not wish to walk in the garden. Without waiting for an answer she led +him to the end of the large room and, unbarring another door that they +had not noticed, revealed a passage, beyond which appeared trees and +flowers. Then she and her companions went away with the fragments of the +meal. + +"Come on," said Alan, taking up the box containing Little Bonsa, which +he did not dare to leave behind, "and let us get into the air." + +So they went down the passage and at the end of it through gates of +copper or gold, they knew not which, that had evidently been left open +for them, into the garden. It was a large place, a good many acres in +extent indeed, and kept with some care, for there were paths in it and +flowers that seemed to have been planted. Also here grew certain of +the mighty cedar trees that they had seen from far off, beneath those +spreading boughs twilight reigned, while beyond, not more than half a +mile away, the splendid river-fall thundered down the precipice. For +the rest they could find no exit to that garden which on one side was +enclosed by a sheer cliff of living rock, and on the others with steep +stone walls beyond which ran a torrent, and by the buildings of the Gold +House itself. + +For a while they walked up and down the rough paths, till at last +Jeekie, wearying of this occupation, remarked: + +"Melancholy hole this, Major. Remind me of Westminster Abbey in London +fog, where your uncle of blessed mem'ry often take me pray and look at +fusty tomb of king. S'pose we go back Gold House and see what happen. +Anything better than stand about under cursed old cedar tree." + +"All right," said Alan, who through the eyeholes of his mask had been +studying the walls to seek a spot in them that could be climbed if +necessary, and found none. + +So they returned to the room, which had been swept and garnished in +their absence. No sooner had they entered it than the door opened and +through it came long lines of Asiki priests, each of whom staggered +beneath the weight of a hide bag that he bore upon his shoulder, which +bags they piled up about the stone altar. Then, as though at some +signal, each priest opened the mouth of his bag and Alan saw that they +wee filled with gold, gold in dust, gold in nuggets, gold in vessels +perfect or broken; more gold than Alan had ever seen before. + +"Why do they bring all this stuff here?" he asked, and Jeekie translated +his question. + +"It is an offering to the lord of Little Bonsa," answered the head +priest, bowing, "a gift from the Asika. The heaven-born white man sent +word by his Ogula messengers that he desired gold. Here is the gold that +he desired." + +Alan stared at the treasure, which after all was what he had come to +seek. If only he had it safe in England, he would be a rich man and +his troubles ended. But how could he get it to England? Here it was +worthless as mud. + +"I thank the Asika," he said. "I ask for porters to bear her gift back +to my own country, since it is too heavy for me and my servant to carry +alone." + +At these words the priest smiled a little, then said that the Asika +desired to see the white lord and to receive from him Little Bonsa in +return for the gold, and that he could proffer his request to her. + +"Good," replied Alan, "lead me to the Asika." + +Then they started, Alan bearing the box containing Little Bonsa, and +Jeekie following after him. They went down passages and through sundry +doors till at length they came to a long and narrow hall that seemed to +be lined with plates of gold. At the end of this hall was a large chair +of black wood and ivory placed upon a dais, and sitting in this chair +with the light pouring on her from some opening above, was the woman of +Alan's dream, beautiful to look on in her crown and glittering +garments. Upon a stool at the foot of the dais sat a man, a handsome +and melancholy man. His hair was tied behind his head in a pigtail and +gilded, his face was painted red, white and yellow; he wore ropes of +bright-coloured stones about his neck, middle, arms and ankles, and held +a kind of sceptre in his hand. + +"Who is that creature?" asked Alan over his shoulder to Jeekie. "The +Court fool?" + +"That husband of Asika, Major. He not fool, very big gun, but look a +little low now because his time soon up. Come on, Major, Asika beckon +us. Get on stomach and crawl; that custom here," he added, going down on +to his hands and knees, as did all the priests who followed them. + +"I'll see her hanged first," answered Alan in English. + +Then accompanied by the creeping Jeekie and the train of prostrate +priests, he marched up the long hall to the edge of the dais and there +stood still and bowed to the woman in the chair. + +"Greeting, white man," she said in a low voice when she had studied him +for a while. "Do you understand my tongue?" + +"A little," he answered in Asiki, "moreover, my servant here knows it +well and can translate." + +"I am glad," she said. "Tell me then, in your country do not people +go on to their knees before their queen, and if not, how do they greet +her?" + +"No," answered Alan with the help of Jeekie. "They greet her by raising +their head-dress or kissing her hand." + +"Ah!" she said. "Well, you have no head-dress, so kiss _my_ hand," and +she stretched it out towards him, at the same time prodding the man whom +Jackie had said was her husband, in the back with her foot, apparently +to make him get out of the way. + +Not knowing what to do, Alan stepped on to the dais, the painted man +scowling at him as he passed. Then he halted and said: + +"How can I kiss your hand through this mask, Asika?" + +"True," she answered, then considered a little and added, "White man, +you have brought back Little Bonsa, have you not, Little Bonsa who ran +away with you a great many years ago?" + +"I have," he said, ignoring the rest of the question. + +"Your messengers said that you required a present of gold in return for +Little Bonsa. I have sent you one, is it sufficient? If not, you can +have more." + +"I cannot say, O Asika, I have not examined it. But I thank you for the +present and desire porters to enable me to carry it away." + +"You desire porters," she repeated meditatively. "We will talk of that +when you have rested here a moon or two. Meanwhile, give me Little Bonsa +that she may be restored to her own place." + +Alan opened the tin box and lifting out the fetish, gave it to the +priestess, who took it and with a serpentine movement of extraordinary +grace glided from her chair on to her knees, holding the mask above her +head in both hands, then thrice covered her face with it. This done, she +called to the priests, bidding them take Little Bonsa to her own place +and give notice throughout the land that she was back again. She added +that the ancient Feast of Little Bonsa would be held on the night of the +full moon within three days, and that all preparations must be made for +it as she had commanded. + +Then the head medicine-man, raising himself upon his knees, crept on to +the dais, took the fetish from her hands, and breaking into a wild song +of triumph, he and his companions crawled down the hall and vanished +through the door, leaving them alone save for the Asika's husband. + +When they had gone the Asika looked at this man in a reflective way, and +Alan looked at him also through the eyeholes of his mask, finding him +well worth studying. As has been said, notwithstanding his paint and +grotesque decorations, he was very good-looking for a native, with +well-cut features of an Arab type. Also he was tall and muscular and not +more than thirty years of age. What struck Alan most, however, was none +of these things, nor his jewelled chains, nor even his gilded pigtail, +but his eyes, which were full of terrors. Seeing them, Alan remembered +Jeekie's story, which he had told to Mr. Haswell's guests at The Court, +of how the husband of the Asika was driven mad by ghosts. + +Just then she spoke to the man, addressing him by name and saying: + +"Leave us alone, Mungana, I wish to speak with this white lord." + +He did not seem to hear her words, but continued to stare at Alan. + +"Hearken!" she exclaimed in a voice of ice. "Do my bidding and begone, +or you shall sleep alone to-night in a certain chamber that you know +of." + +Then Mungana rose, looked at her as a dog sometimes does at a cruel +master who is about to beat it, yes, with just that same expression, put +his hands before his eyes for a little while, and turning, left the +hall by a side door which closed behind him. The Asika watched him go, +laughed musically and said: + +"It is a very dull thing to be married,--but how are you named, white +man?" + +"Vernon," he answered. + +"Vernoon, Vernoon," she repeated, for she could not pronounce the O as +we do. "Are you married, Vernoon?" + +He shook his head. + +"Have you been married?" + +"No," he answered, "never, but I am going to be." + +"Yes," she repeated, "you are going to be. You remember that you were +near to it many years ago, when Little Bonsa got jealous and ran away +with you. Well, she won't do that again, for doubtless she is tired of +you now, and besides," she added with a flash of ferocity, "I'd melt her +with fire first and set her spirit free." + +While Jeekie was trying to explain this mysterious speech to Alan, the +Asika broke in, asking: + +"Do you always want to wear that mask?" + +He answered, "Certainly not," whereon she bade Jeekie take it off, which +he did. + +"Understand me," she said, fixing her great languid eyes upon his in a +fashion that made him exceedingly uncomfortable, "understand, Vernoon, +that if you go out anywhere, it must be in your mask, which you can only +put off when you are alone with me?" + +"Why?" + +"Because, Vernoon, I do not choose that any other woman should see +your face. If a woman looks upon your uncovered face, remember that she +dies--not nicely." + +Alan stared at her blankly, being unable to find appropriate Asiki words +in which to reply to this threat. But the Asika only leaned back in +her chair and laughed at his evident confusion and dismay, till a new +thought struck her. + +"Your lips are free now," she said; "kiss my hand after the fashion +of your own country," and she stretched it out to Alan, leaving him no +choice but to obey her. + +"Why," she went on mischievously, taking his hand and in turn touching +it with her red lips, "why, are you a thief, Vernoon? That ring was mine +and you have stolen it. How did you steal that ring?" + +"I don't know," he answered, through Jeekie, "I found it on my finger. +I cannot understand how it came there. I understand nothing of all this +talk." + +"Well, well, keep it, Vernoon, only give me that other ring of yours in +exchange." + +"I cannot," he replied, colouring. "I promised to wear it always." + +"Whom did you promise?" she asked with a flash of rage. "Was it a woman? +Nay, I see, it is a man's ring, and that is well, for otherwise I would +bring a curse on her, however far off she may be dwelling. Say no more +and forgive my anger. A vow is a vow--keep your ring. But where is that +one you used to wear in bygone days? I recall that it had a cross upon +it, not this star and figure of an eagle." + +Now Alan remembered that his uncle owned such a ring with a cross upon +it, and was frightened, for how did this woman know these things? + +"Jeekie," he said, "ask the Asika if I am mad, or if she is. How can +she know what I used to wear, seeing that I was never in this place till +yesterday, and certainly I have not met her anywhere else." + +"She mean when you your reverend uncle," said Jeekie, wagging his great +head, "she think you identical man." + +"What troubles you, Vernoon," the Asika asked softly, then added +anything but softly to Jeekie, "Translate, you dog, and be swift." + +So Jeekie translated in a great hurry, telling her what Alan had said, +and adding on his own account that he, silly white man that he was, +could not understand how, as she was quite a young woman, she could have +seen him before she was born. If that were so, she would be old and ugly +now, not beautiful as she was. + +"I never saw you before, and you never saw me, Lady, yet you talk as +though we had been friends," broke in Alan in his halting Asiki. + +"So we were in the spirit, Vernoon. It was she who went before me who +loved that white man whose face was as your face is, but her ghost +lives on in me and tells me the tale. There have been many Asikas, for +thousands of years they have ruled in this land, yet but one spirit +belongs to them all; it is the string upon which the beads of their +lives are threaded. White man, I, whom you think young, know everything +back to the beginning of the world, back to the time when I was a monkey +woman sitting in those cedar trees, and if you wish, I can tell it you." + +"I should like to hear it very much indeed," answered Alan, when he had +mastered her meaning, "though it is strange that none of the rest of us +remember such things. Meanwhile, O Asika, I will tell you that I desire +to return to my own land, taking with me that gift of gold that you have +given me. When will it please you to allow me to return?" + +"Not yet a while, I think," she said, smiling at him weirdly, for no +other word will describe that smile. "My spirit remembers that it was +always thus. Those wanderers who came hither always wished to return +again to their own country, like the birds in spring. Once there was a +white man among them, that was more than twenty hundred years ago; he +was a native of a country called Roma, and wore a helmet. He wished to +return, but my mother of that day, she kept him and by and by I will +show him to you if you like. Before that there was a brown man who came +from a land where a great river overflows its banks every year. He was +a prince of his own country, who had fled from his king and the desert +folk made a slave of him, and so he drifted hither. He wished to return +also, for my mother of that day, or my spirit that dwelt in her, showed +to him that if he could but be there they would make him king in his own +land. But my mother of that day, she would not let him go, and by and by +I will show him to you, if you wish." + +Bewildered, amazed, Alan listened to her. Evidently the woman was mad, +or else she played some mystical part for reasons of her own. + +"When will you let me go, O Asika?" he repeated. + +"Not yet a while, I think," she said again. "You are too comely and I +like you," and she smiled at him. There was nothing coarse in the smile, +indeed it had a certain spiritual quality which thrilled him. "I like +you," she went on in her dreamy voice, "I would keep you with me until +your spirit is drawn up into my spirit, making it strong and rich as all +the spirits that went before have done, those spirits that my mothers +loved from the beginning, which dwell in me to-day." + +Now Alan grew alarmed, desperate even. + +"Queen," he said, "but just now your husband sat here, is it right then +that you should talk to me thus?" + +"My husband," she answered, laughing. "Why, that man is but a slave who +plays the part of husband to satisfy an ancient law. Never has he so +much as kissed my finger tips; my women--those who waited on you last +night--are his wives, not I,--or may be, if he will. Soon he will die +of love for me, and then when he is dead, though not before, I may take +another husband, any husband that I choose, and I think that no black +man shall be my lord, who have other, purer blood in me. Vernoon, five +centuries have gone by since an Asika was really wed to a foreign man +who wore a green turban and called himself a son of the Prophet, a man +with a hooked nose and flashing eyes, who reviled our gods until they +slew him, even though he was the beloved of their priestess. She who +went before me also would have married that white man whose face was +like your face, but he fled with Little Bonsa, or rather Little Bonsa +fled with him. So she passed away unwed, and in her place I came." + +"How did you come, if she whom you call your mother was not your +mother?" asked Alan. + +"What is that to you, white man?" she replied haughtily. "I am here, +as my spirit has been here from the first. Oh! I see you think I lie to +you, come then, come, and I will show you those who from the beginning +have been the husbands of the Asika," and rising from her chair she took +him by the hand. + +They went through doors and by long, half-lit passages till they came to +great gates guarded by old priests armed with spears. As they drew +near to these priests the Asika loosed a scarf that she wore over her +breast-plate of gold fish scales, and threw the star-spangled thing over +Alan's head, that even these priests should not see his face. Then she +spoke a word to them and they opened the gates. Here Jeekie evinced +a disposition to remain, remarking to his master that he thought that +place, into which he had never entered, "much too holy for poor nigger +like him." + +The Asika asked him what he had said and he explained his sense of +unworthiness in her own tongue. + +"Come, fellow," she exclaimed, "to translate my words and to bear +witness that no trick is played upon your lord." + +Still Jeekie lingered bashfully, whereon at a sign from her one of the +priests pricked him behind with his great spear, and uttering a low howl +he sprang forward. + +The Asika led the way down a passage, which they saw ended in a big hall +lit with lamps. Now they were in it and Alan became aware that they had +entered the treasure house of the Asiki, since here were piled up great +heaps of gold, gold in ingots, gold in nuggets, in stone jars filled +with dust, in vessels plain or embossed with monstrous shapes in +fetishes and in little squares and discs that looked as though they had +served as coins. Never had he seen so much gold before. + +"You are rich here, Lady," he said, gazing at the piles astonished. + +She shrugged her shoulders. "Yes, as I have heard that some people count +wealth. These are the offerings brought to our gods from the beginning; +also all the gold found in the mountains belongs to the gods, and there +is much of it there. The gift I sent to you was taken from this heap, +but in truth it is but a poor gift, seeing that although this stuff is +bright and serves for cups and other things, it has no use at all and +is only offered to the gods because it is harder to come by than other +metals. Look, these are prettier than the gold," and from a stone table +she picked up at hazard a long necklace of large, uncut stones, red and +white in colour and set alternatively, that Alan judged to be crystals +and spinels. + +"Take it," she said, "and examine it at your leisure. It is very old. +For hundreds of years no more of these necklaces have been made," and +with a careless movement she threw the chain over his head so that it +hung upon his shoulders. + +Alan thanked her, then remembered that the man called Mungana, who was +the husband, real or official, of this priestess, had been somewhat +similarly adorned, and shivered a little as though at a presage of +advancing fate. Still he did not return the thing, fearing lest he +should give offence. + +At this moment his attention was taken from the treasure by the sound +of a groan behind him. Turning round he perceived Jeekie, his great eyes +rolling as though in an extremity of fear. + +"Oh my golly! Major," he ejaculated, pointing to the wall, "look there." + +Alan looked, but at first in that dim light could only discover long +rows of gleaming objects which reached from the floor to the roof. + +"Come and see," said the Asika, and taking a lamp from that table on +which lay the gems, she led him past the piles of gold to one side of +the vault or hall. Then he saw, and although he did not show it, like +Jeekie he was afraid. + +For there, each in his own niche and standing one above the other, were +what looked like hundreds of golden men with gleaming eyes. At first +until the utter stillness undeceived him, he thought that they _must_ be +men. Then he understood that this was what they had been; now they were +corpses wrapped in sheets of thin gold and wearing golden masks with +eyes of crystal, each mask being beaten out to a hideous representation +of the man in life. + +"All these are the husbands of my spirit," said the priestess, waving +the lamp in front of the lowest row of them, "Munganas who were married +to the Asikas in the past. Look, here is he who said that he ought to +be king of that rich land where year after year the river overflows its +banks," and going to one of the first of the figures in the bottom row, +she drew out a fastening and suffered the gold mask to fall forward on a +hinge, exposing the face within. + +Although it had evidently been treated with some preservative, this head +now was little more than a skull still covered with dark hair, but set +upon its brow appeared an object that Alan recognized at once, a simple +band of plain gold, and rising from it the head of an asp. Without doubt +it was the _uraeus_, that symbol which only the royalties of Old Egypt +dared to wear. Without doubt also either this man had brought it with +him from the Nile, or in memory of his rank and home he had fashioned it +of the gold that was so plentiful in the place of his captivity. So this +woman's story was true, an ancient Egyptian had once been husband to the +Asika of his day. + +Meanwhile his guide had passed a long way down the line and halting in +front of another gold-wrapped figure, opened its mask. + +"This is that man," she said, "who told us he came from a land called +Roma. Look, the helmet still rests upon his head, though time has eaten +into it, and that ring upon your hand was taken from his finger. I have +a head-dress made upon the model of that helmet which I wear sometimes +in memory of this man who, my soul remembers, was brave and pleasant and +a gallant lover." + +"Indeed," answered Alan, looking at the sunken face above which a rim of +curls appeared beneath the rusting helmet. "Well, he doesn't look very +gallant now, does he?" Then he peered down between the body and its gold +casing and saw that in his body hand the man still held a short Roman +sword, lifted as though in salute. So she had not lied in this matter +either. + +Meanwhile the Asika had glided on to the end of the hall behind the +heaps of treasure. + +"There is one more white man," she said, "though we know little of him, +for he was fierce and barbarous and died without learning our tongue, +after killing a great number of the priests of that day because they +would not let him go; yes, died cutting them down with a battle-axe and +singing some wild song of his own country. Come hither, slave, and bend +yourself so, resting your hands upon the ground." + +Jeekie obeyed, and actively as a cat the priestess leaped on to his +back, and reaching up opened the mask of a corpse in the second row and +held her lamp before its face. + +It was better preserved than the others, so that its features remained +comparatively perfect, and about them hung a tangle of golden hair. +Moreover, a broad battle-axe appeared resting on the shoulder. + +"A viking," thought Alan. "I wonder how _he_ came here." + +When he had looked the Asika leaped from Jeekie's back to the ground +and waving her arm around her, began to talk so rapidly that Alan could +understand nothing of her words, and asked Jeekie to translate them. + +"She say," explained Jeekie between his chattering teeth, "that all +rest these Johnnies very poor crew, natives and that lot except one who +worship false Prophet and cut throat of Asika of that time, because she +infidel and he teach her better; also eat his dinner out of Little Bonsa +and chuck her into water. Very wild man, that Arab, but priests catch +him at last and fill him with hot gold before Little Bonsa because he no +care a damn for ghosts. So he die saying Hip, hip, hurrah! for houri and +green field of Prophet and to hell with Asika and Bonsa, Big and Little! +Now he sit up there and at night time worst ghost of all the crowd, +always come to finish off Mungana. That all she say, and quite enough +too. Come on quick, she want you and no like wait." + +By now the Asika had passed almost round the hall, and was standing +opposite to an empty niche beyond and above which there were perhaps a +score of bodies gold-plated in the usual fashion. + +"That is your place, Vernoon," she said gently, contemplating him with +her soft and heavy eyes, "for it was prepared for the white man with +whom Little Bonsa fled away, and since then, as you see, there have been +many Munganas, some of whom belong to me; indeed, that one," and she +touched a corpse on which the gold looked very fresh, "only left me last +year. But we always knew that Little Bonsa would bring you back again, +and so you see, we have kept your place empty." + +"Indeed," remarked Alan, "that is very kind of you," and feeling that he +would faint if he stayed longer in this horrible and haunted vault, he +pushed past her with little ceremony and walked out through the gates +into the passage beyond. + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE GOLD HOUSE + +"How you like Asiki-land, Major?" asked Jeekie, who had followed him +and was now leaning against a wall fanning himself feebly with his great +hand. "Funny place, isn't it, Major? I tell you so before you come, but +you no believe me." + +"Very funny," answered Alan, "so funny that I want to get out." + +"Ah! Major, that what eel say in trap where he go after lob-worm, but he +only get out into frying pan after cook skin him alive-o. Ah! here come +cook--I mean Asika. She only stop shut up those stiff 'uns, who all love +lob-worm one day. Very pretty woman, Asika, but thank God she not set +cap at me, who like to be buried in open like Christian man." + +"If you don't stop it, Jeekie," replied Alan in a concentrated rage, +"I'll see that you are buried just where you are." + +"No offence, Major, no offence, my heart full and bubble up. I wonder +what Miss Barbara say if she see you mooing and cooing with dark-eyed +girl in gold snake skin?" + +Just then the Asika arrived and by way of excuse for his flight, Alan +remarked to her that the treasure-hall was hot. + +"I did not notice it," she answered, "but he who is called my husband, +Mungana, says the same. The Mungana is guardian of the dead," she +explained, "and when he is required so to do, he sleeps in the Place of +the Treasure and gathers wisdom from the spirits of those Munganas who +were before him." + +"Indeed. And does he like that bed-chamber?" + +"The Mungana likes what I like, not what he likes," she replied +haughtily. "Where I send him to sleep, there he sleeps. But come, +Vernoon, and I will show you the Holy Water where Big Bonsa dwells; also +the house in which I have my home, where you shall visit me when you +please." + +"Who built this place?" asked Alan as she led him through more dark and +tortuous passages. "It is very great." + +"My spirit does not remember when it was built, Vernoon, so old is it, +but I think that the Asiki were once a big and famous people who traded +to the water upon the west, and even to the water on the east, and that +was how those white men became their slaves and the Munganas of their +queens. Now they are small and live only by the might and fame of Big +and Little Bonsa, not half filling the rich land which is theirs. But," +she added reflectively and looking at him, "I think also that this is +because in the past fools have been thrust upon my spirit as Munganas. +What it needs is the wisdom of the white man, such wisdom as yours, +Vernoon. If that were added to my magic, then the Asiki would grow great +again, seeing that they have in such plenty the gold which you have +shown me the white man loves. Yes, they would grow great and from coast +to coast the people should bow at the name of Bonsa and send him their +sons for sacrifice. Perhaps you will live to see that day, Vernoon. +Slave," she added, addressing Jeekie, "set the mask upon your lord's +head, for we come where women are." + +Alan objected, but she stamped her foot and said it must be so, having +once worn Little Bonsa, as her people told her he had done, his naked +face might not be seen. So Alan submitted to the hideous head-dress and +they entered the Asika's house by some back entrance. + +It was a place with many rooms in it, but they were all remarkable for +extreme simplicity. With a single exception no gilding or gold was to +be seen, although the food vessels were made of this material here as +everywhere. The chambers, including those in which the Asika lived and +slept, were panelled, or rather boarded with cedar wood that was almost +black with age, and their scanty furniture was mostly made of ebony. +They were very insufficiently lighted, like his own room, by means of +barred openings set high in the wall. Indeed gloom and mystery were +the keynotes of this place, amongst the shadows of which handsome, +half-naked servants or priestesses flitted to and fro at their tasks, +or peered at them out of dark corners. The atmosphere seemed heavy +with secret sin; Alan felt that in those rooms unnameable crimes and +cruelties had been committed for hundreds or perhaps thousands of years, +and that the place was yet haunted by the ghosts of them. At any rate it +struck a chill to his healthy blood, more even than had that Hall of the +Dead and of heaped-up golden treasure. + +"Does my house please you?" the Asika asked of him. + +"Not altogether," he answered, "I think it is dark." + +"From the beginning my spirit has ever loved the dark, Vernoon. I think +that it was shaped in some black midnight." + +They passed through the chief entrance of the house which had pillars of +woodwork grotesquely carved, down some steps into a walled and roofed-in +yard where the shadows were even more dense than in the house they had +left. Only at one spot was there light flowing down through a hole in +the roof, as it did apparently in that hall where Alan had found the +Asika sitting in state. The light fell on to a pedestal or column made +of gold which was placed behind an object like a large Saxon font, +also made of gold. The shape of this column reminded Alan of something, +namely of a very similar column, although fashioned of a different +material which stood in the granite-built office of Messrs. Aylward & +Haswell in the City of London. Nor did this seem wonderful to him, since +on top of it, squatting on its dwarf legs, stood a horrid but familiar +thing, namely Little Bonsa herself come home at last. There she sat +smiling cruelly, as she had smiled from the beginning, forgetful +doubtless of her wanderings in strange lands, while round her stood a +band of priests armed with spears. + +Followed by the Asika and Jeekie, Alan walked up and looked her in +the face and to his excited imagination she appeared to grin at him in +answer. Then while the priests prostrated themselves, he examined the +golden basin or laver, and saw that at the further side of it was a +little platform approached by steps. On the top of these golden steps +were two depressions such as might have been worn out in the course of +ages by persons kneeling there. Also the flat edge of the basin which +stood about thirty inches above the level of the topmost step, was +scored as though by hundreds of sword cuts which had made deep lines in +the pure metal. The basin itself was empty. + +Seeing that these things interested him, the Asika volunteered the +information through Jeekie, that this was a divining-bowl, and that if +those who went before her had wished to learn the future, they caused +Little Bonsa to float in it and found out all they wanted to know by +her movements. She, however, she added, had other and better methods of +learning things that were predestined. + +"Where does the water come from?" asked Alan thoughtlessly searching the +bowl for some tap or inlet. + +"Out of the hearts of men," she answered with a low and dreadful laugh. +"These marks are those of swords and every one of them means a life." +Then seeing that he looked incredulous she added, "Stay, I will show +you. Little Bonsa must be thirsty who has fasted so long, also there +are matters that I desire to know. Come hither--you, and you," and she +pointed at hazard to the two priests who knelt nearest to her, "and do +you bid the executioner bring his axe," she went on to a third. + +The dark faces of the men turned ashen, but they made no effort to +escape their doom. One of them crept up the steps and laid his neck upon +the edge of gold, while the other, uttering no word, threw himself on +his face at the foot of them, waiting his turn. Then a door opened and +there appeared a great and brutal-looking fellow, naked except for a +loin cloth, who bore in his hand a huge weapon, half knife and half axe. + +First he looked at the Asika, who nodded almost imperceptibly, then +sprang on to a prolongation of the golden steps, bowed to Little Bonsa +on her column behind and heaved up his knife. + +Now for the first time Alan really understood what was about to happen, +and that what he had imagined a stage rehearsal, was to become a hideous +murder. + +"Stop!" he shouted in English, being unable to remember the native word. + +The executioner paused with his axe poised in mid-air; the victim turned +his head and looked, as though surprised; the second victim and the +priests their companions looked also. Jeekie fell on to his knees and +burst into fervent prayer addressed apparently to Little Bonsa. The +Asika smiled and did nothing. + +Again the weapon was lifted and as he felt that words were no longer +of any use, even if he could find them, Alan took refuge in action. +Springing on to the other side of the little platform, he hit out with +all his strength across the kneeling man. Catching the executioner on +the point of the chin, he knocked him straight backwards in such fashion +that his head struck upon the floor before any other portion of his +body, so that he lay there either dead or stunned. Alan never learned +which, since the matter was not thought of sufficient importance to be +mentioned. + +At this sight the Asika burst into a low laugh, then asked Alan why he +had felled the executioner. He answered because he would not stand by +and see two innocent men butchered. + +"Why not," she said in an astonished voice; "if Little Bonsa, whose +priests they are, needs them, and I, who am the Mouth of the gods +declare that they should die? Still, she has been in your keeping for a +long while and you may know her will, so if you wish it, let them live. +Or perhaps you require other victims," and she fixed her eyes upon +Jeekie with a glance of suggestive hope. + +"Oh my golly!" gasped Jeekie in English, "tell her not for Joe, Major, +tell her most improper. Say Yellow God my dearest friend and go mad as +hatter if my throat cut----" + +Alan stopped his protestations with a secret kick. + +"I choose no victims," he broke in, "nor will I see man's blood shed--to +me it is _orunda_--unholy; I may not look on human blood, and if you +cause me to do so, Asika, I shall hate you because you make me break my +oath." + +The Asika reflected for a moment, while Jeekie behind muttered between +his chattering teeth: + +"Good missionary talk that, Major. Keep up word in season, Major. If +she make Christian martyr of Jeekie, who get you out of this confounded +hole?" + +Then the Asika spoke. + +"Be it as you will, for I desire neither that you should hate me, nor +that you should look on that which is unlawful for your eyes to see. The +feasts and ceremonies you must attend, but if I can help it, no victim +shall be slain in your presence, not even that whimpering hound, your +servant," she added with a contemptuous glance at Jeekie, "who it seems, +fears to give his life for the glory of the god, but who because he is +yours, is safe now and always." + +"That _very_ satisfactory," said Jeekie, rising from his knees, his face +wreathed in smiles, for he knew well that a decree of the Asika could +not be broken. Then he began to explain to the priestess that it was not +fear of losing his own life that had moved him, but the certainty that +this occurrence would disagree morally with Little Bonsa, whose entire +confidence he possessed. + +Taking no notice of his words, with a slight reverence to the fetish, +she passed on, beckoning to Alan. As he went by the two prostrate +priests whose lives he had saved, lifted their heads a little and looked +at him with heartfelt gratitude in their eyes; indeed one of them kissed +the place where his foot had trodden. Jeekie, following, gave him a kick +to intimate that he was taking a liberty, but at the same time stooped +down and asked the man his name. It occurred to him that these rescued +priests might some day be useful. + +Alan followed her through a kind of swing door which opened into another +of the endless halls, but when he looked for her there she was nowhere +to be seen. A priest who was waiting beyond the door bowed and informed +him that the Asika had gone to her own place, and would see him that +evening. Then bowing again he led them back by various passages to the +room where they had slept. + +"Jeekie," said Alan after their food had been brought to them, this +time, he observed, by men, for it was now past midday, "you were born +in Asiki-land; tell me the truth of this business. What does that +woman mean when she talks about her spirit having been here from the +beginning." + +"She mean, Major, that every time she die her soul go into someone else, +whom priests find out by marks. Also Asika always die young, they never +let her become old woman, but how she die and where they bury her, no +one know 'cept priests. Sometimes she have girl child who become Asika +after her, but if they have boy child, they kill him. I think this Asika +daughter of her who make love to your reverend uncle. All that story +'bout her mother not being married, lies, and all her story lies too, +she often marry." + +"But how about the spirit coming back, Jeekie?" + +"'Spect that lie too, Major, though she think it solemn fact. Priests +teach her all those old things. Still," he added doubtfully, "Asika +great medicine-woman and know a lot we don't know, can't say how. Very +awkward customer, Major." + +"Quite so, Jeekie, I agree with you. But to come to the point, what is +her game with me?" + +"Oh! Major," he answered with a grin, "_that_ simple enough. She tired +of black man, want change, mean to marry you according to law, that is +when Mungana dies, and he die jolly quick now. She mustn't kill him, +but polish him off all the same, stick him to sleep with those dead uns, +till he go like drunk man and see things and drown himself. Then she +marry you. But till he dead, you all right, she only talk and make eyes, +'cause of Asiki law, not 'cause she want to stop there." + +"Indeed, Jeekie, and how long do you think that Mungana will last?" + +"Perhaps three months, Major, and perhaps two. Think not more than two. +Strong man, but he look devilish dicky this morning. Think he begin see +snakes." + +"Very well, Jeekie. Now listen to me--you've got to get us out of +Asiki-land by this day two months. If you don't, that lady will do +anything to oblige me and no doubt there are more executioners left." + +"Oh! Major, don't talk like silly fool. Jeekie always hate fools and +suffer them badly--like holy first missionary bishop. You know very well +this no place for ultra-Christian man like Jeekie, who only come here +to please you. Both in same bag, Major, if I die, you die and leave +Miss Barbara up gum tree. I get you out if I can. But this stuff the +trouble," and he pointed to the bags of gold. "Not want to leave +all that behind after such arduous walk. No, no, I try get you out, +meanwhile you play game." + +"The game! What game, Jeekie?" + +"What game? Why, Asika-game of course. If she sigh, you sigh; if she +look at you, you look at her; if she squeeze hand, you squeeze hand; if +she kiss, you kiss." + +"I am hanged if I do, Jeekie." + +"Must, Major; must or never get out of Asiki-land. What all that +matter?" he added confidentially. "Miss Barbara never know. Jeekie +doesn't split, also quite necessary in situation, and you can't be +married till that Mungana dead. All matter business, Major; make time +pass pleasant as well. Asika jolly enough if you stroke her fur right +way, but if you put her back up--oh Lor! No trouble, sit and smile and +say, 'Oh, ducky, how beautiful you are!' that not hurt anybody." + +In spite of himself Alan burst out laughing. + +"But how about the Mungana?" he asked. + +"Mungana, he got take that with rest. Also I try make friends with that +poor devil. Tell him it all my eye. Perhaps he believe me--not sure. If +he me, I no believe _him_. Mungana," he added oracularly, "Mungana take +his chance. What matter? In two months' time he nothing but gold figure, +No. 2403; just like one mummy in museum. Now I try catch my ma. I hear +she alive somewhere. They tell me she used keep lodging house for Bonsa +pilgrim, but steal grub, say it cat, all that sort of thing, and get run +in as thief. Afraid my ma come down very much in world, not society lady +now, shut up long way off in suburb. Still p'raps she useful so best +send her message by p'liceman, say how much I love her; say her dear +little Jeekie turn up again just to see her sweet face. Only don't know +if she swallow that or if they let her out prison unless I pay for all +she prig." + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE FEAST OF LITTLE BONSA + +It was the night of full moon and of the great feast of the return of +Little Bonsa. Alan sat in his chamber waiting to be summoned to take +part in this ceremony and listening the while to that _Wow! Wow! Wow!_ +of the death drums, whereof Jeekie had once spoken in England, which +could be clearly heard even above the perpetual boom of the cataract +tumbling down its cliff behind the town. By now he had recovered from +the fatigue of his journey and his health was good, but the same could +not be said of his spirits, for never in his life had he felt more +downhearted, not even when he was sickening for blackwater fever, or lay +in bondage in the City, expecting every morning to wake up and find his +reputation blasted. He was a prisoner in this dreadful, gloomy +place where he must live like a second Man in the Iron Mask, without +recreation or exercise other than he could find in the walled garden +where grew the black cedar trees, and, so far as he could see, a +prisoner without hope of escape. + +Moreover, he could no longer disguise from himself the truth; Jeekie was +right. The Asika had fallen in love with him, or at any rate made up her +mind that he should be her next husband. He hated the sight of the woman +and her sinuous, evil beauty, but to be free of her was impossible, and +to offend her, death. All day long she kept him about her, and from his +sleep he would wake up and as on the night of his arrival, +distinguish her leaning over him studying his face by the light of +the faintly-burning lamps, as a snake studies the bird it is about to +strike. He dared not stir or give the slightest sign that he saw her. +Nor indeed did he always see her, for he kept his eyes closely shut. +But even in his heaviest slumber some warning sense told him of her +presence, and then above Jeekie's snores (for on these occasions Jeekie +always snored his loudest) he would hear a soft footfall, as cat-like, +she crept towards him, or the sweep of her spangled robe, or the +tinkling of the scales of her golden breastplate. For a long while +she would stand there, examining him greedily and even the few little +belongings that remained to him, and then with a hungry sigh glide away +and vanish in the shadows. How she came or how she vanished Alan could +not discover. Clearly she did not use the door, and he could find +no other entrance to the room. Indeed at times he thought he must be +suffering from delusion, but Jeekie shook his great head and did not +agree with him. + +"She there right enough," he said. "She walk over me as though I log +and I smell stuff she put on hair, but I think she come and go by magic. +Asika do that if she please." + +"Then I wish she would teach me the secret, Jeekie. I should soon be out +of Asiki-land, I can tell you." + +All that day Alan had been in her company, answering her endless +questions about his past, the lands that he had visited, and especially +the women that he had known. He had the tact to tell her that none of +these were half so beautiful as she was, which was true in a sense and +pleased her very much, for in whatever respects she differed from them, +in common with the rest of her sex she loved a compliment. Emboldened by +her good humour, he had ventured to suggest that being rested and having +restored Little Bonsa, he would be glad to return with her gifts to his +own country. Next instant he was sorry, for as soon as she understood +his meaning she grew almost white with rage. + +"What!" she said; "you desire to leave me? Know, Vernoon, that I will +see you dead first and myself also, for then we shall be born again +together and can never more be separated." + +Nor was this all, for she burst into weeping, threw her arms about him, +drew him to her, kissed him on the forehead, and then thrust him away, +saying: + +"Curses on the priests' law that makes us wait so long, and curses on +that Mungana who will not die and may not be killed. Well, he shall pay +for it and within two months, Vernoon, oh! within two months----" and +she stretched out her arms with a gesture of infinite passion, then +turned and left him. + +"My!" said Jeekie afterwards, for he had watched all this scene +open-mouthed, "my! but she mean business. Mrs. Jeekie never kiss me like +that, nor any other female either. She dead nuts on you, Major. Very +great compliment! 'Spect when you Mungana, she keep you alive a long +time, four or five years perhaps, if no other white man come this way. +Pity you can't take it on a bit, Major," he added insidiously, "because +then she grow careless and make you chief and we get chance scoop out +that gold house and bolt with bally lot. Miss Barbara sensible woman, +when she see all that cash she not mind, she say 'Bravo, old boy, quite +right spoil Lady Potiphar in land of bondage, but Jeekie must have ten +per cent. because he show you how do it.'" + +Alan was so depressed, and indeed terrified by this demonstration on the +part of his fearful hostess, that he could neither laugh at Jeekie, nor +swear at him. He only sat still and groaned, feeling that bad as things +were they were bound to become worse. + + + +Above the perpetual booming of the death drums rose a sound of wild +music. The door burst open, and through it came a number of priests, +their nearly naked bodies hideously painted and on their heads the most +devilish-looking masks. Some of them clashed cymbals, some blew horns +and some beat little drums all to time which was given to them by a +bandmaster with a golden rod. In front of them with painted face and +decked in his gorgeous apparel, walked the Mungana himself. + +"They come to take us to Bonsa worship," explained Jeekie. "Cheer up, +Major, very exciting business, no go to sleep there, as in English +church. See the god all time and no sermon." + +Alan, who wore a linen robe over the remains of his European garments, +and whose mask was already on his head, rose listlessly and bowed to +the gorgeous Mungana who, poor man, answered him with a stare of hate, +knowing that this wanderer was destined to fill his place. Then they +started, Jeekie accompanying them, and walked a long way through various +halls and passages, bearing first to the left and then to the right +again, till suddenly through some side door they emerged upon a +marvellous scene. The first impressions that reached Alan's mind were +those of a long stretch of water, very black and still and not more than +eighty feet in width. On the hither edge of this canal, seated upon a +raised dais in the midst of a great open space of polished rock, was +the Asika, or so he gathered from her gold breastplate and sparkling +garments, for her fierce and beautiful features were hid beneath an +object familiar enough to him, the yellow, crystal-eyed mask of Little +Bonsa. Arranged in companies about and behind her were hundreds of +people, male and female, clad in hideous costumes to resemble demons, +with masks to match. Some of these masks were semi-human and some of +them bore a likeness to the heads of animals and had horns on them, +while their wearers were adorned with skins and tails. To describe them +in their infinite variety would be impossible; indeed the recollection +that Alan carried away was one of a mediaeval hell as it is occasionally +to be found portrayed upon "Doom pictures" in old churches. + +On the further side of the water the entire Asiki people seemed to be +gathered, at least there were thousands of them seated upon a rising +rocky slope as in an amphitheatre, clad only in the ordinary costume of +the Western African native, and in some instances in linen cloaks. This +great amphitheatre was surrounded by a high wall with gates, but in the +moonlight he found it difficult to discern its exact limits. + +Jeekie nudged Alan and pointed to the centre of the canal or pool. He +looked and saw floating there a huge and hideous golden head, twenty +times as large as life perhaps, with great prominent eyes that glared up +to the sky. Its appearance was quite unlike anything else in the world, +more loathsome, more horrible, man, fish and animal, all seemed to +have their part in it, human mouth and teeth, fish-like eyes and snout, +bestial expression. + +"Big Bonsa," whispered Jeekie. "Just the same as when I sweet little +boy.--He live here for thousand of years." + +Preceded by the Mungana and followed by Jeekie and the priests, the band +bringing up the rear, Alan was marched down a lane left open for him +till he came to some steps leading to the dais, upon which in addition +to that occupied by the Asika, stood two empty chairs. These steps the +Mungana motioned him to mount, but when Jeekie tried to follow him he +turned and struck him contemptuously in the face. At once the Asika, who +was watching Vernon's approach through the eye-holes in the Little Bonsa +mask, said fiercely: + +"Who bade you strike the servant of my guest, O Mungana? Let him come +also that he may stand behind us and interpret." + +Her wretched husband, who knew that this public slight was put upon him +purposely, but did not dare to protest against it, bowed his head. Then +all three of them climbed to the dais, the priests and the musicians +remaining below. + +"Welcome, Vernoon," said the Asika through the lips of the mask, which +to Alan, notwithstanding the dreadful cruelty of its expression, looked +less hateful than the lovely, tigerish face it hid. "Welcome and be +seated here on my left hand, since on my right you may not sit--as yet." + +He bowed and took the chair to which she pointed, while her husband +placed himself in the other chair upon her right, and Jeekie stood +behind, his great shape towering above them all. + +"This is a festival of my people, Vernoon," she went on, "such a +festival as has not been seen for years, celebrated because Little Bonsa +has come back to them." + +"What is to happen?" he asked uneasily. "I have told you, Lady, that +blood is _orunda_ to me. I must not witness it." + +"I know, be not afraid," she answered. "Sacrifice there must be, since +it is the custom and we may not defraud the gods, but you shall not see +the deed. Judge from this, Vernoon, how greatly I desire to please you." + +Now Alan, looking about him, saw that immediately beneath the dais +and between them and the edge of the water, were gathered his cannibal +friends, the Ogula, and Fahni their chief who had rowed him to +Asiki-land, and with them the messengers whom they had sent on ahead. +Also he saw that their arms were tied behind them and that they were +guarded by men dressed like devils and armed with spears. + +"Ask Fahni why he and his people are bound, Jeekie," said Alan, "and why +have they not returned to their own country." + +Jeekie obeyed, putting the question in the Ogula language, whereon the +poor men turned and began to implore Alan to save their lives, Fahni +adding that he had been told they were to be killed that night. + +"Why are these men to be slain?" asked Alan of the Asika. + +"Because I have learned that they attacked you in their own country, +Vernoon," she answered, "and would have killed you had it not been for +Little Bonsa. It is therefore right that they should die as an offering +to you." + +"I refuse the offering since afterwards they dealt well with me. Set +them free and let them return to their own land, Asika." + +"That cannot be," she replied coldly. "Here they are and here they +remain. Still, their lives are yours to take or to spare, so keep them +as your servants if you will," and bending down she issued a command +which was instantly obeyed, for the men dressed like devils cut the +bonds of the Ogula and brought them round to the back of the dais, where +they stood blessing Alan loudly in their own tongue. + +Then the ceremonies began with a kind of infernal ballet. On the smooth +space between them and the water's edge appeared male and female bands +of dancers who emerged from the shadows. For the most part they were +dressed up like animals and imitated the cries of the beasts that they +represented, although some of them wore little or no clothing. To the +sound of wild music of horns and drums these creatures danced a kind of +insane quadrille which seemed to suggest everything that is cruel and +vile upon the earth. They danced and danced in the moonlight till the +madness spread from them to the thousands who were gathered upon the +farther side of the water, for presently all of these began to dance +also. Nor did it stop there, since at length the Asika rose from her +chair upon the dais and joined in the performance with the Mungana her +husband. Even Jeekie began to prance and shout behind, so that at last +Alan and the Ogula alone remained still and silent in the midst of a +scene and a noise which might have been that of hell let loose. + +Leaving go of her husband, the Asika bounded up to Alan and tried to +drag him from his chair, thrusting her gold mask against his mask. He +refused to move and after a while she left him and returned to Mungana. +Louder and louder brayed the music and beat the drums, wilder and wilder +grew the shrieks. Individuals fell exhausted and were thrown into the +water where they sank or floated away on the slow moving stream, as part +of some inexplicable play that was being enacted. + +Then suddenly the Asika stood still and threw up her arms and they fell +upon their faces and lay as though they were dead. A third time she +threw up her arms and they rose and remained so silent that the only +sound to be heard was that of their thick breathing. Then she spoke, or +rather screamed, saying: + +"Little Bonsa has come back again, bringing with her the white man whom +she led away," and all the audience answered, "Little Bonsa has come +back again. Once more we see her on the head of the Asika as our fathers +did. Give her a sacrifice. Give her the white man." + +"Nay," she screamed back, "the white man is mine. I name him as the next +Mungana." + +"Oho!" roared the audience, "Oho! she names him as the next Mungana. +Good-bye, old Mungana! Greeting, new Mungana! When will be the marriage +feast?" + +"Tell us, Mungana, tell us," cried the Asika, patting her wretched +husband on the cheek. "Tell us when you mean to die, as you are bound to +do." + +"On the night of the second full moon from now," he answered with a +terrible groan that seemed to be wrung out of his heavy heart; "on that +night my soul will be eaten up and my day done. But till then I am +lord of the Asika, and if she forgets it, death shall be her portion, +according to the ancient law." + +"Yes, yes," shouted the multitude, "death shall be her portion, and her +lover we will sacrifice. Die in honour, Mungana, as all those died that +went before you." + +"Thank Heaven!" muttered Alan to himself, "I am safe from that witch +for the next two months," and through the eye-holes of his mask he +contemplated her with loathing and alarm. + +At the moment, indeed, she was not a pleasing spectacle, for in the heat +and excitement of her mad dance she had cast off her gold breast-plate +or stomacher, leaving herself naked except for her kirtle and the thin, +gold-spangled robe upon her shoulders over which streamed her black, +disordered hair. Contrasting strangely in the silver moonlight with her +glistening, copper-coloured body, the mask of Little Bonsa on her head +glared round with its fixed crystal eyes and fiendish smile as she +turned her long neck from side to side. Seen thus she scarcely looked +human, and Alan's heart was filled with pity for the poor bedizened +wretch she named her husband, who had just been forced to announce the +date of his own suicide. + +Soon, however, he forgot it, for a new act in the drama had begun. Two +priests clad in horns and tails leapt on to the dais and at a signal +unlaced the mask of Little Bonsa. Now the Asika lifted it from her +streaming face and held it on high, then she lowered it to the level +of her breast, and holding it in both hands, walked to the edge of +the dais, whereon priests, disguised as fiends, began to leap at it, +striving to reach it with their fingers and snatch it from her grasp. +One by one they leapt with the most desperate energy, each man being +allowed to make three attempts, and Alan noted that this novel jumping +competition was watched with the deepest interest by all the audience, +at the time he knew not why. + +The first two were evidently elderly men who failed to come anywhere +near the mark. Their failure was received with shouts of derision. They +sank exhausted to the ground and from the motion of his body Alan could +see that one of them was weeping, while the other remained sullenly +silent. Then a younger man advanced and at the third try almost grasped +the fetish. Indeed he would have grasped it had he not met with foul +play, for the Asika, seeing that he was about to succeed, lifted it an +inch or two, so that he also missed and with a groan joined the band of +the defeated. Next appeared a fourth priest, even more horribly arrayed +than those before him, but Alan noticed that his mask was of the +lightest, and that his garments consisted chiefly of paint, the main +idea of his make-up being that of a skeleton. He was a thin active +fellow, and all the watching thousands greeted him with a shout. For +a few seconds he stood back gazing at the mask as a wolf might at an +unapproachable bone. Then suddenly he ran forward and sprang into the +air. Such an amazing jump Alan had never seen before. So high was +it indeed that his head came level with that of the fetish, which he +snatched with both hands tearing it from Asika's grasp. Coming to the +ground again with a thud, he began to caper to and fro, kissing the +mask, while the audience shouted: + +"Little Bonsa has chosen. What fate for the fallen? Ask her, priest?" + +The man stopped his capering and held the mouth of Little Bonsa to his +ear, nodding from time to time as though she were speaking to him and he +heard what she said. Then he passed round the dais where Alan could not +see him, and presently reappeared holding Little Bonsa in his right +hand and in his left a great gold cup. A silence fell upon the place. +He advanced to the first man who had jumped and offered him the cup. He +turned his head away, but a thousand voices thundered "Drink!" Then he +took it and drank, passing it to a companion in misfortune, who in turn +drank also and gave it to the third priest, he who would have snatched +the mask had not the Asika lifted it out of his reach. + +This man drained it to the dregs, and with an exclamation of rage dashed +the empty vessel into the face of the chosen priest with such fury that +the man rolled upon the ground and for a while lay there stunned. Now +he who had drunk first began to spring about in a ludicrous fashion, and +presently was joined in his dance by the other two. So absurd were their +motions and tumblings and clownlike grimaces, for they had dragged off +their masks, that roars of brutal laughter rose from the audience, in +which the Asika joined. + +At first Alan thought that the thing was a joke, and that the men had +merely been made mad drunk, till catching sight of their eyes in +the moonlight, he perceived that they were in great pain and turned +indignantly to remonstrate with the Asika. + +"Be silent, Vernoon," she said savagely, "blood is your _orunda_ and +I respect it. Therefore by decree of the god these die of poison," and +again she fell to laughing at the contortions of the victims. + +Alan shut his eyes, and when at length, drawn by some fearful +fascination, he opened them once more, it was to see that the three poor +creatures had thrown themselves into the water, where they rolled over +and over like wounded porpoises, till presently they sank and vanished +there. + +This farce, for so they considered it, being ended and the stage, so to +speak, cleared, the audience having laughed itself hoarse, set itself to +watch the proceedings of the newly chosen high-priest of Little Bonsa, +who by now had recovered from the blow dealt to him by one of the +murdered men. With the help of some other priests he was engaged in +binding the fetish on to a little raft of reeds. This done he laid +himself flat upon a broad plank which had been made ready for him at +the edge of the water, placing the mask in front of him and with a +few strokes of his feet that hung over the sides of the plank, paddled +himself out to the centre of the canal where the god called Big Bonsa +floated, or was anchored. Having reached it he pushed the little raft +off the plank into the water, and in some way that Alan could not see, +made it fast to Big Bonsa, so that now the two of them floated one +behind the other. Then while the people cheered, shouting out that +husband and wife had come together again at last, he paddled his plank +back to the water's edge, sat down and waited. + +Meanwhile, at a sign from the Asika, all the scores of priests and +priestesses who were dressed as devils had filed off to right and left, +and vanished, presumably to cross the water by bridges or boats that +were out of sight. At any rate now they began to appear upon its further +side and to wind their way singly among the thousands of the Asiki +people who were gathered upon the rocky slope beyond in order to witness +this fearsome entertainment. Alan observed that the spectators did not +appear to appreciate the arrival amongst them of these priests, from +whom they seemed to edge away. Indeed many of them rose and tried to +depart altogether, only to be driven back to their places by a double +line of soldiers armed with spears, who now for the first time became +visible, ringing in the audience. Also other soldiers and with them +bodies of men who looked like executioners, showed themselves upon the +further brink of the water and then marched off, disappearing to left +and right. + +"What's the matter now?" Alan asked of Jeekie over his shoulder. + +"All in blue funk," whispered Jeekie back, "joke done. Get to business +now. Silly fools forget that when they laugh so much. Both Bonsas very +hungry and Asika want wipe out old scores. Presently you see." + +Presently Alan did see, for at some preconcerted signal the devil +priests, each of them, jumped with a yell at a person near to them, +gripping him or her by the hair, whereon assistants rushed in and +dragged them down to the bank of the canal. Here to the number of a +hundred or more, a wailing, struggling mass, they were confined in a +pen like sheep. Then a bar was lifted and one of them allowed to escape, +only to find himself in a kind of gangway which ran down into shallow +water. Being forced along this he came to an open space of water exactly +opposite to the floating fetishes, and there was kept a while by men +armed with spears. As nothing happened they lifted their spears and the +man bolted up an incline and was lost among the thousands of spectators. + +The next one, evidently a person of rank, was not so fortunate. Jumping +into the pool off the gangway, he stood there like a sheep about to be +washed, the water reaching up to his middle. Then Alan saw a terrifying +thing, for suddenly the horrid, golden head of Big Bonsa, towing Little +Bonsa behind it, began to swim with a deliberate motion across the +stream until, reaching the man, it seemed to rear itself up and poke +him with its snout in the chest as a turtle might do. Then it sank again +into the water and slowly floated back to its station, directed by some +agency or power that Alan could not discover. + +At the touch of the fetish the man screamed like a horse in pain or +terror, and soldiers leaping on him with a savage shout, dragged him up +another gangway opposite to that by which he had descended, whereon, to +all appearances more dead than alive, he departed into the shadows. The +horns and drums set up a bray of triumph, the Asika clapped her hands +approvingly, the spectators cheered, and another victim was bundled down +the gangway and submitted to the judgment of the Bonsas, which came +at him like a hungry pike at a frog. Then followed more and more, some +being chosen and some let go, till at last, growing weary, the priests +directed the soldiers to drive the prisoners down in batches until the +pen in the water was full as though with huddled sheep. If the horrible +golden masks swam at them and touched one of their number, they were all +dragged away; if these remained quiescent they were let go. + +So the thing went on until at length Alan could bear no more of it. + +"Lady," he said to the Asika when she paused for a moment from her +hand-clapping, "I am weary, I would sleep." + +"What!" she exclaimed, "do you wish to sleep on such a glorious night +when so many evil doers are coming to their just doom? Well, well, go if +you will, for then my promise is off me and I can hasten this business +and deal with the wicked before the people according to our custom. +Good-night to you, Vernoon, to-morrow we will meet," and she called to +some priests to lead him away, and with him the Ogula cannibals whom she +had given to him as servants. + +Alan went thankfully enough. As he plunged into one of the passages +the sound of frightful yelling reached his ears, followed by loud, +triumphant shouts. + +"Now you gone they kill those who Bonsa smell out," said Jeekie. "Why +you no wait and see? Very interesting sight." + +"Hold your tongue," answered Alan savagely. "Did you think so years ago +when you were put into that pen to be butchered?" + +"No, Major," replied the unabashed Jeekie, "not think at all then, too +far gone. But see other people in there and know it not _you_, quite +different matter." + +They reached their room. At the door of it Fahni and his followers were +led off to some quarters near by, blessing Alan as they went because he +had saved their lives. + +"Jeekie," he said when they were alone, "tell me, what makes that +hellish idol swim about in the water picking out some people and leaving +others alone?" + +"Major, I not know, no one know except top priest and Asika. Perhaps +there man underneath, perhaps they pull string, or perhaps fetish +alive and he do what he like. Please don't call him names, Major, or +he remember and come after us one time, and that bad job," and Jeekie +shivered visibly. + +"Bosh!" answered Alan, but all the same he shivered also. "Jeekie," he +asked again, "what happens to those people whom the Bonsas smell out?" + +"Case of good-bye, Major. Sometimes they chop off nut, sometimes they +spiflicate in gold tub, sometimes priest-man make hole in what white +doctor call _diagram_--and shake hands with heart.--All matter of taste, +Major, just as Asika please. If she like victim or they old friends, +chop off head; if she not like him--do worse things." + +More than satisfied with his information Alan went to bed. For hour +after hour that night he lay tossing and turning, haunted by the +recollections of the dreadful sights that he had seen and of the +horrible Asika, horrible and half-naked, glaring at him amorously +through the crystal eyes of Little Bonsa. When at last he fell asleep it +was to dream that he was alone in the water with the god which pursued +him as a shark pursues a shipwrecked sailor. Never did he experience a +nightmare that was half so awful. Only one thing could be more awful, +the reality itself. + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE MOTHER OF JEEKIE + +"Jeekie," said Alan next morning, "I tell you again that I have had +enough of this place, I want to get out." + +"Yes, Major, that just what mouse say when he finish cheese in trap, +but missus come along, call him 'Pretty, pretty,' and drown him all the +same," and he nodded in the direction of the Asika's house. + +"Jeekie, it has got to be done--do you hear me? I had rather die trying +to get away than stop here till the next two months are up. If I am here +on the night of the next full moon but one, I shall shoot that Asika and +then shoot myself, and you must take your chance. Do you understand?" + +"Understand that foolish game and poor lookout for Jeekie, Major, but +can't think of any plan." Then he rubbed his big nose reflectively and +added, "Fahni and his people your slaves now, 'spose we have talk with +him. I tell priests to bring him along when they come with breakfast. +Leave it to me, Major." + +Alan did leave it to him, with the result that after long argument +the priests consented or obtained permission to produce Fahni and his +followers, and a little while after the great men arrived looking very +dejected, and saluted Alan humbly. Bidding the rest of them be seated, +he called Fahni to the end of the room and asked him through Jeekie if +he and his men did not wish to return home. + +"Indeed we do, white lord," answered the old chief, "but how can we? The +Asika has a grudge against our tribe and but for you would have killed +every one of us last night. We are snared and must stop here till we +die." + +"Would not your people help you if they knew, Fahni?" + +"Yes, lord, I think so. But how can I tell them who doubtless believe us +dead? Nor can I send a messenger, for this place is guarded and he would +be killed at once. We came here for your sake because you had Little +Bonsa, a god that is known in the east and the west, in the north and +the south, and because you saved me from the lion, and here, alas! we +must perish." + +"Jeekie," said Alan, "can you not find a messenger? Have you, who were +born of this people, no friend among them at all?" + +Jeekie shook his white head and rolled his eyes. Then suddenly an idea +struck him. + +"Yes," he said, "I think one, p'raps. I mean my ma." + +"Your ma!" said Alan. "Oh! I remember. Have you heard anything more +about her?" + +"Yes, Major. Very old girl now, but strong on leg, so they say. Believe +she glad go anywhere, because she public nuisance; they tired of her in +prison and there no workhouse here, so they want turn her out starve, +which of course break my heart. Perhaps she take message. Some use that +way. Only think she afraid go Ogula-land because they nasty cannibal and +eat old woman." + +When all this was translated to Fahni he assured Jeekie with earnestness +that nothing would induce the Ogula people to eat his mother; moreover, +that for her sake they would never look carnivorously on another old +woman, fat or thin. + +"Well," said Jeekie, "I try again to get hold of old lady and we see. I +pray priests, whom you save other day, let her out of chokey as I sick +to fall upon bosom, which quite true, only so much to think of that no +time to attend to domestic relation till now." + +That very afternoon, on returning to his room from walking in the dismal +cedar garden, Alan's ears were greeted by a sound of shrill quarrelling. +Looking up he saw an extraordinary sight. A tall, gaunt, withered female +who might have been of any age between sixty and a hundred, had got +Jeekie's ear in one hand, and with the other was slapping him in the +face while she exclaimed: + +"O thief, whom by the curse of Bonsa I brought into the world, what +have you done with my blanket? Was it not enough that you, my only +son, should leave me to earn my own living? Must you also take my best +blanket with you, for which reason I have been cold ever since. Where is +it, thief, where is it?" + +"Worn out, my mother, worn out," he answered, trying to free himself. +"You forget, honourable mother, that I grow old and you should have been +dead years ago. How can you expect a blanket to last so long? Leave go +of my ear, beloved mother, and I will give you another. I have travelled +across the world to find you and I want to hear news of your husband." + +"My husband, thief, which husband? Do you mean your father, the one with +the broken nose, who was sacrificed because you ran away with the white +man whom Bonsa loved? Well, you look out for him when you get into the +world of ghosts, for he said that he was going to wait for you there +with the biggest stick that he could find. Why I haven't thought of him +for years, but then I have had three other husbands since his time, bad +enough, but better than he was, so who would? And now Bonsa has got the +lot, and I have no children alive, and they say I am to be driven out of +the prison to starve next week as they won't feed me any longer, I who +can still work against any one of them, and--you've got my blanket, you +ugly old rascal," and collapsing beneath the weight of her recited woes, +the hag burst into a melancholy howl. + +"Peace, my mother," said Jeekie, patting her on the head. "Do what I +tell you and you shall have more blankets than you can wear and, as you +are still so handsome, another husband too if you like, and a garden and +slaves to work for you and plenty to eat." + +"How shall I get all these things, my son?" asked the old woman, looking +up. "Will you take me to your home and support me, or will that white +lord marry me? They told me that the Asika had named him as the Mungana, +and she is very jealous, the most jealous Asika that I have ever known." + +"No, mother, he would like to, but he dare not, and I cannot support you +as I should wish, as here I have no house or property. You will get all +this by taking a walk and holding your tongue. You see this man here, +he is Fahni, king of a great tribe, the Ogula. He wants you to carry a +message for him, and by and by he will marry you, won't you, Fahni?" + +"Oh! yes, yes," said Fahni; "I will do anything she likes. No one shall +be so rich and honoured in my country, and for her sake we will never +eat another old woman, whereas if she stays here she will be driven to +the mountains to starve in a week." + +"Set out the matter," said the mother of Jeekie, who was by no means so +foolish as she seemed. + +So they told her what she must do, namely, travel down to the Ogula and +tell them of the plight of their chief, bidding them muster all their +fighting men and when the swamps were dry enough, advance as near as +they dared to the Asiki country and, if they could not attack it, wait +till they had further news. + +The end of it was that the mother of Jeekie, who knew her case to be +desperate at home, where she was in no good repute, promised to attempt +the journey in consideration of advantages to be received. Since she +was to be turned adrift to meet her fate with as much food as she could +carry, this she could do without exciting any suspicion, for who would +trouble about the movements of a useless old thief? Meanwhile Jeekie +gave her one of the robes which the Asika had provided for Alan, also +various articles which she desired and, having learned Fahni's message +by heart and announced that she considered herself his affianced bride, +the gaunt old creature departed happy enough after exchanging embraces +with her long lost son. + +"She will tell somebody all about it and we shall only get our throats +cut," said Alan wearily, for the whole thing seemed to him a foolish +farce. + +"No, no, Major. I make her swear not split on ghosts of all her husbands +and by Big Bonsa hisself. She sit tight as wax, because she think they +haunt her if she don't and I too by and by when I dead. P'raps she get +to Ogula country and p'raps not. If she don't, can't help it and no +harm done. Break my heart, but only one old woman less. Anyhow she hold +tongue, that main point, and I really very glad find my ma, who never +hoped to see again. Heaven very kind to Jeekie, give him back to family +bosom," he added, unctuously. + +That day there were no excitements, and to Alan's intense relief he saw +nothing of the Asika. After its orgy of witchcraft and bloodshed on the +previous night, weariness and silence seemed to have fallen upon the +town. At any rate no sound came from it that could be heard above the +low, constant thunder of the great waterfall rushing down its precipice, +and in the cedar-shadowed garden where Alan walked till he was weary, +attended by Jeekie and the Ogula savages, not a soul was to be seen. + +On the following morning, when he was sitting moodily in his room, two +priests came to conduct him to the Asika. Having no choice, followed by +Jeekie, he accompanied them to her house, masked as usual, for without +this hateful disguise he was not allowed to stir. He found her lying +upon a pile of cushions in a small room that he had never seen before, +which was better lighted than most in that melancholy abode, and seemed +to serve as her private chamber. In front of her lay the skin of the +lion that he had sent as a present, and about her throat hung a necklace +made of its claws, heavily set in gold, with which she was playing idly. + +At the opening of the door she looked up with a swift smile that turned +to a frown when she saw that he was followed by Jeekie. + +"Say, Vernoon," she asked in her languorous voice, "can you not stir +a yard without that ugly black dog at your heels? Do you bring him to +protect your back? If so, what is the need? Have I not sworn that you +are safe in my land?" + +Alan made Jeekie interpret this speech, then answered that the reason +was that he knew but little of her tongue. + +"Can I not teach it to you alone, then, without this low fellow hearing +all my words? Well, it will not be for long," and she looked at Jeekie +in a way that made him feel very uncomfortable. "Get behind us, dog, and +you, Vernoon, come sit on these cushions at my side. Nay, not there, I +said upon the cushions--so. Now I will take off that ugly mask of yours, +for I would look into your eyes. I find them pleasant, Vernoon," and +without waiting for his permission, she sat up and did so. "Ah!" she +went on, "we shall be happy when we are married, shall we not? Do not +be afraid, Vernoon, I will not eat out your heart as I have those of the +men that went before you. We will live together until we are old, and +die together at last, and together be born again, and so on and on till +the end which even I cannot foresee. Why do you not smile, Vernoon, and +say that you are pleased, and that you will be happy with me who loved +you from the moment that my eyes fell upon you in sleep? Speak, Vernoon, +lest I should grow angry with you." + +"I don't know what to say," answered Alan despairingly through Jeekie, +"the honour is too great for me, who am but a wandering trader who came +here to barter Little Bonsa against the gold I need"--to support my wife +and family, he was about to add, then remembering that this statement +might not be well received, substituted, "to support my old parents and +eight brothers and sisters who are dependent upon me, and remain hungry +until I return to them." + +"Then I think they will remain hungry a long time, Vernoon, for while I +live you shall never return. Much as I love you I would kill you first," +and her eyes glittered as she said the words. "Still," she added, noting +the fall in his face, "if it is gold that they need, you shall send it +them. Yes, my people shall take all that I gave you down to the coast, +and there it can be put in a big canoe and carried across the water. See +to the packing of the stuff, you black dog," she said to Jeekie over her +shoulder, "and when it is ready I will send it hence." + +Alan began to thank her, though he thought it more than probable that +even if she kept her word, this bullion would never get to Old Calabar, +and much less to England. But she waived the matter aside as one in +which she was not interested. + +"Tell me," she asked; "would you have me other than I am? First, do you +think me beautiful?" + +"Yes," answered Alan honestly, "very beautiful when you are quiet as +now, not when you are dancing as you did the other night without your +robes." + +When she understood what he meant the Asika actually blushed a little. + +"I am sorry," she answered in a voice that for her was quite humble. "I +forget that it might seem strange in your eyes. It has always been +the custom for the Asika to do as I did at feasts and sacrifices, but +perhaps that is not the fashion among your women; perhaps they always +remain veiled, as I have heard the worshippers of the Prophet do, and +therefore you thought me immodest. I am very, very sorry, Vernoon. I +pray you to forgive me who am ignorant and only do what I have been +taught." + +"Yes, they always remain veiled," stammered Alan, though he was not +referring to their faces, and as the words passed his lips he wondered +what the Asika would think if she could see a ballet at a London +music-hall. + +"Is there anything else wrong?" she went on gently. "If so, tell me that +I may set it right." + +"I do not like cruelty or sacrifices, O Asika. I have told you that +bloodshed is _orunda_ to me, and at the feast those men were poisoned +and you mocked them in their pain; also many others were taken away to +be killed for no crime." + +She opened her beautiful eyes and stared at him, answering: + +"But, Vernoon, all this is not my fault; they were sacrifices to the +gods, and if I did not sacrifice, I should be sacrificed by the priests +and wizards who live to sacrifice. Yes, myself I should be made to drink +the poison and be mocked at while I died like a snake with a broken +back. Or even if I escaped the vengeance of the people, the gods +themselves would kill me and raise up another in my place. Do they not +sacrifice in your country, Vernoon?" + +"No, Asika, they fight if necessary and kill those who commit murder. +But they have no fetish that asks for blood, and the law they have from +heaven is a law of mercy." + +She stared at him again. + +"All this is strange to me," she said. "I was taught otherwise. Gods are +devils and must be appeased, lest they bring misfortune on us; men must +be ruled by terror, or they would rebel and pull down the great House; +doctors must learn magic, or how could they avert spells? wizards must +be killed, or the people would perish in their net. May not we who live +in a hell, strive to beat back its flame with the wisdom our forefathers +have handed on to us? Tell me, Vernoon, for I would know." + +"You make your own hell," answered Alan when with the help of Jeekie he +understood her talk. + +She pondered over his words for a while, then said: + +"I must think. The thing is big. I wander in blackness; I will speak +with you again. Say now, what else is wrong with me?" + +Now Alan thought that he saw opportunity for a word in season and made a +great mistake. + +"I think that you treat your husband, that man whom you call Mungana, +very badly. Why should you drive him to his death?" + +At these words the Asika leapt up in a rage, and seeking something to +vent her temper on, violently boxed Jeekie's ears and kicked him with +her sandalled foot. + +"The Mungana!" she exclaimed, "that beast! What have I to do with him? +I hate him, as I hated the others. The priests thrust him on me. He has +had his day, let him go. In your country do they make women live with +men whom they loathe? I love _you_, Bonsa himself knows why? Perhaps +because you have a white skin and white thoughts. But I hate that man. +What is the use of being Asika if I cannot take what I love and reject +what I hate? Go away, Vernoon, go away, you have angered me, and if it +were not for what you have said about that new law of mercy, I think +that I would cut your throat," and again she boxed Jeekie's ears and +kicked him in the shins. + +Alan rose and bowed himself towards the door while she stood with her +back towards him, sobbing. As he was about to pass it she wheeled round, +wiping the tears from her eyes with her hand, and said: + +"I forgot, I sent for you to thank you for your presents; that," and she +pointed to the lion skin, "which they tell me you killed with some kind +of thunder to save the life of that old cannibal, and this," and she +pulled off the necklace of claws, then added, "as I am too bad to wear +it, you had better take it back again," and she threw it with all her +strength straight into Jeekie's face. + +Fearing worse things, the much maltreated Jeekie uttered a howl and +bolted through the door, while Alan, picking up the necklace, returned +it to her with a bow. She took it. + +"Stop," she said. "You are leaving the room without your mask and my +women are outside. Come here," and she tied the thing upon his head, +setting it all awry, then pushed him from the place. + +"Very poor joke, Major, very poor indeed," said Jeekie when they had +reached their own apartment. "Lady make love to _you_; _you_ play prig +and lecture lady about holy customs of her country and she box _my_ ear +till head sing, also kick me all over and throw sharp claws in face. +Please you do it no more. The next time, who knows? she stick knife in +_my_ gizzard, then kiss _you_ afterward and say she so sorry and hope +she no hurt _you_. But how that help poor departed Jeekie who get all +kicks, while you have ha'pence?" + +"Oh! be quiet," said Alan; "you are welcome to the halfpence if you +would only leave me the kicks. The question is, how am I to get out of +this mess? While she was a beautiful savage devil, one could deal with +the thing, but if she is going to become human it is another matter." + +Jeekie looked at him with pity in his eyes. + +"Always thought white man mad at bottom," he said, shaking his big head. +"To benighted black nigger thing so very simple. All you got to do, make +love and cut when you get chance. Then she pleased as Punch, everything +go smooth and Jeekie get no more kicks. Christian religion business very +good, but won't wash in Asiki-land. Your reverend uncle find out that." + +Not wishing to pursue the argument, Alan changed the subject by asking +his indignant retainer if he thought that the Asika had meant what she +said when she offered to send the gold down to the coast. + +"Why not, Major? That good lady always mean what she say, and what she +do too," and he dabbed wrathfully at the scratches made by the lion's +claws on his face, then added, "She know her own mind, not like +shilly-shally, see-saw white woman, who get up one thing and go to bed +another. If she love she love, if she hate she hate. If she say she +send gold, she send it, though pity to part with all that cash, because +'spect someone bag it." + +Alan reflected a while. + +"Don't you see, Jeekie, that here is a chance, if a very small one, of +getting a message to the coast. Also it is quite clear that if we are +ever able to escape, it will be impossible for us to carry this heavy +stuff, whereas if we send it on ahead, perhaps some of it might get +through. We will pack it up, Jeekie, at any rate it will be something to +do. Go now and send a message to the Asika, and ask her to let us have +some carpenters, and a lot of well-seasoned wood." + +The message was sent and an hour later a dozen of the native craftsmen +arrived with their rude tools and a supply of planks cut from a kind of +iron-wood or ebony tree. They prostrated themselves to Alan, then the +master of them rising, instantly began to measure Jeekie with a marked +reed. That worthy sprang back and asked what in the name of Bonsa, Big +and Little, they were doing, whereon the man explained with humility +that the Asika had said that she thought the white lord wanted the +wood to make a box to bury his servant in, as he, the said servant, had +offended her that morning, and doubtless the white lord wished to kill +him on that account, or perhaps to put him away under ground alive. + +"Oh, my golly!" said Jeekie, shaking till his great knees knocked +together, "oh! my golly! here pretty go. She think you want bury me all +alive. That mean she want to be rid of Jeekie, because he got sit there +and play gooseberry when she wish talk alone with you. Oh, yes! I see +her little game." + +"Well, Jeekie," said Alan, bursting into such a roar of laughter that he +nearly shook off his mask, "you had better be careful, for you just told +me that the Asika is not like a see-saw white woman and never changes +her mind. Say to this man that he must tell the Asika there is a +mistake, and that however much I should like to oblige her, I can't bury +you because it has been prophesied to me that on the day you are buried, +I shall be buried also, and that therefore you must be kept alive." + +"Capital notion that, Major," said Jeekie, much relieved. "She not want +bury you just at present; next year perhaps, but not now. I tell him." +And he did with much vigour. + +This slight misconception having been disposed of, they explained to the +carpenters what was wanted. First, all the gold was emptied out of the +sacks in which it remained as the priests had brought it, and divided +into heaps, each of which weighed about forty pounds, a weight that +with its box Alan considered would be a good load for a porter. Of these +heaps there proved to be fifty-three, their total value, Alan reckoned, +amounting to about L100,000 sterling. Then the carpenters were set to +work to make a model box, which they did quickly enough and with great +ingenuity, cutting the wood with their native saws, dovetailing it as +a civilized craftsman would do, and finally securing it everywhere with +ebony pegs, driven into holes which they bored with a hot iron. The +result was a box that would stand any amount of rough usage and when +finally pegged down, one that could only be opened with a hammer and a +cold chisel. + +This box-making went on for two whole days. As each of them was filled +and pegged down, the gold within being packed in sawdust to keep it from +rattling, Alan amused himself in adding an address with a feather brush +and a supply of red paint such as the Asiki priests used to decorate +their bodies. At first he was puzzled to know what address to put, but +finally decided upon the following: + +_Major A. Vernon, care of Miss Champers, The Court, near Kingswell, +England._ Adding in the corner, _From A. V., Asiki Land, Africa._ + +It was all childish enough, he knew, yet when it was done he regarded +his handiwork with a sort of satisfaction. For, reflected Alan, if but +one of those boxes should chance to get through to England, it would +tell Barbara a great deal, and if it were addressed to himself, her +uncle could scarcely dare to take possession of it. + +Then he bethought him of sending a letter, but was obliged to abandon +the idea, as he had neither pen, pencil, ink, nor paper left to him. +Whatever arts remained to them, that of any form of writing was now +totally unknown to the Asiki, although marks that might be writing, it +will be remembered, did appear on the inner side of the Little Bonsa +mask, an evidence of its great antiquity. Even in the days when they had +wrapped up the Egyptian, the Roman, and other early Munganas in sheets +of gold and set them in their treasure-house, apparently they had no +knowledge of it, for not even an hieroglyph or a rune appeared upon +the imperishable metal shrouds. Since that time they had evidently +decreased, not advanced, in learning till at the present day, except for +these relics and some dim and meaningless survival of rites that once +had been religious and were still offered to the same ancient idols, +there was little to distinguish them from other tribes of Central +African savages. Still Alan did something, for obtaining a piece of +white wood, which he smoothed as well as he was able with a knife, he +painted on it this message: + +"Messrs. Aston, Old Calabar. Please forward accompanying fifty-three +packages, or as many as arrive, and cable as follows (all costs will be +remitted): Miss Champers, Kingswell, England. Prisoner among Asiki. +No present prospect of escape, but hope for best. Jeekie and I well. +Allowed send this, but perhaps no future message possible. Good-bye. +Alan." + +As it happened just as Alan was finishing this scrawl with a sad heart, +he heard a movement and glancing up, perceived standing at his side +the Asika, of whom he had seen nothing since the interview when she had +beaten Jeekie: + +"What are those marks that you make upon the board, Vernoon?" she asked +suspiciously. + +With the assistance of Jeekie, who kept at a respectful distance, he +informed her that they were a message in writing to tell the white men +at the coast to forward the gold to his starving family. + +"Oh!" she said, "I never heard of writing. You shall teach it me. It +will serve to pass the time till we are married, though it will not +be of much use afterwards, as we shall never be separated any more and +words are better than marks upon a board. But," she added cheerfully, "I +can send away this black dog of yours," and she looked at Jeekie, "and +he can write to us. No, I cannot, for an accident might happen to him, +and they tell me you say that if he dies, you die also, so he must stop +here always. What have you in those little boxes?" + +"The gold you gave me, Asika, packed in loads." + +"A small gift enough," she answered contemptuously; "would you not like +more, since you value that stuff? Well, another time you shall send all +you want. Meanwhile the porters are waiting, fifty men and three, as you +sent me word, and ten spare ones to take the place of any who die. But +how they will find their way, I know not, since none of them have ever +been to the coast." + +An idea occurred to Alan, who had small faith in Jeekie's "ma" as a +messenger. + +"The Ogula prisoners could show them," he said; "at any rate as far as +the forest, and after that they could find out. May they not go, Asika?" + +"If you will," she answered carelessly. "Let them be ready to start +to-morrow at the dawn, all except their chief, Fahni, who must stop +here as a hostage. I do not trust those Ogula, who more than once have +threatened to make war upon us," she added, then turned and bade the +priests bring in the bearers to receive their instructions. + +Presently they came, picked men all of them, under the command of an +Asiki captain, and with them the Ogula, whom she summoned also. + +"Go where the white lord sends you," she said in an indifferent voice, +"carrying with you these packages. I do not know where it is, but +these man-eaters will show you some of the way, and if you fail in the +business but live to come back again, you shall be sacrificed to Bonsa +at the next feast; if you run away then your wives and children will be +sacrificed. Food shall be given you for your journey, and gold to buy +more when it is gone. Now, Vernoon, tell them what they have to do." + +So Alan, or rather Jeekie, told them, and these directions were so +long and minute, that before they were finished the Asika grew tired +of listening and went away, saying as she passed the captain of the +company: + +"Remember my words, man, succeed or die, but of your land and its +secrets say nothing." + +"I hear," answered the captain, prostrating himself. + +That night Alan summoned the Ogula and spoke to them through Jeekie in +their own language. At first they declared that they would not leave +their chief, preferring to stay and die with him. + +"Not so," said Fahni; "go, my children, that I may live. Go and gather +the tribe, all the thousands of them who are men and can fight, and +bring them up to attack Asiki-land, to rescue me if I still live, or to +avenge me if I am dead. As for these bearers, do them no harm, but send +them on to the coast with the white man's goods." + +So in the end the Ogula said that they would go, and when Alan woke +up on the following morning, he was informed that they and the Asiki +porters had already departed upon their journey. Then he dismissed the +matter from his mind, for to tell the truth he never expected to hear of +them any more. + + + +CHAPTER XV + +ALAN FALLS ILL + +After the departure of the messengers a deep melancholy fell upon Alan, +who was sure that he had now no further hope of communicating with the +outside world. Bitterly did he reproach himself for his folly in having +ever journeyed to this hateful place in order to secure--what? About +L100,000 worth of gold which of course he never could secure, as it +would certainly vanish or be stolen on its way to the coast. For this +gold he had become involved in a dreadful complication which must cost +him much misery, and sooner or later life itself, since he could not +marry that beautiful savage Asika, and if he refused her she would +certainly kill him in her outraged pride and fury. + +Day by day she sent for him, and when he came, assumed a new character, +that of a woman humbled by a sense of her own ignorance, which she was +anxious to amend. So he must play the role of tutor to her, telling her +of civilized peoples, their laws, customs and religions, and instructing +her how to write and read. She listened and learned submissively enough, +but all the while Alan felt as one might who is called upon to teach +tricks to a drugged panther. The drug in this case was her passion for +him, which appeared to be very genuine. But when it passed off, or when +he was obliged to refuse her, what, he wondered, would happen then? + +Anxiety and confinement told on him far more than all the hardships of +his journey. His health ran down, he began to fall ill. Then as bad luck +would have it, walking in that damp, unwholesome cedar garden, out of +which he might not stray, he contracted the germ of some kind of fever +which in autumn was very common in this poisonous climate. Three days +later he became delirious, and for a week after that hung between life +and death. Well was it for him that his medicine-chest still remained +intact, and that recognizing his own symptoms before his head gave way, +he was able to instruct Jeekie what drugs to give him at the different +stages of the disease. + +For the rest his memories of that dreadful illness always remained very +vague. He had visions of Jeekie and of a robed woman whom he knew to be +the Asika, bending over him continually. Also it seemed to him that from +time to time he was talking with Barbara, which even then he knew must +be absurd, for how could they talk across thousands of miles of land and +sea. + +At length his mind cleared suddenly, and he awoke as from a nightmare to +find himself lying in the hall or room where he had always been, feeling +quite cool and without pain, but so weak that it was an effort to him to +lift his hand. He stared about him and was astonished to see the white +head of Jeekie rolling uneasily to and fro upon the cushions of another +bed near by. + +"Jeekie," he said, "are you ill too, Jeekie?" + +At the sound of that voice his retainer started up violently. + +"What, Major, you awake?" he said. "Thanks be to all gods, white and +black, yes, and yellow too, for I thought your goose cooked. No, no, +Major, I not ill, only Asika say so. You go to bed, so she make me go +to bed. You get worse, she treat me cruel; you seem better, she stuff me +with food till I burst. All because you tell her that you and I die same +day. Oh, Lord! poor Jeekie think his end very near just now, for he know +quite well that she not let him breathe ten minutes after you peg out. +Jeekie never pray so hard for anyone before as he pray this week for +you, and by Jingo! I think he do the trick, he and that medicine stuff +which make him feel very bad in stomach," and he groaned under the +weight of his many miseries. + +Weak as he was Alan began to laugh, and that laugh seemed to do him more +good than anything that he could remember, for after it he was sure that +he would recover. + +Just then an agonized whisper reached him from Jeekie. + +"Look out!" it said, "here come Asika. Go sleep and seem better, Major, +please, or I catch it hot." + +So Alan almost shut his eyes and lay still. In another moment she was +standing over him and he noticed that her hair was dishevelled and her +eyes were red as though with weeping. She scanned him intently for a +little while, then passed round to where Jeekie lay and appeared to +pinch his ear so hard that he wriggled and uttered a stifled groan. + +"How is your lord, dog?" she whispered. + +"Better, O Asika, I think that last medicine do us good, though it make +me very sick inside. Just now he spoke to me and said that he hoped +that your heart was not sad because of him and that all this time in his +dreams he had seen and thought of nobody but you, O Asika." + +"Did he?" asked that lady, becoming intensely interested. "Then tell me, +dog, why is he ever calling upon one Bar-bar-a? Surely that is a woman's +name?" + +"Yes, O Asika, that is the name of his mother, also of one of his +sisters, whom, after you, he loves best of anyone in the whole world. +When you are here he talks of them, but when you are not here he talks +of no one but you. Although he is so sick he remembers white man's +custom, which tells him that it is very wrong to say sweet things to +lady's face till he is quite married to her. After that they say them +always." + +She looked at him suspiciously and muttering, "Here it is otherwise. For +your own sake, man, I trust that you do not lie," left him, and +drawing a stool up beside Alan's bed, sat herself down and examined him +carefully, touching his face and hands with her long thin fingers. +Then noting how white and wasted he was, of a sudden she began to weep, +saying between her sobs: + +"Oh! if you should die, Vernoon, I will die also and be born again not +as Asika, as I have been for so many generations, but as a white woman +that I may be with you. Only first," she added, setting her teeth, "I +will sacrifice every wizard in this land, for they have brought the +sickness on you by their magic, and I will burn Bonsa-town and cast its +gods to melt in the flames, and the Mungana with them. And then amid +their ashes I will let out my life," and again she began to weep very +piteously and to call him by endearing names and pray him that he would +not die. + +Now Alan thought it time to wake up. He opened his eyes, stared at her +vacantly, and asked if it were raining, which indeed it might have been, +for her big tears were falling on his face. She uttered a gasp of joy. + +"No, no," she answered, "the weather is very fine. It is I--I who have +rained because I thought you die." She wiped his forehead with the soft +linen of her robe, then went on, "But you will not die; say that you +will live, say that you will live for me, Vernoon." + +He looked at her, and feeble though he was, the awfulness of the +situation sank into his soul. + +"I hope that I shall live," he answered. "I am hungry, please give me +some food." + +Next instant there was a tumult near by, and when Alan looked up again +it was to see Jeekie, very lightly clad, flying through the door. + +"It will be here presently," she said. "Oh! if you knew what I have +suffered, if you only knew. Now you will recover whom I thought dead, +for this fever passes quickly and there shall be such a sacrifice--no, I +forgot, you hate sacrifices--there shall be no sacrifice, there shall +be a thanksgiving, and every woman in the land shall break her bonds to +husband or to lover and take him whom she desires without reproach or +loss. I will do as I would be done by, that is the law you taught me, is +it not?" + +This novel interpretation of a sacred doctrine, worthy of Jeekie +himself, so paralyzed Alan's enfeebled brain that he could make no +answer, nor do anything except wonder what would happen in Asiki-land +when the decree of its priestess took effect. Then Jeekie arrived +with something to drink which he swallowed with the eagerness of the +convalescent and almost immediately went to sleep in good earnest. + +Alan's recovery was rapid, since as the Asika had told him, if a patient +lives through it, the kind of fever that he had taken did not last long +enough to exhaust his vital forces. When she asked him if he needed +anything to make him well, he answered: + +"Yes, air and exercise." + +She replied that he should have both, and next morning his hated mask +was put upon his face and he was supported by priests to a door where a +litter, or rather litters were waiting, one for himself and another +for Jeekie who, although in robust health, was still supposed to be +officially ill and not allowed to walk upon his own legs. They entered +these litters and were borne off till presently they met a third litter +of particularly gorgeous design carried by masked bearers, wherein was +the Asika herself, wearing her coronet and a splendid robe. + +Into this litter, which was fitted with a second seat, Alan was +transferred, the Mungana, for whom it was designed, being placed in that +vacated by Alan, which either by accident or otherwise, was no more seen +that day. They went up the mountain side and to the edge of the great +fall and watched the waters thunder down, though the crest of them +they could not reach. Next they wandered off into the huge forests that +clothed the slopes of the hills and there halted and ate. Then as the +sun sank they returned to the gloomy Bonsa-Town beneath them. + +For Alan, notwithstanding his weakness and anxieties, it was a heavenly +day. The Asika was passive, some new mood being on her, and scarcely +troubled him at all except to call his attention to a tree, a flower, or +a prospect of the scenery. Here on the mountain side, too, the air was +sweet, and for the rest--well, he who had been so near to death, was +escaped for an hour from that gloomy home of bloodshed and superstition, +and saw God's sky again. + +This journey was the first of many. Every day the litters were waiting +and they visited some new place, although into the town itself they +never went. Moreover, if they passed through outlying villages, though +Alan was forced to wear his mask, their inhabitants had been warned to +absent themselves, so that they saw no one. The crops were left untended +and the cattle and sheep lowed hungrily in their kraals. On certain +days, at Alan's request, they were taken to the spots where the gold was +found in the gravel bed of an almost dry stream that during the rains +was a torrent. + +He descended from the litter and with the help of the Asika and Jeekie, +dug a little in this gravel, not without reward, for in it they found +several nuggets. Above, too, where they went afterwards, was a huge +quartz reef denuded by water, which evidently had been worked in past +ages and was still so rich that in it they saw plenty of visible gold. +Looking at it Alan bethought him of his City days and of the hundreds +of thousands of pounds capital with which this unique proposition might +have been floated. Afterwards they were carried to the places where +the gems were found, stuck about in the clay, like plums in a pudding, +though none ever sought them now. But all these things interested the +Asika not at all. + +"What is the good of gold," she asked of Alan, "except to make things +of, or the bright stones except to play with? What is the good of +anything except food to eat and power and wisdom that can open the +secret doors of knowledge, of things seen and things unseen, and love +that brings the lover joy and forgetfulness of self and takes away the +awful loneliness of the soul, if only for a little while?" + +Not wishing to drift into discussion on the matter of love, Alan asked +the priestess to define her "soul," whence it came and whither she +believed it to be going. + +"My soul is I, Vernoon," she answered, "and already very, very old. Thus +it has ruled amongst this people for thousands of years." + +"How is that?" he asked, "seeing that the Asika dies?" + +"Oh! no, Vernoon, she does not die; she only changes. The old body dies, +the spirit enters into another body which is waiting. Thus until I was +fourteen I was but a common girl, the daughter of a headman of that +village yonder, at least so they tell me, for of this time I have no +memory. Then the Asika died and as I had the secret marks and the beauty +that is hers the priests burnt her body before Big Bonsa and suffocated +me, the child, in the smoke of the burning. But I awoke again and when +I awoke the past was gone and the soul of the Asika filled me, bringing +with it its awful memories, its gathered wisdom, its passion of love and +hate, and its power to look backward and before." + +"Do you ever do these things?" asked Alan. + +"Backward, yes, before very little; since you came, not at all, because +my heart is a coward and I fear what I might see. Oh! Vernoon, Vernoon, +I know you and your thoughts. You think me a beautiful beast who loves +like a beast, who loves you because you are white and different from our +men. Well, what there is of the beast in me the gods of my people gave, +for they are devils and I am their servant. But there is more than that, +there is good also which I have won for myself. I knew you would come +even before I had seen your face, I knew you would come," she went +on passionately, "and that is why I was yours already. But what would +befall after you came, that I neither knew, nor know, because I will not +seek, who could learn it all." + +He looked at her and she saw the doubt in his eyes. + +"You do not believe me, Vernoon. Very well, this night you shall see, +you and that black dog of yours, that you may know I do not trick you, +and he shall tell me what you see, for he being but a low-born pig will +speak the truth, not minding if it hurts me, whereas you are gentle and +might spare, and myself I have sworn not to search the future by an oath +that I may not break." + +"What of the past?" asked Alan. + +"We will not waste time on it, for I know it all. Vernoon, have you no +memories of Asiki-land? Do you think you never visited it before?" + +"Never," said Alan; "it was my uncle who came and ran away with Little +Bonsa on his head." + +"That is news indeed," she replied mockingly. "Did you then think that I +believed it to be you, though it is true that she who went before, or +my spirit that was in her, fell into error for an hour, and thought that +fool-uncle of yours was _the Man_. When she found her mistake she +let him go, and bade the god go with him that it might bring back the +appointed Man, as it has done; yes, that Little Bonsa, who knew him of +old, might search him out from among all the millions of men, born or +unborn, and bring him back to me. Therefore also she chose a young black +dog who would live for many years, and bade the god to take him with +her, and told him of the wealth of our people that it might be a bait +upon the hook. Do you see, Vernoon, that yellow dirt was the bait, that +I--I am the hook? Well, you have felt it before, so it should not gall +you overmuch." + +Now Alan was more frightened than he had been since he set foot in +Asiki-land, for of a sudden this woman became terrible to him. He felt +that she knew things which were hidden from him. For the first time +he believed in her, believed, that she was more than a mere passionate +savage set by chance to rule over a bloodthirsty tribe; that she was one +who had a part in his destiny. + +"Felt the hook?" he muttered. "I do not understand." + +"You are very forgetful," she answered. "Vernoon, we have lived and +loved before, who were twin souls from the first. That man now, whom +I told you lived once on the great river called the Nile, have you no +memory of him? Well, well, let it be, I will tell you afterwards. Here +we are at the Gold House again, to-night when I am ready I will send for +you, and this I promise, you shall leave me wiser than you were." + +When they were alone in their room Alan told Jeekie of the expected +entertainment of crystal gazing, or whatever it might be, and the part +that he was to play in it. + +"You say that again, Major," said Jeekie. + +Alan repeated the information, giving every detail that he could +remember. + +"Oh!" said Jeekie, "I see Asika show us things, 'cause she afraid to +look at them herself, or take oath, or can't, or something. She no ask +you tell her what she see, because you too kind hurt her feeling, if +happen to be something beastly. But Jeekie just tell her because he so +truthful and not care curse about her feeling. Well, that all right, +Jeekie tell her sure enough. Only, Major, don't you interrupt. Quite +possible these magic things, I see one show, you see another. So don't +you go say, 'Jeekie, that a lie,' and give me away to Asika just because +you think you see different, 'cause if so you put me into dirty hole, +and of course I catch it afterwards. You promise, Major?" + +"Oh! yes, I promise. But, Jeekie, do you really think we are going to +see anything?" + +"Can't say, Major," and he shook his head gloomily. "P'raps all put up +job. But lots of rum things in world, Major, specially among beastly +African savage who very curious and always ready pay blood to bad +Spirit. Hope Asika not get this into her head, because no one know what +happen. P'raps we see too much and scared all our lives; but p'raps all +tommy rot." + +"That's it--tommy rot," answered Alan, who was not superstitious. "Well, +I suppose that we must go through with it. But oh! Jeekie, I wish you +would tell me how to get out of this." + +"Don't know, Major, p'raps never get out; p'raps learn how to-night. +Have to do something soon if want to go. Mungana's time nearly up, and +then--oh my eye!" + + + +It was night, about ten o'clock indeed, the hour at which Alan generally +went to bed. No message had come and he began to hope that the Asika had +forgotten, or changed her mind, and was just going to say so to Jeekie +when a light coming from behind him attracted his attention and he +turned to see her standing in a corner of the great room, holding a lamp +in her hand and looking towards him. Her gold breastplate and crown were +gone, with every other ornament, and she was clad, or rather muffled in +robes of pure white fitted with a kind of nun's hood which lay back upon +her shoulders. Also on her arm she carried a shawl or veil. Standing +thus, all undecked, with her long hair fastened in a simple knot, she +still looked very beautiful, more so than she had ever been, thought +Alan, for the cruelty of her face had faded and was replaced by a +mystery very strange to see. She did not seem quite like a natural +woman, and that was the reason, perhaps, that Alan for the first time +felt attracted by her. Hitherto she had always repelled him, but this +night it was otherwise. + +"How did you come here?" he asked in a more gentle voice than he +generally used towards her. + +Noting the change in his tone, she smiled shyly and even coloured a +little, then answered: + +"This house has many secrets, Vernoon. When you are lord of it you shall +learn them all, till then I may not tell them to you. But, come, there +are other secrets which I hope you shall see to-night, and, Jeekie, come +you also, for you shall be the mouth of your lord, so that you may tell +me what perhaps he would hide." + +"I will tell you everything, everything, O Asika," answered Jeekie, +stretching out his hands and bowing almost to the ground. + +Then they started and following many long passages as before, although +whether they were the same or others Alan could not tell, came at last +to a door which he recognized, that of the Treasure House. As they +approached this door it opened and through it, like a hunted thing, ran +the bedizened Mungana, husband of the Asika, terror, or madness, shining +in his eyes. Catching sight of his wife, who bore the lamp, he threw +himself upon his knees and snatching at her robe, addressed some +petition to her, speaking so rapidly that Alan could not follow his +words. + +For a moment she listened, then dragged her dress from his hand and +spurned him with her foot. There was something so cruel in the gesture +and the action, so full of deadly hate and loathing, that Alan, who +witnessed it, experienced a new revulsion of feeling towards the +Asika. What kind of a woman must she be, he wondered, who could treat a +discarded lover thus in the presence of his successor? + +With a groan or a sob, it was difficult to say which, the poor man rose +and perceived Alan, whose face he now beheld for the first time, since +the Asika had told him not to mask himself as they would meet no one. +The sight of it seemed to fill him with jealous fury; at any rate he +leapt at his rival, intending, apparently, to catch him by the throat. +Alan, who was watching him, stepped aside, so that he came into violent +contact with the wall of the passage and, half-stunned by the shock, +reeled onwards into the darkness. + +"The hog!" said the Asika, or rather she hissed it, "the hog, who dared +to touch me and to strike at you. Well, his time is short--would that I +could make it shorter! Did you hear what he sought of me?" + +Alan, who wished for no confidences, replied by asking what the Mungana +was doing in the Treasure House, to which she answered that the spirits +who dwelt there were eating up his soul, and when they had devoured it +all he would go quite mad and kill himself. + +"Does this happen to all Munganas?" inquired Alan. + +"Yes, Vernoon, if the Asika hates them, but if she loves them it is +otherwise. Come, let us forget the wretch, who would kill you if he +could," and she led the way into the hall and up it, passing between the +heaps of gold. + +On the table where lay the necklaces of gems she set down her lamp, +whereof the light, all there was in that great place, flickered feebly +upon the mask of Little Bonsa, which had been moved here apparently for +some ceremonial purpose, and still more feebly upon the hideous, golden +countenances and winding sheets of the ancient, yellow dead who stood +around in scores placed one above the other, each in his appointed +niche. It was an awesome scene and one that oppressed Jeekie very much, +for he murmured to Alan: + +"Oh my! Major, family vault child's play to this hole, just like----" +here his comparison came to an end, for the Asika cut it short with a +single glance. + +"Sit here in front of me," she said to Alan, "and you, Jeekie, sit at +your lord's side, and be silent till I bid you speak." + +Then she crouched down in a heap behind them, threw the cloth or veil +she carried over her head, and in some way that they did not see, +suddenly extinguished the lamp. + +Now they were in deep darkness, the darkness of death, and in utter +silence, the silence of the dead. No glimmer of light, and yet to Alan +it seemed as though he could feel the flash of the crystal eyes of +Little Bonsa, and of all the other eyes set in the masks of those +departed men who once had been the husbands of the bloodstained +priestess of the Asiki, till one by one, as she wearied of them, they +were bewitched to madness and to doom. In that utter quiet he thought +even that he could hear them stir within their winding sheets, or it may +have been that the Asika had risen and moved among them on some errand +of her own. Far away something fell to the floor, a very light object, +such as flake of rock or a scale of gold. Yet the noise of it struck his +nerves loud as a clap of thunder, and those of Jeekie also, for he felt +him start at his side and heard the sudden hammerlike beat of his heart. + +What was the woman doing in this dreadful place, he wondered. Well, +it was easy to guess. Doubtless she had brought them here to scare and +impress them. Presently a voice, that of some hidden priest, would speak +to them, and they would be asked to believe it a message from the spirit +world, or a spirit itself might be arranged--what could be easier in +their mood and these surroundings? + +Now the Asika was speaking behind them in a muffled voice. From the tone +of it she appeared to be engaged in argument or supplication in some +strange tongue. At any rate Alan could not understand a word of what she +said. The argument, or prayer, went on for a long while, with pauses +as though for answers. Then suddenly it ceased and once more they were +plunged into that unfathomable silence. + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +WHAT THE ASIKA SHOWED ALAN + +It seemed to Alan that he went to sleep and dreamed. + +He dreamed that it was late autumn in England. Leaves drifted down from +the trees beneath the breath of a strong, damp wind, and ran or floated +along the road till they vanished into a ditch, or caught against a pile +of stones that had been laid ready for its repair. He knew the road well +enough; he even knew the elm tree beneath which he seemed to stand on +the crest of a hill. It was that which ran from Mr. Champers-Haswell's +splendid house, The Court, to the church; he could see them both, the +house to the right, the church to the left, and his eyesight seemed to +have improved, since he was able to observe that at either place there +was bustle and preparation as though for some big ceremony. + +Now the big gates of The Court opened and through them came a funeral. +It advanced toward him with unnatural swiftness, as though it floated +upon air, the whole melancholy procession of it. In a few seconds it had +come and gone and yet during those seconds he suffered agony, for there +arose in his mind a horrible terror that this was Barbara's burying. He +could not have endured it for another moment; he would have cried out or +died, only now the mourners passed him following the coffin, and in the +first carriage he saw Barbara seated, looking sad and somewhat troubled, +but well. A little further down the line came another carriage, and in +it was Sir Robert Aylward, staring before him with cold, impassive face. + +In his dream Alan thought to himself that he must have borrowed this +carriage, which would not be strange, as he generally used motors, +for there was a peer's coronet upon the panels and the silver-mounted +harness. + +The funeral passed and suddenly vanished into the churchyard gates, +leaving Alan wondering why his cousin Haswell was not seated at +Barbara's side. Then it occurred to him that it might be because he was +in the coffin, and at that moment in his dream he heard the Asika asking +Jeekie what he saw; heard Jeekie answering also, "A burying in the +country called England." + +"Of whom, Jeekie?" Then after some hesitation, the answer: + +"Of a lady whom my lord loves very much. They bury her." + +"What was her name, Jeekie?" + +"Her name was Barbara." + +"Bar-bara, why that you told me was the name of his mother and his +sister. Which of them is buried?" + +"Neither, O Asika. It was another lady who loved him very much and +wanted to marry him, and that was why he ran away to Africa. But now she +is dead and buried." + +"Are all women in England called Barbara, Jeekie?" + +"Yes, O Asika, Barbara means woman." + +"If your lord loved this Barbara, why then did he run away from her? +Well, it matters not since she is dead and buried, for whatever their +spirits may feel, no man cares for a woman that is dead until she +clothes herself in flesh again. That was a good vision and I will reward +you for it." + +"I have earned nothing, O Asika," answered Jeekie modestly, "who only +tell you what I see as I must. Yet, O Asika," he added with a note of +anxiety in his voice, "why do you not read these magic writings for +yourself?" + +"Because I dare not, or rather because I can not," she answered +fiercely. "Be silent, slave, for now the power of the good broods upon +my soul." + +The dream went on. A great forest appeared, such a forest as they had +passed before they met the cannibals, and set beneath one of the trees, +a tent and in that tent Barbara, Barbara weeping. Someone began to lift +the flap of the tent. She sprang up, snatching at a pistol that lay +beside her, turning its muzzle towards her breast. A man entered the +tent. Alan saw his face, it was his own. Barbara let fall the pistol +and fell backwards as though a bullet from it had pierced her heart. He +leapt towards her, but before he came to where she lay everything had +vanished and he heard Jeekie droning out his lies to the Asika, telling +her that the vision he had seen was one of her and his master seated +with their arms about each other in a chamber of the Golden House. + +A third time the dream descended on Alan like a cloud. It seemed to him +that he was borne beyond the flaming borders of the world. Everything +around was new and unfamiliar, vast, changing, lovely, terrible. He +stood alone upon a pearly plain and the sky above him was lit with red +moons, many and many of them that hung there like lamps. Spirits began +to pass him. He could catch something of their splendour as they sped +by with incredible swiftness; he could hear the music of their laughter. +One rose up at his side. It was the Asika, only a thousand times more +splendid; clothed in all the glory of hell. Majestically she bent +towards him, her glowing eyes held his, the deadly perfume of her breath +beat upon his brow and made him drunken. + +She spoke to him and her voice sounded like distant bells. + +"Through many a life, through many a life," she said, "bought with much +blood, paid for with a million tears, but mine at last, the soul that I +have won to comfort my soul in the eternal day. Come to the place I have +made ready for you, the hell that shall turn to heaven at your step, +come, you by whom I am redeemed, and drive away those gods that torture +me because I was their servant that I might win you." + +So she spoke, and though all his soul revolted, yet the fearful strength +that was in her seemed to draw him onward whither she would go. Then a +light shone and that light was the face of Barbara and with a suddenness +that was almost awful, the wild dream came to an end. + + + +Alan was in his own room again, though how he got there he did not +recollect. + +"Jeekie," he said, "what has happened? I seem to have had a very curious +dream, there in the Treasure-place, and to have heard you telling the +Asika a string of incredible falsehoods." + +"Oh! no, Major, Jeekie can't lie, too good Christian; he tell her what +_he_ see, or what he think she see if she look, 'cause though p'raps +he see nothing, she never believe that. And," he added with a burst of +confidence, "what the dickens it matter what he tell her, so long as she +swallow same and keep quiet? Nasty things always make women like Asika +quite outrageous. Give them sweet to suck, say Jeekie, and if they ill +afterwards, that no fault of his. They had sweet." + +"Quite so, Jeekie, quite so, only I should advise you not to play too +many tricks upon the Asika, lest she should happen to find you out. How +did I get back here?" + +"Like man that walk in his sleep, Major. She go first, you follow, just +as little lamb after Mary in hymn." + +"Jeekie, did you really see anything at all?" + +"No, Major, nothing partic'lar, except ghost of Mrs. Jeekie and of your +reverend uncle, both of them very angry. That magic all stuff, Major. +Asika put something in your grub make you drunk, so that you think her +very wise. Don't think of it no more, Major, or you go off your chump. +If Jeekie see nothing, depend on it there nothing to see." + +"Perhaps so, Jeekie, but I wish I could be sure you had seen nothing. +Listen to me; we must get out of this place somehow, or as you say, I +shall go off my chump. It's haunted, Jeekie, its haunted, and I think +that Asika is a devil, not a woman." + +"That what priests say, Major, very old devil--part of Bonsa," he +answered, looking at his master anxiously. "Well, don't you fret, Jeekie +not afraid of devils, Jeekie get you out in good time. Go to bed and +leave it all to Jeekie." + + + +Fifteen more days had gone by, and it was the eve of the night of the +second full moon when Alan was destined to become the husband of the +Asika. She had sent for him that morning and he found her radiant with +happiness. Whether or no she believed Jeekie's interpretation of the +visions she had called up, it seemed quite certain that her mind was +void of fears and doubts. She was sure that Alan was about to become her +husband, and had summoned all the people of the Asiki to be present at +the ceremony of their marriage, and incidentally of the death of the +Mungana who, poor wretch, was to be forced to kill himself upon that +occasion. + +Before they parted she had spoken to Alan sweetly enough. + +"Vernoon," she said, "I know that you do not love me as I love you, but +the love will come, since for your sake I will change myself. I will +grow gentle; I will shed no more blood; that of the Mungana shall be the +last, and even him I would spare if I could, only while he lives I may +not marry you; it is the one law that is stronger than I am, and if +I broke it I and you would die at once. You shall even teach me your +faith, if you will, for what is good to you is henceforth good to me. +Ask what you wish of me, and as an earnest I will do it if I can." + +Now Alan looked at her. There was one thing that he wished above all +others--that she would let him go. But this he did not dare to ask; +moreover, it would have been utterly useless. After all, if the Asika's +love was terrible, what would be the appearance of her outraged hate? +What could he ask? More gold? He hated the very name of the stuff, for +it had brought him here. He remembered the old cannibal chief, Fahni, +who, like himself, languished a prisoner, daily expecting death. Only +that morning he had implored him to obtain his liberty. + +"I thank you, Asika," he said. "Now, if your words are true, set Fahni +free and let him return to his own country, for if he stays here he will +die." + +"Surely, Vernoon, that is a small thing," she answered, smiling, "though +it is true that when he gets there he will probably make war upon +us. Well, let him, let him." Then she clapped her hands and summoned +priests, whom she bade go at once and conduct Fahni out of Bonsa-Town. +Also she bade them loose certain slaves who were of the Ogula tribe, +that they might accompany him laden with provisions, and send on orders +to the outposts that Fahni and his party should pass unmolested from the +land. + +This done, she began to talk to Alan about many matters, however little +he might answer her. Indeed it seemed almost as though she feared to let +him leave her side; as though some presentiment of loss oppressed her. + +At length, to Alan's great relief, the time came when they must +part, since it was necessary for her to attend a secret ceremony of +preparation or purification that was called "Putting-off-the-Past." +Although she had been thrice summoned, still she would not let him go. + +"They call you, Asika," said Alan. + +"Yes, yes, they call me," she replied, springing up. "Leave me, Vernoon, +till we meet to-morrow to part no more. Oh! why is my heart so heavy in +me? That black dog of yours read the visions that I summoned but might +not look on, and they were good visions. They showed that the woman +who loved you is dead; they showed us wedded, and other deeper things. +Surely he would not dare to lie to me, knowing that if he did I would +flay him living and throw him to the vultures. Why, then, is my heart +so heavy in me? Would you escape me, Vernoon? Nay, you are not so cruel, +nor could you do it except by death. Moreover, man, know that even in +death you cannot escape me, for there be sure I shall follow you and +claim you, to whose side my spirit has toiled for ages, and what is +there so strong that it can snatch you from my hand?" + +She looked at him a moment, and seizing his hand burst into a flood of +tears, and seizing his hand threw herself upon her knees and kissed it +again and again. + +"Go now," she said, "go, and let my love go with you, through lives and +deaths, and all the dreams beyond, oh! let my love go with you, as it +shall, Vernoon." + +So he went, leaving her weeping on her knees. + + + +During the dark hours that followed Alan and madness were not far apart. +What could he do? Escape was utterly impossible. For weeks he and Jeekie +had considered it in vain. Even if they could win out of the Gold House +fortress, what hope had they of making their way through the crowded, +tortuous town where, after the African fashion, peopled walked about all +night, every one of whom would recognize the white man, whether he were +masked or no? Besides, beyond the town were the river and the guarded +walls and gates and beyond them open country where they would be cut off +or run down. No, to attempt escape was suicide. Suicide! That gave him +an idea, why should he not kill himself? It would be easy enough, for +he still had his revolver and a few cartridges, and surely it was +better than to enter on such a life as awaited him as the plaything of a +priestess of a tribe of fetish-worshipping savages. + +But if he killed himself, how about Barbara and how about poor old +Jeekie, who would certainly be killed also? Besides, it was not the +right thing to do, and while there is life there is always hope. + +Alan paused in his walk up and down the room and looked at Jeekie, +who sat upon the floor with his back resting against the stone altar, +reflectively pulling down his thick under-lip and letting it fly back, +negro-fashion. + +"Jeekie," he said, "time's up. What am I to do?" + +"Do, Major?" he replied with affected cheerfulness. "Oh! that quite +simple. Jeekie arrange everything. You marry Asika and by and by, when +you master here and tired of her, you give her slip. Very interesting +experience; no white man ever have such luck before. Asika not half bad, +_if_ she fond of you; she like little girl in song, when she good, +she very, very good. At any rate, nothing else to do. Marry Asika or +spiflicate, which mean, Major, that Jeekie spiflicate too, and," he +added, shaking his white head sadly, "he no like _that_. One or two +little things on his mind that no get time to square up yet. Daren't +pray like Christian here, 'cause afraid of Bonsas, and Bonsas come even +with him by and by, 'cause he been Christian, so poor Jeekie fall down +bump between two stools. 'Postles kick him out of heaven and Bonsas kick +him out of hell, and where Jeekie go to then?" + +"Don't know, I am sure," answered Alan, smiling a little in spite of his +sorrow, "but I think the Bonsas might find a corner for you somewhere. +Look here, Jeekie, you old scamp, I am sorry for you, for you have been +a good friend to me and we are fond of each other. But just understand +this, I am not going to marry that woman if I can help it. It's against +my principles. So I shall wait till to-morrow and then I shall walk out +of this place. If the guards try to stop me I shall shoot them while I +have any cartridges. Then I shall go on until they kill me." + +"Oh! But Major, they not kill you--never; they chuck blanket over your +head and take you back to Asika. It Jeekie they kill, skin him alive-o, +and all the rest of it." + +"Hope not, Jeekie, because they think we shall die the same day. But if +so, I can't help it. To-morrow morning I shall walk out, and now that's +settled. I am tired and going to sleep," and he threw himself down upon +the bed and, being worn out with weariness and anxiety, soon fell fast +asleep. + +But Jeekie did not sleep, although he too lay down upon his bed. On the +contrary, he remained wide awake and reflected, more deeply perhaps +than he had ever done before, being sure the superstition as to the +dependence of Alan's life upon his own was now worn very thin, and that +his hour was at hand. He thought of making Alan's wild attempt to +depart impossible by the simple method of warning the Asika, but, +notwithstanding his native selfishness, was too loyal to let that idea +take root in his mind. No, there was nothing to be done; if the Major +wished to start, the Major must start, and he, Jeekie, must pay the +price. Well, he deserved it, who had been fool enough to listen to the +secret promptings of Little Bonsa and conduct him to Asiki-land. + +Thus he passed several hours, for the most part in melancholy +speculations as to the exact fashion of his end, until at length +weariness overcame him also and, shutting his eyes, Jeekie began to +doze. Suddenly he grew aware of the presence of some other person in +the room, but thinking that it was only the Asika prowling about in her +uncanny fashion, or perhaps her spirit, for how her body entered the +place he could not guess, he did not stir, but lay breathing heavily and +watching out of the corner of his eye. + +Presently a figure emerged from the shadows into the faint light thrown +by the single lamp that burned above, and though it was wrapped in +a dark cloak, Jeekie knew at once that it was not the Asika. Very +stealthily the figure crept towards him, as a leopard might creep, +and bent down to examine him. The movement caused the cloak to slip +a little, and for an instant Jeekie caught sight of the wasted, +half-crazed face of the Mungana, and of a long, curved knife that +glittered in his hand. Paralyzed with fear, he lay quite still, knowing +that should he show the slightest sign of consciousness that knife would +pierce his heart. + +The Mungana watched him a while, then satisfied that he slept, +turned round and, bending himself almost double, glided with infinite +precautions towards Alan's bed, which stood some twelve or fourteen +feet away. Silently as a snake that uncoils itself, Jeekie slipped from +between his blankets and crept after him, his naked feet making no noise +upon the mat-strewn floor. So intent was the Mungana upon the deed which +he had come to do that he never looked back, and thus it happened that +the two of them reached the bed one immediately behind the other. + +Alan was lying on his back with his throat exposed, a very easy victim. +For a moment the Mungana stared. Then he erected himself like a snake +about to strike, and lifted the great curved knife, taking aim at Alan's +naked breast. Jeekie erected himself also, and even as the knife began +to fall, with one hand he caught the arm that drove it and with the +other the murderer's throat. The Mungana fought like a wild-cat, but +Jeekie was too strong for him. His fingers held the man's windpipe like +a vise. He choked and weakened; the knife fell from his hand. He sank to +the ground and lay there helpless, whereon Jeekie knelt upon his chest +and, possessing himself of the knife, held it within an inch of his +heart. + +It was at this juncture that Alan woke up and asked sleepily what was +the matter. + +"Nothing, Major," answered Jeekie in low and cheerful tones. "Snake +just going to bite you and I catch him, that all," and he gave an extra +squeeze to the Mungana's throat, who turned black in the face and rolled +his eyes. + +"Be careful, Jeekie, or you will kill the man," exclaimed Alan, +recognizing the Mungana and taking in the situation. + +"Why not, Major? He want kill you, and me too afterwards. Good riddance +of bad rubbish, as Book say." + +"I am not so sure, Jeekie. Give him air and let me think. Tell him that +if he makes any noise, he dies." + +Jeekie obeyed, and the Mungana's darkening eyes grew bright again as he +drew his breath in great sobs. + +"Now, friend," said Alan in Asiki, "why did you wish to stab me?" + +"Because I hate you," answered the man, "who to-morrow will take my +place and the wife I love." + +"As a year or two ago you took someone else's place, eh? Well, suppose +now that I don't want either your place or your wife." + +"What would that matter even it if were true, white man, since she wants +you?" + +"I am thinking, friend, that there is someone else she will want when +she hears of this. How do you suppose that you will die to-morrow? Not +so easily as you hope, perhaps." + +The Mungana's eyes seemed to sink into his head, and his face to sicken +with terror. That shaft had gone home. + +"Suppose I make a bargain with you," went on Alan slowly. "Supposing +I say: 'Mungana, show me the way out of this place, as you can, now at +once. Or if you prefer it, refuse and be given up to the Asika?' Come, +you are not too mad to understand. Answer--and quickly." + +"Would you kill me afterwards?" he asked. + +"Not I. Why should I wish to kill you? You can come with us and go where +you will. Or you can stay here and die as the Asika directs." + +"I cannot believe you, white man. It is not possible that you should +wish to run away from so much love and glory, or to spare one who +would have slain you. Also it would be difficult to get you out of +Bonsa-town." + +"Jeekie," said Alan, "this fellow is mad after all, I think you had +better go to the door and shout for the priests." + +"No, no, lord," begged the wretched creature, "I will trust you; I will +try, though it is you who must be mad." + +"Very good. Stand over him, Jeekie, while I put on my things and, yes, +give me that mask. If he stirs, kill him at once." + +So Alan made himself ready. Then he mounted guard over the Mungana, as +did Jeekie, although he shook his head over their prospect of escape. + +"No go," he muttered, "no go! If we get past priests, Asika catch us +with her magic. When I bolt with your reverend uncle last time, Little +Bonsa arrange business because she go abroad fetch you. Now likely as +not she bowl you out, and then good-bye Jeekie." + +Alan sternly bade him be quiet and stop behind if he did not wish to +come. + +"No, no, Major," he answered, "I come all right. Asika very prejudiced +beggar, and if she find me here alone--oh my! Better die double after +all, Two's company, Major. Now, all ready, _March!_" and he gave the +unfortunate Mungana a fearful kick as a hint to proceed. + +So utterly crushed was the poor wretch that even this insult did not +stir him to resentment. + +"Follow me, white man," he said, "and if you desire to live, be silent. +Throw your cloaks about your heads." + +They did so, and holding their revolvers in their right hands, glided +after the Mungana. In the corner of the big room they came to a little +stair. How it opened in that place where no stair had been, they could +not see or even guess, for it was too dark, only now they knew the means +by which the Asika had been able to visit them at night. + +The Mungana went first down the stair. Jeekie followed, grasping him by +the arm with one hand, while in the other he kept his own knife ready +to stab him at the first sign of treachery. Alan brought up the rear, +keeping hold of Jeekie's cloak. They passed down twelve steps of stair, +then turned to the right along a tunnel, then to the left, then to the +right again. In the pitch darkness it was an awful journey, since they +knew not whither they were being led, and expected that every moment +would be their last. At length, quite of a sudden, they emerged into +moonlight. + +Alan looked about him and knew the place. It was where the feast had +been held two months before, when the priests were poisoned and the +Bonsas chose the victims for sacrifice. Already it was prepared for the +great festival of to-morrow, when the Mungana should drown himself and +Alan be married to the Asika. There on the dais were the gold chairs in +which they were to sit, and green branches of trees mixed with curious +flags decked the vast amphitheatre beyond. Moreover, there was the broad +canal, and floating in the midst of it the hideous gold fetish, Big +Bonsa. The moon shone on its glaring, deathly eyes, its fish-like snout +and its huge, pale teeth. Alan looked at it and shivered, for the thing +was horrid and uncanny, and the utter loneliness in which it lay staring +up at the moon, seemed to accentuate the horror. + +The Mungana noticed his fear and whispered: + +"We must swim the water. If you have a god, white man, pray him to +protect you from Bonsa." + +"Lead on," answered Alan, "I do not dread a foul fetish, only the look +of it. But is there no way round?" + +The Mungana shook his head and began to enter the canal. Jeekie, whose +teeth were chattering, hung back, but Alan pushed him from behind, so +sharply that he stumbled and made a splash. Then Alan followed, and as +the cold, black water rose to his chest, looked again at Big Bonsa. + +It seemed to him that the thing had turned round and was staring at +them. Surely a few seconds ago its snout pointed the other way. No, that +must be fancy. He was swimming now, they were all swimming, Alan and +Jeekie holding their pistols and little stock of cartridges above +their heads to keep them dry. The gold head of Big Bonsa appeared to be +lifting itself up in the water, as a reptile might, in order to get a +better view of these proceedings, but doubtless it was the ripples that +they caused which gave it this appearance. Only why did the ripples make +it come towards them, quite gently, like an investigating fish? + +It was about ten yards off and they were in the middle of the canal. The +Mungana had passed it. It was in a line with Alan's head. Oh Heavens! a +sudden smother of foam, a rush like that of a torpedo, and set low down +between two curving waves, a flash of gold. Then a gurgling, inhuman +laugh and a weight upon his back. Down went Alan, down and down! + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE END OF THE MUNGANA + +The moonlight above vanished. Alan was alone in the depths with this +devil, or whatever it might be. He could feel hands and feet gripping +and treading on him, but they did not seem to be human, for there were +too many of them. Also they were very cold. He gave himself up for dead +and thought of Barbara. + +Then something flashed into his mind. In his hand he still held the +revolver. He pressed it upwards against the thing that was smothering +him, and pulled the trigger. Again he pulled it, and again, for it was a +self-cocking weapon, and even there deep down in the water he heard the +thud of the explosion of the damp-proof copper cartridges. His lungs +were bursting, his senses reeled, only enough of them remained to tell +him that he was free of that strangling grip and floating upwards. His +head rose above the surface, and through the mouth of his mask he drew +in the sweet air with quick gasps. Down below him in the clear water +he saw the yellow head of Big Bonsa rocking and quivering like a great +reflected moon, saw too that it was beginning to rise. Yet he could not +swim away from it, the fetish seemed to have hypnotized him. He heard +Jeekie calling to him from the shallow water near the further bank, but +still he floated there like a log and stared down at Big Bonsa wallowing +beneath. + +Jeekie plunged back into the canal and with a few strong strokes reached +him, gripped him by the arm and began to tow him to the shore. Before +they came there Big Bonsa rose like a huge fish and tried to follow +them, but could not, or so it seemed. At any rate it only whirled round +and round upon the surface, while from it poured a white fluid that +turned the black water to the hue of milk. Then it began to scream, +making a thin and dreadful sound more like that of an infant in pain +than anything they had ever heard, a very sickening sound that Alan +never could forget. He staggered to the bank and stood staring at it +where it bled, rolled and shrieked, but because of the milky foam could +make nothing out in that light. + +"What is it, Jeekie?" he said with an idiotic laugh. "What is it?" + +"Oh! don't know. Devil and all, perhaps. Come on, Major, before it catch +us." + +"I don't think it will catch anyone just at present. Devil or not +hollow-nosed bullets don't agree with it. Shall I give it another, +Jeekie?" and he lifted the pistol. + +"No, no, Major, don't play tomfool," and Jeekie grabbed him by the arm +and dragged him away. + +A few paces further on stood the Mungana like a man transfixed, and even +then Alan noticed that he regarded him with something akin to awe. + +"Stronger than the god," he muttered, "stronger than the god," and +bounded forward. + +Following the path that ran beside the canal, they plunged into a +tunnel, holding each other as before. In a few minutes they were through +it and in a place full of cedar trees outside the wall of the Gold +House, under which evidently the tunnel passed, for there it rose behind +them. Beneath these cedar trees they flitted like ghosts, now in the +moonlight and now in the shadow. + +The great fall to the back of the town was on their left, and in front +of them lay one of the arms of the river, at this spot a raging +torrent not much more than a hundred feet in width, spanned by a narrow +suspension bridge which seemed to be supported by two fibre ropes. On +the hither side of this bridge stood a guard hut, and to their dismay +out of this hut ran three men armed with spears, evidently to cut them +off. One of these men sped across the bridge and took his stand at the +further end, while the other two posted themselves in their path at the +entrance to it. + +The Mungana slacked his speed and said one word--"Finished!" and Jeekie +also hesitated, then turned and pointed behind them. + +Alan looked back and flitting in and out between the cedar trees, saw +the white robes of the priests of Bonsa. Then despair seized them all, +and they rushed at the bridge. Jeekie reached it first and dodging +beneath the spears of the two guards, plunged his knife into the breast +of one of them, and butted the other with his great head, so that he +fell over the side of the bridge on to the rocks below. + +"Cut, Major, cut!" he said to Alan, who pushed past him. "All right +now." + +They were on the narrow swaying bridge--it was but a single plank--Alan +first, then the Mungana, then Jeekie. When they were half way across +Alan looked before him and saw a sight he could never forget. + +The third guard at the further side was sawing through one of the fibre +ropes with his spear. There they were on the middle of the bridge with +the torrent raving fifty feet beneath them, and the man had nearly +severed the rope! To get over before it parted was impossible; behind +were the priests; beneath the roaring river. All three of them stopped +as though paralyzed, for all three had seen. Something struck against +Alan's leg, it was his pistol that still remained fastened to his wrist +by its leather thong. He cocked and lifted it, took aim and fired. +The shot missed, which was not wonderful considering the light and the +platform on which the shooter stood. It missed, but the man, astonished, +for he had never seen or heard such a thing before, stopped his sawing +for a moment, and stared at them. Then as he began again Alan fired once +more, and this time by good fortune the bullet struck the man somewhere +in the body. He fell, and as he fell grasped the nearly separated rope +and hung to it. + +"Get hold of the other rope and come on," yelled Alan, and once more +they bounded forward. + +"My God! it's going," he yelled again. "Hold fast, Jeekie, hold fast!" + +Next instant the rope parted and the man vanished. The bridge tipped +over, and supported by the remaining rope, hung edgeways up. To this +rope the three of them clung desperately, resting their feet upon the +edge of the swaying plank. For a few seconds they remained thus, afraid +to stir, then Jeekie called out: + +"Climb on, Major, climb on like one monkey. Look bad, but quite safe +really." + +As there was nothing else to be done Alan began to climb, shifting his +feet along the plank edge and his hands along the rope, which creaked +and stretched beneath their threefold weight. + +It was a horrible journey, and in his imagination took at least an hour. +Yet they accomplished it, for at last they found themselves huddled +together but safe upon the further bank. The sweat pouring down from +his head almost blinded Alan; a deadly nausea worked within him, sickly +tremors shot up and down his spine; his brain swam. Yet he could hear +Jeekie, in whom excitement always took the form of speech, saying +loudly: + +"Think that man no liar what say our great papas was monkeys. Never look +down on monkey no more. Wake up, Major, those priests monkey-men too, +for we all brothers, you know. Wait a bit, I stop their little game," +and springing up with three or four cuts of the big curved knife, he +severed the remaining rope just as their pursuers reached the further +side of the chasm. + +They shouted with rage as the long bridge swung back against the rock, +the cut end of it falling into the torrent, and waved their spears +threateningly. To this demonstration Jeekie replied with gestures +of contempt such as are known to street Arabs. Then he looked at the +Mungana, who lay upon the ground a melancholy and dilapidated spectacle, +for the perspiration had washed lines of paint off his face and patches +of dye from his hair, also his gorgeous robes were water-stained and +his gem necklaces broken. Having studied him a while Jeekie kicked +him meditatively till he got up, then asked him to set out the exact +situation. The Mungana answered that they were safe for a while, since +that torrent could only be crossed by the broken bridge and was too +rapid to swim. The Asiki, he added, must go a long journey round through +the city in order to come at them, though doubtless they would hunt them +down in time. + +Here Jeekie cut him short, since he knew all that country well and +only wished to learn whether any more bridges had been built across the +torrent since he was a boy. + +"Now, Major," he said, "you get up and follow me, for I know every inch +of ground, also by and by good short cut over mountains. You see +Jeekie very clever boy, and when he herd sheep and goat he made note of +everything and never forget nothing. He pull you out of this hole, never +fear." + +"Glad to hear it, I am sure," answered Alan as he rose. "But what's to +become of the Mungana?" + +"Don't know and don't care," said Jeekie; "no more good to us. Can go +and see how Big Bonsa feel, if he like," and stretching out his big hand +as though in a moment of abstraction, he removed the costly necklaces +from their guide's neck and thrust them into the pouch he wore. Also he +picked up the gilded linen mask which Alan had removed from his head and +placed it in the same receptacle, remarking, that he "always taught that +it wicked to waste anything when so many poor in the world." + +Then they started, the Mungana following them. Jeekie paused and waved +him off, but the poor wretch still came on, whereon Jeekie produced the +big, crooked knife, Mungana's own knife. + +"What are you going to do," said Alan, awaking to the situation. + +"Cut off head of that cocktail man, Major, and so save him lot of +trouble. Also we got no grub, and if we find any he want eat a lot. Chop +what do for two p'raps, make very short commons for three. Also he might +play dirty trick, so much best dead." + +"Nonsense," said Alan sternly; "let the poor devil come along if he +likes. One good turn deserves another." + +"Just so, Major; that hello-swello want cut our throats, so I want cut +his--one good turn deserve another, as wise king say in Book, when +he give half baby to woman what wouldn't have it. Well, so be, Major, +specially as it no matter, for he not stop with us long." + +"You mean that he will run away, Jeekie?" + +"Oh! no, he not run away, he in too blue funk for that. But something +run away with him, because he ought die to-morrow night. Oh! yes, you +see, you see, and Jeekie hope that something not run away with you too, +Major, because you ought be married at same time." + +"Hope not, I am sure," answered Alan, and bethinking him of Big Bonsa +wallowing and screaming on the water and bleeding out white blood, he +shivered a little. + +By this time, advancing at a trot, the Mungana running after them like a +dog, they had entered the bush pierced with a few wandering paths. Along +these paths they sped for hour after hour, Jeekie leading them without +a moment's hesitation. They met no man and heard nothing, except +occasional weird sounds which Alan put down to wild beasts, but Jeekie +and the Mungana said were produced by ghosts. Indeed it appeared that +all this jungle was supposed to be haunted, and no Asiki would enter it +at night, or unless he were very bold and protected by many charms, by +day either. Therefore it was an excellent place for fugitives who sorely +needed a good start. + +At length the day began to dawn just as they reached the main road where +it crossed the hills, whence on his journey thither Alan had his first +view of Bonsa Town. Peering from the edge of the bush, they perceived a +fire burning near the road and round it five or six men, who seemed +to be asleep. Their first thought was to avoid them, but the Mungana, +creeping up to Alan, for Jeekie he would not approach, whispered: + +"Not Asiki, Ogula chief and slaves who left Bonsa Town yesterday." + +They crept nearer the fire and saw that this was so. Then rejoicing +exceedingly, they awoke the old chief, Fahni, who at first thought they +must be spirits. But when he recognized Alan, he flung himself on his +knees and kissed his hand, because to him he owed his liberty. + +"No time for all that, Fahni," said Alan. "Give us food." + +Now of this as it chanced there was plenty, since by the Asika's orders +the slaves had been laden with as much as they could carry. They ate of +it ravenously, and while they ate, told Fahni something of the story of +their escape. The old chief listened amazed, but like Jeekie asked Alan +why he had not killed the Mungana, who would have killed him. + +Alan, who was in no mood for long explanations, answered that he had +kept him with them because he might be useful. + +"Yes, yes, friend, I see," exclaimed the old cannibal, "although he is +so thin he will always make a meal or two at a pinch. Truly white men +are wise and provident. Like the ants, you take thought for the morrow." + +As soon as they had swallowed their food they started all together, for +although Alan pointed out to Fahni that he might be safer apart, the old +chief who had a real affection for him, would not be persuaded to leave +him. + +"Let us live or die together," he said. + +Now Jeekie, abandoning the main road, led them up a stream, walking in +the water so that their footsteps might leave no trace, and thus away +into the barren mountains which rose between them and the great swamp. +On the crest of these mountains Alan turned and looked back towards +Bonsa Town. There far across the fertile valley was the hateful, +river-encircled place. There fell the great cataract in the roar of +which he had lived for so many weeks. There were the black cedars and +there gleamed the roofs of the Gold House, his prison where dwelt the +Asika and the dreadful fetishes of which she was the priestess. To him +it was like the vision of a nightmare, he could scarcely think it real. +And yet by this time doubtless they sought him far and wide. What mood, +he wondered, would the Asika be in when she learned of his escape and +the fashion of it, and how would she greet him if he were recaptured and +taken back to her? Well, he would not be recaptured. He had still some +cartridges and he would fight till they killed him, or failing that, +save the last of them for himself. Never, never could he endure to be +dragged back to Bonsa Town there to live and die. + +They went on across the mountains, till in the afternoon once more they +saw the road running beneath them like a ribbon, and at the end of it +the lagoon. Now they rested a while and held a consultation while they +ate. Across that lagoon they could not escape without a canoe. + +"Lord," said the Mungana presently, "yesterday when these cannibals +were let go a swift runner was sent forward commanding that a good boat +should be provisioned and made ready for them, and by now doubtless this +has been done. Let them descend to the road, walk on to the bay and ask +for the boat. Look, yonder, far away a tongue of land covered with trees +juts out into the lake. We will make our way thither and after nightfall +this chief can row back to it and take us into the canoe." + +Alan said that the plan was good, but Jeekie shook his head, asking what +would happen if Fahni, finding himself safe upon the water, thought it +wisest not to come to fetch them. + +Alan translated his words to the old chief, whereon Fahni wanted to +fight Jeekie because of the slur that he had cast upon his honour. This +challenge Jeekie resolutely declined, saying that already there were +plenty of ways to die in Asiki-land without adding another to them. Then +Fahni swore by his tribal god and by the spirit of every man he had +ever eaten, that he would come to that promontory after dark, if he were +still alive. + +So they separated, Fahni and his men slipping down to the road, which +they did without being seen by anyone, while Alan, Jeekie and the +Mungana bore away to the right towards the promontory. The road was long +and rough and, though by good fortune they met no one, since the few who +dwelt in these wild parts had gone up to Bonsa Town to be present at +the great feast, the sun was sinking before ever they reached the place. +Moreover, this promontory proved to be covered with dense thorn scrub, +through which they must force a way in the gathering darkness, not +without hurt and difficulty. Still they accomplished it and at length, +quite exhausted, crept to the very point, where they hid themselves +between some stones at the water's edge. + +Here they waited for three long hours, but no boat came. + +"All up a gum-tree now, Major," said Jeekie. "Old blackguard, Fanny, +bolt and leave us here, and to-morrow morning Asika nobble us. Better +have gone down to bay, steal his boat and leave him behind, because +Asika no want _him_." + +Alan made no answer. He was too tired, and although he trusted Fahni, it +seemed likely enough that Jeekie was right, or perhaps the cannibals had +not been able to get the boat. Well, he had done his best, and if Fate +overtook them it was no fault of his. He began to doze, for even their +imminent peril could not keep his eyes open, then presently awoke with +a start, for in his sleep he thought he heard the sounds of paddles +beating the quiet water. Yes, there dimly seen through the mist, was a +canoe, and seated in the stern of it Fahni. So that danger had gone by +also. + +He woke his companions, who slept at his side, and very silently they +rose, stepping from rock to rock till they reached the canoe and entered +it. It was not a large craft, barely big enough to hold them all indeed, +but they found room, and then at a sign from Fahni the oarsmen gave way +so heartily that within half an hour they had lost sight of the accursed +shores of Asiki-land, although presently its mountains showed up clearly +beneath the moon. + +Meanwhile Fahni had told his tale. It appeared that when he reached the +bay he found the Asiki headman who dwelt there, and those under him, in +a state of considerable excitement. + +Rumours had reached them that someone had escaped from Bonsa Town; they +thought it was the Mungana. Fahni asked who had brought the rumour, +whereon the headman answered that it came "in a dream," and would say no +more. Then he demanded the canoe which had been promised to him and his +people, and the headman admitted that it was ready in accordance with +orders received from the Asika, but demurred to letting him have it. A +long argument followed, in the midst of which Fahni and his men got into +the canoe, the headman apparently not daring to use force to prevent +him. Just as they were pushing off a messenger arrived from Bonsa Town, +reeling with exhaustion and his tongue hanging from his jaws, who called +out that it was the white man who had escaped with his servant and the +Mungana, and that although they were believed to be still hidden in the +holy woods near Bonsa Town, none were to be allowed to leave the bay. So +the headman shouted to Fahni to return, but he pretended not to hear +and rowed away, nor did anyone attempt to follow him. Still it was only +after nightfall that he dared to put the boat about and return to the +headland to pick up Alan and the others as he had promised. That was all +he had to say. + +Alan thanked him heartily for his faithfulness and they paddled on +steadily, putting mile after mile of water between them and Asiki-land. +He wondered whether he had seen the last of that country and its +inhabitants. Something within him answered No. He was sure that the +Asika would not allow him to depart in peace without making some +desperate effort to recapture him. Far as he was away, it seemed to him +that he could feel her fury hanging over him like a cloud, a cloud that +would burst in a rain of blood. Doubtless it would have burst already +had it not been for the accident that he and his companions were still +supposed to be hiding in the woods. But that error must be discovered, +and then would come the pursuit. + +He looked at the full moon shining upon him and reflected that at this +very hour he should have been seated upon the chair of state, wedding, +or rather being wedded by the Asika in the presence of Big and Little +Bonsa and all the people. His eye fell upon the Mungana, who had also +been destined to play a prominent part in that ceremony. At once he saw +that there was something wrong with the man. A curious change had come +over his emaciated face. It was working like that of a maniac. Foam +appeared upon his dyed lips, his haunted eyes rolled, his thin hands +gripped the side of the canoe and he began to sing, or rather howl like +a dog baying at the stars. Jeekie hit him on the head and bade him be +silent, but he took no notice, even when he hit him again more heavily. +Presently came the climax. The man sprang up in the canoe, causing it +to rock from side to side. He pointed to the full moon above and howled +more loudly than before; he pointed to something that he seemed to see +in the air near by and gibbered as though in terror. Then his eyes fixed +themselves upon the water at which he stared. + +Harder and harder he stared, his head sinking lower every moment, till +at length without another sound, very quietly and unexpectedly he +went over the side of the boat. For a few seconds they saw his +bright-coloured garments sinking to the depths, then he vanished. + +They waited a while, expecting that he would rise again. But he never +rose. A shot-weighted corpse could not have disappeared more finally and +completely. The thing was very awful, and for a while there was silence, +which as usual was broken by Jeekie. + +"That gay dog gone," he said in a reflective voice. "All those old +ghosts come to fetch him at proper time. No good run away from ghosts; +they travel too quick; one jump, and pop up where you no expect. Well, +more place for Jeekie now," and he spread himself out comfortably in the +empty seat, adding, "like hello-swello's room much better than company, +he go in scent-bath every day and stink too much, all that water never +wash _him_ clean." + +Thus died the Mungana, and such was the poor wretch's requiem. With +a shiver Alan reflected that had it not been for him and his insane +jealousy, he too might have been expected to go into that same +scent-bath and have his face painted like a chorus girl. Only would he +escape the spell that had destroyed his predecessor in the affections of +the priestess of the Bonsas? Or would some dim power such as had drawn +Mungana to the death drag him back to the arms of the Asika or to the +torture pit of "Great Swimming Head." He remembered his dream in the +Treasure Hall and shuddered at the very thought of it, for all he had +undergone and seen made him superstitious; then bade the men paddle +faster, ever faster. + +All that night they rowed on, taking turns to rest, except Alan and +Jeekie, who slept a good deal and as a consequence awoke at dawn much +refreshed. When the sun rose they found themselves across the lagoon, +over thirty miles from the borders of Asiki-land, almost at the spot +where the river up which they had travelled some months before, +flowed out of the lake. Whether by chance or skill Fahni had steered a +wonderfully straight course. Now, however, they were face to face with a +new trouble, for scarcely had they begun to descend the river when they +discovered that at this dry season of the year it was in many places +too shallow to allow the canoe to pass over the sand and mud banks. +Evidently there was but one thing to be done--abandon it and walk. + +So they landed, ate from their store of food and began a terrible and +toilsome journey. On either side of the river lay dessicated swamp +covered with dead reeds ten or twelve feet high. Doubtless beyond the +swamp there was high land, but in order to reach this, if it existed, +they would be obliged to force a path through miles of reeds. Therefore +they thought it safer to follow the river bank. Their progress was very +slow, since continually they must make detours to avoid a quicksand or +a creek, also the stones and scrubby growth delayed them so that fifteen +or at most twenty miles was a good day's march. + +Still they went on steadily, seeing no man, and when their food was +exhausted, living on the fish which they caught in plenty in the +shallows, and on young flapper ducks that haunted the reeds. So at +length they came to the main river into which this tributary flowed, and +camped there thankfully, believing that if any pursuit of them had been +undertaken, it was abandoned. At least Alan and the rest believed this, +but Jeekie did not. + +On the following morning, shortly after dawn, Jeekie awoke his master. + +"Come here, Major," he said in a solemn voice, "I got something pretty +show you," and he led him to the foot of an old willow tree, adding, +"now up you go, Major, and look." + +So Alan went up and from the topmost fork of that tree saw a sight at +which his blood turned cold. For there, not five miles behind them, +on either side of the river bank, the light gleaming on their spears, +marched two endless columns of men, who from their head-dresses he +took to be Asiki. For a minute he looked, then descended the tree and +approaching the others, asked what was to be done. + +"Hook, scoot, bolt, leg it!" exclaimed Jeekie emphatically; then he +licked his finger, held it up to the wind and added, "but first fire +reeds and make it hot for Bonsa crowd." + +This was a good suggestion and one on which they acted without delay. +Taking red embers, they blew them into a flame and lit torches, which +they applied to the reeds over a width of several hundred yards. The +strong northward wind soon did the rest; indeed with a quarter of an +hour a vast sheet of flame twenty or thirty feet in height was rushing +towards the Asiki columns. Then they began their advance along the river +bank, running at a steady trot, for here the ground was open. + +All that day they ran, pausing at intervals to get their breath, and at +night rested because they must. When the light came upon the following +morning they looked back from a little hill and saw the outposts of the +Asiki advancing not a mile behind. Doubtless some of the army had been +burned, but the rest, guessing their route, had forced a way through +the reeds and cut across country. So they began to run again harder than +before, and kept their lead during the morning. But when afternoon came +the Asika gained on them. Now they were breasting a long rise, the river +running in the cleft beneath, and Jeekie, who seemed to be absolutely +untiring, held Alan by the hand, Fahni following close behind. Two of +their men had fallen down and been abandoned, and the rest straggled. + +"No go, Jeekie," gasped Alan, "they will catch us at the top of the +hill." + +"Never say die, Major, never say die," puffed Jeekie, "they get blown +too and who know what other side of hill?" + +Somehow they struggled to the crest and behold! there beneath them was a +great army of men. + +"Ogula!" yelled Jeekie, "Ogula! Just what I tell you, Major, who know +what other side of _any_ hill." + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +A MEETING IN THE FOREST + +In five minutes more Alan and Jeekie were among the Ogula, who, having +recognized their chief while he was yet some way off, greeted him with +rapturous cheers and the clapping of hands. Then as there was no time +for explanation, they retreated across a little stream which ran down +the valley, four thousand or more of them, and prepared for battle. That +evening, however, there was no fighting, for when the first of the Asiki +reached the top of the rise and saw that the fugitives had escaped to +the enemy, who were in strength, they halted and finally retired. + +Now Alan, and Fahni also, hoped that the pursuit was abandoned, but +again Jeekie shook his big head, saying: + +"Not at all, Major, I know Asiki and their little ways. While one of +them alive, not dare go back to Asika without _you_, Major." + +"Perhaps she is with them herself," suggested Alan, "and we might treat +with her." + +"No, Major, Asika never leave Bonsa Town, that against law, and if she +do so, priests make another Asika and kill her when they catch her." + +After this a council of war was held, and it was decided to camp there +that night, since the position was good to meet an attack if one should +be made, and the Ogula were afraid of being caught on the march with +their backs towards the enemy. Alan was glad enough to hear this +decision, for he was quite worn out and ready to take any risk for a +few hours' rest. At this council he learned also that the Asiki bearers +carrying his gold with their Ogula guides had arrived safely among +the Ogula, who had mustered in answer to their chief's call and were +advancing towards Asiki-land, though the business was one that did not +please them. As for these Asiki bearers, it seemed that they had gone on +into the forest with the gold, and nothing more had been heard of them. + +As they were leaving the council Alan asked Jeekie if he had any tidings +of his mother, who had been their first messenger. + +"No, Major," he answered gloomily, "can't learn nothing of my ma, don't +know where she is. Ogula camp no place for old girl if they short of +chop and hungry. But p'raps she never get there; I nose round and find +out." + +Apparently Jeekie did "nose round" to some purpose, for just as Alan +was dropping off to sleep in his bough shelter a most fearful din +arose without, through which he recognized the vociferations of Jeekie. +Running out of the shelter he discovered his retainer and a great Ogula +whom he knew again as the headman who had been imprisoned with him and +freed by the Asika to guide the bearers, rolling over and over on the +ground, watched by a curious crowd. Just as he arrived Jeekie, who +notwithstanding his years was a man of enormous strength, got the better +of the Ogula and kneeling on his stomach, was proceeding to throttle +him. Rushing at him, Alan dragged him off and asked what was the matter. + +"Matter, Major!" yelled the indignant Jeekie. "My ma inside this black +villain, _that_ the matter. Dirty cannibal got digestion of one ostrich +and eat her up with all his mates, all except one who not like her taste +and tell me. They catch poor old lady asleep by road so stop and lunch +at once when Asiki bearers not looking. Let me get at him, Major, let me +get at him. If I can't bury my ma, as all good son ought to do, I bury +him, which next best thing." + +"Jeekie, Jeekie," said Alan, "exercise a Christian spirit and let +bygones be bygones. If you don't, you will make a quarrel between us and +the Ogula, and they will give us up to the Asiki. Perhaps the man +did not eat your mother; I understand that he denies it, and when you +remember what she was like, it seems incredible. At any rate he has a +right to a trial, and I will speak to Fahni about it to-morrow." + +So they were separated, but as it chanced that case never came on, for +next morning this Ogula was killed in the fighting together with two of +his companions, while the others involved in the charge kept themselves +out of sight. Whether Jeekie's "ma" was or was not eaten by the Ogula no +one ever learned for certain. At least she was never heard of any more. + +Alan was sleeping heavily when a sound of rushing feet and of strange, +thrilling battle-cries awoke him. He sprang up, snatching at a spear and +shield which Jeekie had provided for him, and ran out to find from the +position of the moon that dawn was near. + +"Come on, Major," said Jeekie, "Asiki make night attack; they always +like do everything at night who love darkness, because their eye evil. +Come on quick, Major," and he began to drag him off toward the rear. + +"But that's the wrong way," said Alan presently. "They are attacking +over there." + +"Do you think Jeekie fool, Major, that he don't know that? He take you +where they _not_ attacking. Plenty Ogula to be killed, but not _many_ +white men like you, and in all world only _one_ Jeekie!" + +"You cold-blooded old scoundrel!" ejaculated Alan as he turned and +bolted back towards the noise of fighting, followed by his reluctant +servant. + +By the time that he reached the first ranks, which were some way off, +the worst of the attack was over. It had been short and sharp, for the +Asiki had hoped to find the Ogula unprepared and to take their camp with +a rush. But the Ogula, who knew their habits, were waiting for them, +so that presently they withdrew, carrying off their wounded and leaving +about fifty dead upon the ground. As soon as he was quite sure that the +enemy were all gone, Jeekie, armed with a large battle-axe, went off to +inspect these fallen soldiers. Alan, who was helping the Ogula wounded, +wondered why he took so much interest in them. Half an hour later his +curiosity was satisfied, for Jeekie returned with over twenty heavy gold +rings, torques, and bracelets slung over his shoulder. + +"Where did you get those, Jeekie?" he asked. + +"Off poor chaps that peg out just now, Major. Remember Asiki soldiers +nearly always wear these things and that they no more use to them. But +if ever he get out of this Jeekie want spend his old age in respectable +peace. So he fetch them. Hard work, though, for rings all in one bit +and Asiki very tough to chop. Don't look cross, Major; you remember +what 'postle say, that he who no provide for his own self worse than +cannibal." + +Just then Fahni came up and announced that the Asiki general had sent a +messenger into the camp proposing terms of peace. + +"What terms?" asked Alan. + +"These, white man: that we should surrender you and your servant and go +our way unharmed." + +"Indeed, Fahni, and what did you answer?" + +"White man, I refused; but I tell you," he added warningly, "that my +captains wished to accept. They said that I had come back to them safe +and that they fear the Asiki, who are devils, not men, and who will +bring the curse of Bonsa on us if we go on fighting with them. Still I +refused, saying that if they gave you up I would go with you, who saved +my life from the lion and afterwards from the priests of Bonsa. So the +messenger went back and, white man, we march at once, and I pray you +always to keep close to me that I may watch over you." + +Then began that long tramp down the river, which Alan always thought +afterwards tried him more than any of the terrible events of his escape. +For although there was but little fighting, only rearguard actions +indeed, every day the Asiki sent messengers renewing their offers of +peace on the sole condition of the surrender of himself and Jeekie. At +last one evening they came to that place where Alan first met the Ogula, +and once more he camped upon the island on which he had shot the lion. +At nightfall, after he had eaten, Fahni visited him here and Alan boded +evil from his face. + +"White man," he said, "I can protect you no longer. The Asiki messengers +have been with us again and they say that unless we give you up +to-morrow at the dawn, their army will push on ahead of us and destroy +my town, which is two days' march down the river, and all the women and +children in it, and that afterwards they will fight a great battle with +us. Therefore my people say that I must give you up, or that if I do not +they will elect another chief and do so themselves." + +"Then you will give up a dead man, Fahni." + +"Friend," said the old chief in a low voice, "the night is dark and the +forest not so far away. Moreover, I have set no guards on that side of +the river, and Jeekie here does not forget a road that he has travelled. +Lastly, I have heard it said that there are some other white people with +soldiers camped in the edge of the forest. Now, if you were not here in +the morning, how could I give you up?" + +"I understand, Fahni. You have done your best for me, and now, +good-night. Jeekie and I are going to take a walk. Sometimes you will +think of the months we spent together in Bonsa-Town, will you not?" + +"Yes, and of you also, white man, for so long as I shall live. Walk +fast and far, for the Asiki are clever at following a spoor. Good-night, +Friend, and to you, Jeekie the cunning, good-night also. I go to tell my +captains that I will surrender you at dawn," and without more words he +vanished out of their sight and out of their lives. + +Meanwhile Jeekie, foreseeing the issue of this talk, was already engaged +in doing up their few belongings, including the gold rings, some food, +and a native cooking pot, in a bundle surrounded by a couple of bark +blankets. + +"Come on, Major," he said, handing Alan one spear and taking another +himself. "Old cannibal quite right, very nice night for a walk. Come on, +Major, river shallow just here. I think this happen and try it before +dark. You just follow Jeekie, that all you got to do." + +So leaving the fire burning in front of their bough shelter, they waded +the stream and started up the opposing slope, meeting no man. Dark as +it was, Jeekie seemed to have no difficulty in finding the way, for as +Fahni said, a native does not forget the path he has once travelled. All +night long they walked rapidly, and when dawn broke found themselves at +the edge of the forest. + +"Jeekie," said Alan, "what did Fahni mean by that tale about white +people?" + +"Don't know, Major, think perhaps he lie to let you down easy. My golly! +what that?" + +As he spoke a distant echo reached their ears, the echo of a rifle shot. +"Think Fanny not lie after all," went on Jeekie; "that white man's gun, +sharp crack, smokeless powder, but wonder how he come in this place. +Well, we soon find out. Come on, Major." + +Tired as they were they broke into a run; the prospect of seeing a white +face again was too much for them. Half a mile or so further on they +caught sight of a figure evidently engaged in stalking game among the +trees, or so they judged from his cautious movements. + +"White man!" said Jeekie, and Alan nodded. + +They crept forward silently and with care, for who knew what this white +man might be after, keeping a great tree between them and the man, till +at length, passing round its bole, they found themselves face to face +with him and not five yards away. Notwithstanding his unaccustomed +tropical dress and his face burnt copper colour by the sun, Alan knew +the man at once. + +"Aylward!" he gasped; "Aylward! You here?" + +He started. He stared at Alan. Then his countenance changed. Its +habitual calm broke up as it was wont to do in moments of deep emotion. +It became very evil, as though some demon of hate and jealousy were at +work behind it. The thin lips quivered, the eyes glared, and without +spoken word or warning, he lifted the rifle and fired straight at Alan. +The bullet missed him, for the aim was high. Passing over Alan's head, +it cut a neat groove through the hair of the taller Jeekie who was +immediately behind him. + +Next instant, with a spring like that of a tiger Jeekie was on Aylward. +The weight of his charge knocked him backwards to the ground, and there +he lay, pinned fast. + +"What for you do that?" exclaimed the indignant Jeekie. "What for you +shoot through wool of respectable nigger, Sir Robert Aylward, Bart.? Now +I throttle you, you dirty hog-swine. No Magistrates' Court here in Dwarf +Forest," and he began to suit the action to the word. + +"Let him go, Jeekie. Take his rifle and let him go," exclaimed Alan, who +all this while had stood amazed. "There must be some mistake, he cannot +have meant to murder me." + +"Don't know what he mean, but know his bullet go through my hair, Major, +and give me new parting," grumbled Jeekie as he obeyed. + +"Of course it was a mistake, Vernon, for I suppose it is Vernon," said +Aylward, as he rose. "I do not wonder that your servant is angry, but +the truth is that your sudden appearance frightened me out of my wits +and I fired automatically. We have been living in some danger here and +my nerves are not as strong as they used to be." + +"Indeed," answered Alan. "No, Jeekie will carry the rifle for you; yes, +and I think that pistol also, every ounce makes a difference walking +in a hot climate, and I remember that you always were dangerous with +firearms. There, you will be more comfortable so. And now, who do you +mean by 'we'?" + +"I mean Barbara and myself," he answered slowly. + +Alan's jaw dropped, he shook upon his feet. + +"Barbara and yourself!" he said. "Do I understand----" + +"Don't you understand nothing, Major," broke in Jeekie. "Don't you +believe one word what this pig dog say. If Miss Barbara marry him he +no want shoot you; he ask you to tea to see the Missus and how much she +love him, ducky! We just go on and call on Miss Barbara and hear the +news. Walk up, Sir Robert Aylward, Bart., and show us which way." + +"I do not choose to receive you and your impertinent servant at my +camp," said Aylward, grinding his teeth. + +"We quite understand that, Sir Robert Aylward----" + +"Lord Aylward, if you please, Major Vernon." + +"I beg your pardon--Lord Aylward. I was aware of the contemplated +purchase of that title, I did not know that it had been completed. I was +about to add that all the same we mean to go to that camp, and that +if any violence towards us is attempted as we approach it, you will +remember that you are in our hands." + +"Yes, my Lord," added Jeekie, bowing, "and that monkeys don't tell no +tales, my Lord, and that here there ain't no twelve Good-Trues to sit +on noble corpse unhappily deceased, my Lord, and to bring in Crowner's +verdict of done to death lawful or unlawful, according as evidence may +show when got, my Lord. So march on, for we no breakfast yet. No, not +that way, round here to left, where I think I hear kettle sing." + +So having no choice, Aylward came, marching between the other two and +saying nothing. When they had gone a couple of hundred yards Alan also +heard something, and to him it sounded like a man crying out in pain. +Then suddenly they passed round some great trees and reached a glade in +the forest where there was a spring of water which Alan remembered. In +this glade the camp had been built, surrounded by a "boma" or palisade +of rough wood, within which stood two tents and some native shelters +made of tall grass and boughs. Outside of this camp a curious and +unpleasant scene was in progress. + +To a small tree that grew there was tied a man, whom from the fashion +of his hair Alan knew to belong to the Coast negroes, while two great +fellows, evidently of another tribe, flogged him unmercifully with hide +whips. + +"Ah!" exclaimed Jeekie, "that the kettle I hear sing. Think you better +taken him off the fire, my Lord, or he boil over. Also his brothers no +seem to like that music," and he pointed to a number of other men who +were standing round watching the scene with sullen dissatisfaction. + +"A matter of camp discipline," muttered Aylward. "This man has disobeyed +orders." + +By now Jeekie was shouting something to the natives in an unknown +tongue, which they seemed to understand well enough. At any rate the +flogging ceased, the two fellows who were inflicting it slunk away, and +the other men ran towards them, shouting back as they came. + +"All right, Major. You please stop here one minute with my Lord, late +Bart. of Bloody Hand. Some of these chaps friends of mine, I meet them +Old Calabar while we get ready to march last rains. Now I have little +talk with them and find out thing or two." + +Aylward began to bluster about interference with his servants and so +forth. Jeekie turned on him with a very ugly grin, and showing his white +teeth, as was his fashion when he grew fierce. + +"Beg pardon, Right Honourable Lord," he said, or rather snarled, "you +do what I tell you just to please Jeekie. Jeekie no one in England, but +Jeekie damn big Lord too out here, great medicine man, pal of Little +Bonsa. You remember Little Bonsa, eh! These chaps think it great honour +to meet Jeekie, so, Major, if he stir, please shoot him through head; +Jeekie 'sponsible, not you. Or if you not like do it, I come back and +see to job myself and don't think those fellows cry very much." + +There was something about Jeekie's manner that frightened Aylward, who +understood for the first time that beneath all the negro's grotesque +talk lay some dreadful, iron purpose, as courage lay under his affected +cowardice and under his veneer of selfishness, fidelity. At any rate he +halted with Alan, who stood beside him, the revolver of which Aylward +had been relieved by Jeekie, in his hand. Meanwhile Jeekie, who held the +rifle which he had reloaded, went on and met the natives about twenty +yards away. + +"We always disliked each other, Vernon, but I must say that I never +thought a day would come when you proposed to murder me in my own camp," +said Aylward. + +"Odd thing," answered Alan, "but a very similar idea was in my mind. +I never thought, Lord Aylward, that however unscrupulous you might +be--financially--a day would come when you would attempt to shoot down +an unarmed man in an African forest. Oh! don't waste breath in lying; I +saw you recognize me, aim, and fire, after which Jeekie would have had +the other barrel, and who then would have remained to tell the story, +Lord Aylward?" + +Aylward made no answer, but Alan felt that if wishes could kill him he +would not live long. His eye fell upon a long, unmistakable mound of +fresh earth, beneath a tree. He calculated its length, and with a thrill +of terror noticed that it was too small for a negro. + +"Who is buried there?" he asked. + +"Find out for yourself," was the sneering answer. + +"Don't be afraid, Lord Aylward; I shall find out everything in time." + +The conversation between Jeekie and the natives proceeded, their heads +were close together; it grew animated. They seemed to be coming to some +decision. Presently one of them ran and cut the lashings of the man who +had been bound to the tree, and he staggered towards them and joined +in the talk, pointing to his wounds. Then the two fellows who had been +engaged in flogging him, accompanied by eight companions of the same +type--they appeared to be soldiers, for they carried guns--swaggered +towards the group who were being addressed by Jeekie, of whom Alan +counted twenty-three. As they approached Jeekie made some suggestion +which, after one hesitating moment, the others seemed to accept, for +they nodded their heads and separated out a little. + +Jeekie stepped forward and asked a question of the guards, to which they +replied with a derisive shout. Then without a word of warning he lifted +Aylward's express rifle which he carried, and fired first one barrel and +then the other, shooting the two leading soldiers dead. Their companions +halted amazed, but before they could lift their guns, Jeekie and those +with him rushed at them and began stabbing them with spears and striking +them with sticks. In three minutes it was over without another shot +being fired. Most of them were despatched, and the others, throwing down +their guns, had fled wounded into the forest. + +Now, shouting in jubilation, some of the men began to drag away the dead +bodies, while others collected the rifles and the remainder, headed by +Jeekie, advanced towards Alan and Aylward, waving their red spears. Alan +stood staring, for he did not in the least understand the meaning of +what had happened, but Aylward, who had turned very pale, addressed +Jeekie, saying: + +"I suppose that you have come to murder me also, you black villain." + +"No, no, my Lord," answered Jeekie politely, "not at present. Also that +wrong word, execute, not murder, just what you do to some of these poor +devils," and he pointed to the mob of porters. "Besides, mustn't kill +holy white man, poor black chap don't matter, plenty more where he come +from. Think we all go see Miss Barbara now. You come too, my Lord Bart., +but p'raps best tie your hands behind you first; if you want scratch +head, I do it for you. That only fair, you scratch mine this morning." + +Then at a word from Jeekie some of the natives sprang on Aylward and +tied his hands behind his back. + +"Is Miss Barbara alive?" said Alan to Jeekie in an agonized whisper, at +the same time nodding towards the grave that was so ominously short. + +"Hope so, think so, these cards say so, but God He know alone," answered +Jeekie. "Go and look, that best way to find out." + +So they advanced into the camp through a narrow gateway made of a +V-shaped piece of wood, to where the two tents were placed in its inner +division. Of these tents, the first, was open, whereas the second was +closed. As the open tent was obviously empty, they went to the second, +whereof Jeekie began to loosen the lashings of the flap. It was a long +business, for they seemed to have been carefully knotted inside; indeed +at last, growing impatient, Jeekie cut the cord, using the curved knife +with which the Mungana had tried to kill Alan. + +Meanwhile Alan was suffering torments, being convinced that Barbara was +dead and buried in that new-made grave beneath the trees. He could not +speak, he could scarcely stand, and yet a picture began to form in his +numb mind. He saw himself seated in the dark in the Treasure-house at +Bonsa-Town; he saw a vision in the air before him. + +Lo! the tent door opened and that vision reappeared. + +There was the pale Barbara seated, weeping. There again, as he entered +she sprang up and snatching the pistol that lay beside her, turned it +to her breast. Then she perceived him and the pistol sank downwards till +from her relaxed hand it dropped to the ground. She threw up her arms +and without a sound fell backwards, or would have fallen, had he not +caught her. + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE LAST OF THE ASIKI + +Barbara had recovered. She sat upon her bed in the tent and by her sat +Alan, holding her hand, while before them stood Aylward like a prisoner +in the dock, and behind him the armed Jeekie. + +"Tell me the story, Barbara," said Alan, "and tell it briefly, for I +cannot bear much more of this." + +She looked at him and began in a slow, even voice: + +"After you had gone, dear, things went on as usual for a month or two. +Then came the great Sahara Company trouble. First there were rumours +and the shares began to go down. My uncle bought them in by tens and +hundreds of thousands, to hold up the market, because he was being +threatened, but of course he did not know then that Lord Aylward--for +I forgot to tell you, he had become a lord somehow--was secretly one of +the principal sellers, let him deny it if he can. At last the Ottoman +Government, through the English ambassador, published its repudiation +of the concession, which it seems was a forgery, actually executed or +obtained in Constantinople by my uncle. Well, there was a fearful smash. +Writs were taken out against my uncle, but before they could be served, +he died suddenly of heart disease. I was with him at the time and he +kept saying he saw that gold mask which Jeekie calls Bonsa, the thing +you took back to Africa. He had a fine funeral, for what he had done +was not publicly known, and when his will was opened I found that he had +left me his fortune, but made Lord Aylward there my trustee until I came +to the full age of twenty-five under my father's will. Alan, don't force +me to tell you what sort of a guardian he was to me; also there was no +fortune, it had all gone; also I had very, very little left, for almost +all my own money had gone too. In his despair he had forged papers +to get it in order to support those Sahara Syndicate shares. Still I +managed to borrow about L2000 from that little lawyer out of the L5000 +that remain to me, an independent sum which he was unable to touch, and, +Alan, with it I came to find you. + +"Alan, Lord Aylward followed me; although everybody else was ruined, he +remained rich, very very rich, they say, and his fancy was to marry me, +also I think it was not comfortable for him in England. It is a long +tale, but I got up here with about five-and-twenty servants, and Snell, +my maid, whom you remember. Then we were both taken ill with some +dreadful fever and had it not been for those good black people, I should +have died, for I have been very sick, Alan. But they nursed me and I +recovered; it was poor Snell who died, they buried her a few days ago. +I thought that she would live, but she had a relapse. Next Lord Aylward +appeared with twelve soldiers and some porters who, I believe, have +run away now,--oh! you can guess, you can guess. He wanted my people to +carry me away somewhere, to the coast, I suppose, but they were faithful +to me and would not. Then he set his soldiers on to maltreat them. They +shot several of them and flogged them on every opportunity; they were +flogging one of them just now, I heard them. Well, the poor men made me +understand that they could bear it no longer and must do what he told +them. + +"And so, Alan, as I was quite hopeless and helpless, I made up my mind +to kill myself, hoping that God would forgive me and that I should find +you somewhere, perhaps after sleeping a while, for it was better to +die than to be given into the power--of that man. I thought that he was +coming for me just now and I was about to do it, but it was you instead, +Alan, _you_, and only just in time. That is all the story, and I hope +you will not think that I have acted very foolishly, but I did it for +the best. If you only knew what I have suffered, Alan, what I have gone +through in one way and another, I am sure that you would not judge me +harshly; also I kept dreaming that you were in trouble and wanted me to +come to you, and of course I knew where you were gone and had that map. +Send him away, Alan, for I am still so weak and I cannot bear the sight +of his face. If you knew everything, you would understand." + +Alan turned on Aylward and in a cold, quiet voice asked him what he had +to say to this story. + +"I have to say, Major Vernon, that it is a clever mixture of truth +and falsehood. It is true that your cousin, Champers-Haswell, has been +proved guilty of some very shameful conduct. For instance it appears +that he did forge, or rather cause to be forged that Firman from +the Sultan, although I knew nothing of this until it was publicly +repudiated. It is also true that fearing exposure he entirely lost his +head and spent not only his own great fortune but that of Miss Champers +also, in trying to support Sahara shares. I admit also that I sold many +hundreds of thousands of those shares in the ordinary way, having made +up my mind to retire from business when I was raised to the peerage. +I admit further, what you knew before, that I was attached to Miss +Champers and wished to marry her. Why should I not, especially as I had +a good deal to offer to a lady who has been proved to be almost without +fortune? + +"For the rest she set out secretly on this mad journey to Africa, +whither both my duty as her trustee and my affection prompted me to +follow her. I found her here recovering from an illness, and since she +has dwelt upon the point, in self-defence I must tell you that +whatever has taken place between us, has been with her full consent and +encouragement. Of course I allude only to those affectionate amenities +which are common between people who purpose to marry as soon as +opportunity may offer." + +At this declaration poor Barbara gasped and leaned back against her +pillow. Alan stood silent, though his lips turned white, while Jeekie +thrust his big head through the tent opening and stared upwards. + +"What are you looking at, Jeekie?" asked Alan irritably. + +"Seem to want air, Major, also look to see if clouds tumble. Believe +partickler big lie do that sometimes. Please go on, O good Lord, for +Jeekie want his breakfast." + +"As regards the execution of two of Miss Champers' bearers and the +flogging of some others, these punishments were inflicted for mutiny," +went on Aylward. "It was obviously necessary that she should be moved +back to the coast, but I found out that they were trying to desert her +in a body and to tamper with my own servants, and so was obliged to take +strong measures." + +"Sure those clouds come down now," soliloquized Jeekie, "or least +something rummy happen." + +"I have only to add, Major Vernon, that unless you make away with me +first, as I daresay you will, as soon as we reach civilization again I +shall proceed against you and this fellow for the cold-blooded murder +of my men, in punishment of which I hope yet to live to see you hanged. +Meanwhile, I have much pleasure in releasing Miss Champers from her +engagement to me which, whatever she may have said to you in England, +she was glad enough to enter on here in Africa, a country of which I +have been told the climate frequently deteriorates the moral character." + +"Hear, hear!" ejaculated Jeekie, "he say something true at last; by +accident, I think, like pig what find pearl in muck-heap." + +"Hold your tongue, Jeekie," said Alan. "I do not intend to kill you, +Lord Aylward, or to do you any harm----" + +"Nor I neither," broke in Jeekie, "all I do to my Lord just for my +Lord's good; who Jeekie that he wish to hurt noble British 'ristocrat?" + +"But I do intend that it shall be impossible that Miss Champers should +be forced to listen to more of your insults," went on Alan, "and to make +sure that your gun does not go off again as it did this morning. So, +Lord Aylward, until we have settled what we are going to do, I must keep +you under arrest. Take him to his tent, Jeekie, and put a guard over +him." + +"Yes, Major, certainly, Major. Right turn, march! my Lord, and quick, +please, since poor, common Jeekie not want dirty his black finger +touching you." + +Aylward obeyed, but at the door of the tent swung round and favoured +Alan with a very evil look. + +"Luck is with you for the moment, Major Vernon," he said, "but if you +are wise you will remember that you never have been and never will be +my match. It will turn again, I have no doubt, and then you may look to +yourself, for I warn you I am a bad enemy." + +Alan did not answer, but for the first time Barbara sprang to her feet +and spoke. + +"You mean that you are a bad man, Lord Aylward, and a coward too, or +otherwise you would not have tortured me as you have done. Well, when it +seemed impossible that I should escape from you except in one way, I was +saved by another way of which I never dreamed. Now I tell you that I do +not fear you any more. But I think," she added slowly, "that you would +do well to fear for yourself. I don't know why, but it comes into my +mind that though neither Alan nor I shall lift a finger against you, +you have a great deal of which to be afraid. Remember what I said to you +months ago when you were angry because I would not marry you. I believe +it is all coming true, Lord Aylward." + +Then Barbara turned her back upon him, and that was the last time that +either she or Alan ever saw his face. + +He was gone, and Barbara, her head upon her lover's shoulder and her +sweet eyes filled with tears of joy and gratitude, was beginning to tell +him everything that had befallen her when suddenly they heard a loud +cough outside the tent. + +"It's that confounded Jeekie," said Alan, and he called to him to come +in. + +"What's the matter now?" he asked crossly. + +"Breakfast, Major. His lordship got plenty good stores, borrow some from +him and give him chit. Coming in one minute--hot coffee, kipper herring, +rasher bacon, also butter (best Danish), and Bath Oliver biscuit." + +"Very well," said Alan, but Jeekie did not move. + +"Very well," repeated Alan. + +"No, Major, not very well, very ill. Thought those lies bring down +clouds." + +"What do you mean, Jeekie?" + +"Mean, Major, that Asiki smelling about this camp. Porter-man what go +to fetch water see them. Also believe they catch rest of those soldier +chaps and polish them, for porter-man hear the row." + +Alan sprang up with an exclamation; in his new-found joy he had +forgotten all about the Asiki. + +"Keep hair on, Major," said Jeekie cheerfully; "don't think they attack +yet, plenty of time for breakfast first. When they come we make it very +hot for them, lots of rifle and cartridge now." + +"Can't we run away?" asked Barbara. + +"No, Missy, can't run; must stop here and do best. Camp well built, open +all round, don't think they take it. You leave everything to Jeekie, he +see you through, but p'raps you like come breakfast outside, where you +know all that go on." + +Barbara did like, but as it happened they were allowed to consume their +meal in peace, since no Asiki appeared. As soon as it was swallowed she +returned to her tent, while Alan and Jeekie set to work to strengthen +the defences of the little camp as well as they were able, and to make +ready and serve out the arms and ammunition. + +About midday a man whom they had posted in a tree that grew inside the +camp announced that he saw the enemy, and next moment a company of them +rushed towards them across the open and were greeted by a volley which +killed and wounded several men. At this exhibition of miraculous power, +for none of these soldiers had ever heard the report of firearms or +seen their effect, they retreated rapidly, uttering shouts of dismay and +carrying their dead and wounded with them. + +"Do you suppose they have gone, Jeekie?" asked Alan anxiously. + +He shook his head. + +"Think not, Major, think they frightened, by big bullet magic, and go +consult priest. Also only a few of them here, rest of army come later +and try rush us to-morrow morning before dawn. That Asiki custom." + +"Then what shall we do, Jeekie? Run for it or stop here?" + +"Think must stop here, Major. If we bolt, carrying Miss Barbara, who +can't walk much, they follow on spoor and catch us. Best stick inside +this fence and see what happen. Also once outside p'raps porters desert +and leave us." + +So as there was nothing else to do they stayed, labouring all day at the +strengthening of their fortifications till at length the boma or fence +of boughs, supported by earth, was so high and thick that while any were +left to fire through the loopholes, it would be very difficult to storm +by men armed with spears. + +It was a dreadful and arduous day for Alan, who now had Barbara's safety +to think of, Barbara with whom as yet he had scarcely found time to +exchange a word. By sunset indeed he was so worn out with toil and +anxiety that he could scarcely stand upon his feet. Jeekie, who all +that afternoon had been strangely quiet and reflective, surveyed him +critically, then said: + +"You have good drink and go sleep a bit, Major. Very good little +shelter there by Miss Barbara's tent, and you hold her hand if you like +underneath the canvas, which comforting and all correct. Jeekie never +get tired, he keep good lookout and let you know if anything happen, and +then you jump up quite fresh and fight like tom-cat in corner." + +At first Alan refused to listen, but when Barbara added her entreaties +to those of Jeekie he gave way, and ten minutes later was as soundly +asleep as he had ever been in his life. + +"Keep eye on him, Miss Barbara, and call me if he wake. Now I go give +noble lord his supper and see that he quite comfortable. Jeekie seem +very busy to-night, just like when Major have dinner-party at Yarleys +and old cook get drunk in kitchen." + +If Barbara could have followed Jeekie's movements for the next few +hours, she would probably have agreed that he was busy. First he went +to Aylward's tent, and as he had said he would, gave him his supper, +and with it half a bottle of whisky from the stores which he had been +carrying about with him for some time, as he said, to prevent the +porters from getting at it. Aylward would drink little, though as his +arms were tied to the tent-pole, Jeekie sat beside him and fed him like +a baby, conversing pleasantly with him all the while, informing him +amongst other things that he had better say "big prayer," because the +Asiki would probably cut his throat before morning. + +Aylward, who was in a state of sullen fury, scarcely replied to this +talk, except to say that if so, there was one comfort, they would cut +his and his master's also. + +"Yes, my Lord," answered Jeekie, "that quite true, so drink to next +meeting, though I think you go different place to me, and when you got +tail and I wing, you horn and I crown of glory, of course we not talk +much together," and he held a mug of whisky and water--a great deal of +whisky and a very little water--to his prisoner's mouth. + +Aylward drained it, feeling a need for stimulant. + +"There," said Jeekie, holding it upside down, "you drink every drop and +not offer one to poor old Jeekie. Well, he turned teetotaller, so no +matter. Good-night, my Lord, I call you if Asiki come." + +"Who are the Asiki?" asked Aylward drowsily. + +"Oh! you want to know? I tell you," and he began a long, rambling story. + +Before he ever came to the end of it Aylward had fallen on his side and +was fast asleep. + +"Dear me!" said Jeekie, contemplating him, "that whisky very strong, +though bottle say same as they drink in House of Common. That whisky +so strong I think I pour away rest of it," and he did to the last drop, +even taking the trouble to wash out the bottle with water. "Now you no +tempt anyone," he said, addressing the said bottle with a very peculiar +smile, "or if you tempt, at least do no harm--like kiss down telephone!" +Then he laid down the bottle on its side and left the tent. + +Outside of it three of the head porters, who appeared to be friends +of his, were waiting for him, and with these men he engaged in low and +earnest conversation. Next, after they had arrived at some agreement, +which they seemed to ratify by a curious oath that involved their +crossing and clasping hands in an odd fashion, and other symbols known +to West African secret societies, Jeekie went the round of the camp to +see that everyone was at his post. Then he did what most people would +have thought a very curious and strange thing, namely climbed the fence +and vanished into the forest, where presently a sound was heard as of an +owl hooting. + +A little while later and another owl began to hoot in the distance, +whereat the three head porters nudged each other. Perhaps they had heard +such owls hoot before at night, and perhaps they knew that Jeekie, who +had "passed Bonsa," could only be harmed by the direct command of Bonsa +speaking through the mouth of the Asika herself. Still they might have +been interested in the nocturnal conversation of those two owls, which, +as is common with such magical fowl in West Africa, had transformed +themselves into human shapes, the shape of Jeekie and the shape of an +Asiki priest, who was, as it happened, a blood relation of Jeekie. + +"Very good, Brother," said Owl No. 1; "all you want is this white man +whom the Asika desires for a husband. Well, I have done my best for him, +but I must think of myself and others, and he goes to great happiness. +I have given him something to make him sleep; do you come presently with +eight men, no more, or we shall kill you, to the fence of the camp, and +we will hand over the white man, Vernoon, to you to take back to the +Asika, who will give you a wonderful reward, such a reward as you have +never imagined. Now let me hear your word." + +Then Owl No. 2 answered: + +"Brother, I make the bargain on behalf of the army, and swear to it by +the double Swimming Head of Bonsa. We will come and take the white man, +Vernoon, who is to be Mungana, and carry him away. In return we promise +not to follow or molest you, or any others in your camp. Indeed, why +should we, who do not desire to be killed by the dreadful magic that +you have, a magic that makes a noise and pierces through our bodies from +afar? What were the words of the Asika? 'Bring back Vernoon, or perish. +I care for nothing else, bring back Vernoon to be my husband.'" + +"Good," said Owl No. 1, "within the half of an hour Vernoon shall be +ready for you." + +"Good," answered Owl No. 2, "within half an hour eight of us will be +without the east face of your camp to receive him." + +"Silently?" + +"Silently, my brother in Bonsa. If he cries out we will gag him. Fear +not, none shall know your part in this matter." + +"Good, my brother in Bonsa. By the way, how is Big Bonsa? I fear that +the white man, Vernoon, hurt him very much, and that is why I give him +up--because of his sacrilege." + +"When I left the god was very sick and all the people mourned, but +doubtless he is immortal." + +"Doubtless he is immortal, my brother, a little hard magic in his +stomach--if he has one--cannot hurt _him_. Farewell, dear brother in +Bonsa, I wish that I were you to get the great reward that the Asika +will give to you. Farewell, farewell." + +Then the two owls flitted apart again, hooting as they went, till they +came to their respective camps. + + + +Jeekie was in the tent performing a strange toilet upon the sleeping +Aylward by the light of a single candle. From his pouch he produced the +mask of linen painted with gold that Alan used to be forced to wear, and +tied it securely over Aylward's face, murmuring: + +"You always love gold, my Lord Aylward, and Jeekie promise you see +plenty of it now." + +Then he proceeded to remove his coat, his waistcoat, his socks, and his +boots and to replace these articles of European attire by his own worn +Asiki sandals and his own dirty Asiki robe. + +"There," he said, "think that do," and he studied him by the light of +the candle. "Same height, same colour hair, same dirty clothes, and as +Asiki never see Major's face because he always wear mask in public, like +as two peas on shovel. Oh my! Jeekie clever chap, Jeekie devilish clever +chap. But when Asika pull off that mask to give him true lover kiss, OH +MY! wonder that happen then? Think whole of Bonsa-Town bust up; think +big waterfall run backwards; think she not quite pleased; think my good +Lord find himself in false position; think Jeekie glad to be on coast; +think he not go back to Bonsa-Town no more. Oh my aunt! no, he stop in +England and go church twice on Sunday," and pressing his big hands on +the pit of his stomach he rocked and rolled in fierce, silent laughter. + +Then an owl hooted again immediately beneath the fence and Jeekie, +blowing out the candle, opened the flap of the tent and tapped the head +porter, who stood outside, on the shoulder. He crept in and between them +they lifted the senseless Aylward and bore him to the V-shaped entrance +of the boma which was immediately opposite to the tent and, oddly +enough, half open. Here the two other porters with whom Jeekie had +performed some ceremony, chanced to be on guard, the rest of their +company being stationed at a distance. Jeekie and the head porter went +through the gap like men carrying a corpse to midnight burial, and +presently in the darkness without two owls began to hoot. + +Now Aylward was laid upon a litter that had been prepared, and +eight white-robed Asiki bearers stared at his gold mask in the faint +starlight. + +"I suppose he is not dead, brother," said Owl No. 2 doubtfully. + +"Nay, brother," said Owl No. 1, "feel his heart and his pulse. Not dead, +only drunk. He will wake up by daylight, by which time you should be far +upon your way. Be good and gentle to the white man Vernoon, who has been +my master. Be careful, too, that he does not escape you, brother, for as +you know he is very strong and cunning. Say to the Asika that Jeekie her +servant makes his reverence to her, and hopes that she will have many, +many happy years with the husband that he sends her; also that she will +remember him whom she called 'Black Dog,' in her prayers to the gods and +spirits of our people." + +"It shall be done, brother, but why do you not return with us?" + +"Because, brother, I have ties across the Black Water--dear children, +almost white--whom I love so much that I cannot leave them. Farewell, +brethren, the blessings of the Bonsas be on you, and may you grow fat +and prosper in the love and favour of our lady the Asika." + +"Farewell," they murmured in answer. "Good fortune be your bedfellow." + +Another minute and they had lifted up the litter and vanished at a +swinging trot into the shadow of the trees. Jeekie returned to the camp +and ordered the three men to re-stop the gateway with thorns, muttering +in their ears: + +"Remember, brethren, one word of this and you die, all of you, as those +die who break the oath." + +"Have we not sworn?" they whispered, as they went back to their posts. + +Jeekie stood a while in front of the empty tent and if any had been +there to note him, they might have seen a shadow as of compunction creep +over his powerful black face. + +"When he wake up he won't know where he are," he reflected, "and when +he get to Bonsa-Town he'll wonder where he is, and when he meet Asika! +Well, he very big blackguard; try to murder Major, whom Jeekie nurse as +baby, the only thing that Jeekie care for--except--Jeekie; try to make +love to Miss Barbara against will when he catch her alone in forest, +which not playing game. Jeekie self not such big blackguard as that +dirt-born noble Lord; Jeekie never murder no one--not quite; Jeekie +never make love to girl what not want him--no need, so many what do that +he have to shove them off, like good Christian man. Mrs. Jeekie see to +that while she live. Also better that mean white man go call on Bonsas +than Major and Missy Barbara and all porters, and Jeekie--specially +Jeekie--get throat cut. No, no, Jeekie nothing to be ashamed of, Jeekie +do good day's work, though Jeekie keep it tight as wax since white folk +such silly people, and when Major in a rage, he very nasty customer and +see everything upside down. Now, Jeekie quite tired, so say his prayers +and have nap. No, think not in tent, though very comfortable. Major +might wake up, poke his nose in there, and if he see black face instead +of white one, ask ugly question, which if Jeekie half asleep he no able +to answer nice and neat. Still he just arrange things a little so they +look all right." + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE ASIKA'S MESSAGE + +Dawn began to break in the forest and Alan woke in his shelter and +stretched himself. He had slept soundly all the night, so soundly that +the innocent Jeekie wondered much whether by any chance he also had +taken a tot out of that particular whisky bottle, as indeed he had +recommended him to do. People who drink whisky after long abstinence +from spirits are apt to sleep long, he reflected. + +Alan crept out of the shelter and gazed affectionately at the tent in +which Barbara slumbered. Thank Heaven she was safe so far, as for some +unknown reason, evidently the Asiki had postponed their attack. Just +then a clamour arose in the air, and he perceived Jeekie striding +towards him waving one arm in an excited fashion, while with the other +he dragged along the captain of the porters, who appeared to be praying +for mercy. + +"Here pretty go, Major," he shouted, "devil and all to pay! That my +Lord, he gone and bolted. This silly fool say that three hours ago he +hear something break through fence and think it only hyaena what come +to steal, so take no notice. Well, that hyaena, you guess who he is. You +come look, Major, you come look, and then we tie this fellow up and flog +him." + +Alan ran to Aylward's tent to find it empty. + +"Look," said Jeekie, who had followed, "see how he do business, that +jolly clever hyaena," and he pointed to a broken whisky bottle and some +severed cords. "You see he manage break bottle and rub rope against cut +glass till it come in two. Then he do hyaena dodge and hook it." + +Alan inspected the articles, nor did any shadow of doubt enter his mind. + +"Certainly he managed very well," he said, "especially for a London-bred +man, but, Jeekie, what can have been his object?" + +"Oh! who know, Major? Mind of man very strange and various thing; p'raps +he no bear to see you and Miss Barbara together; p'raps he bolt coast, +get ear of local magistrate before you; p'raps he sit up tree to shoot +you; p'raps nasty temper make him mad. But he gone any way, and I hope +he no meet Asiki, poor fellow, 'cause if so, who know? P'raps they knock +him on head, or if they think him you, they make him prisoner and keep +him quite long while before they let him go again." + +"Well," said Alan, "he has gone of his own free will, so we have no +responsibility in the matter, and I can't pretend that I am sorry to +see the last of him, at any rate for the present. Let that poor beggar +loose, there seems to have been enough flogging in this place, and after +all he isn't much to blame." + +Jeekie obeyed, apparently with much reluctance, and just then they saw +one of their own people running towards the camp. + +"'Fraid he going to tell us Asiki come attack," said Jeekie, shaking his +head. "Hope they give us time breakfast first." + +"No doubt," answered Alan nervously, for he feared the result of that +attack. + +Then the man arrived breathless and began to gasp out his news, which +filled Alan with delight and caused a look of utter amazement to appear +upon the broad face of Jeekie. It was to the effect that he had climbed +a high tree as he had been bidden to do, and from the top of that tree +by the light of the first rays of the rising sun, miles away on the +plain beyond the forest, he had seen the Asiki army in full retreat. + +"Thank God!" exclaimed Alan. + +"Yes, Major, but that very rum story. Jeekie can't swallow it all at +once. Must send out see none of them left behind. P'raps they play +trick, but if they really gone, 'spose it 'cause guns frightens them +so much. Always think powder very great 'vention, especially when enemy +hain't got none, and quite sure of it now. Jeekie very, very seldom +wrong. Soon believe," he added with a burst of confidence, "that Jeekie +never wrong at all. He look for truth so long that at last he find it +_always_." + + + +Something more than a month had gone by and Major and Mrs. Vernon, the +latter fully restored to health and the most sweet and beautiful of +brides, stood upon the steamship _Benin_, and as the sun sank, looked +their last upon the coast of Western Africa. + +"Yes, dear," Alan was saying to his wife, "from first to last it has +been a very queer story, but I really think that our getting that Asiki +gold after all was one of the queerest parts of it; also uncommonly +convenient, as things have turned out." + +"Namely that you have got a little pauper for a wife instead of a great +heiress, Alan. But tell me again about the gold. I have had so much to +think of during the last few days," and she blushed, "that I never quite +took it all in." + +"Well, love, there isn't much to tell. When that forwarding agent, Mr. +Aston, knew that we were in the town, he came to me and said that he +had about fifty cases full of something heavy, as he supposed samples of +ore, addressed to me to your care in England which he was proposing to +ship on by the _Benin_. I answered 'Yes, that was all right,' and +did not undeceive him about their contents. Then I asked how they had +arrived, and if he had not received a letter with them. He replied that +one morning before the warehouse was open, some natives had brought them +down in a canoe, and dumped them at the door, telling the watchman that +they had been paid to deliver them there by some other natives whom they +met a long way up the river. Then they went away without leaving any +letter or message. Well, I thanked Aston and paid his charges and +there's an end of the matter. Those fifty-three cases are now in the +hold invoiced as ore samples and, as I inspected them myself and am sure +that they have not been tampered with, besides the value of the necklace +the Asika gave me we've got L100,000 to begin our married life upon with +something over for old Jeekie, and I daresay we shall do very well on +that." + +"Yes, Alan, very well indeed." Then she reflected a while, for the +mention of Jeekie's name seemed to have made her thoughtful, and added, +"Alan, what _do_ you think became of Lord Aylward?" + +"I am sure I don't know. Jeekie and I and some of the porters went +to see the Old Calabar officials and made affidavits as to the +circumstances of his disappearance. We couldn't do any more, could we?" + +"No, Alan. But do you think that Jeekie quite understands the meaning of +an oath? I mean it seems so strange that we should never have found the +slightest trace of him, and, Alan, I don't know if you noticed it, but +why did Jeekie appear that morning wearing Lord Aylward's socks and +boots?" + +"He ought to know all about oaths, he has heard enough of them in +Magistrates' Courts, but as regards the boots, I am sure I can't say, +dear," answered Alan uneasily. "Here he comes, we will ask him," and he +did. + +"Sock and boot," replied Jeekie, with a surprised air, "why, Mrs. Major, +if that good lord go mad and cut off into forest leaving them behind, +of course I put them on, as they no more use to him, and I just burn my +dirty old Asiki dress and sandal and got nothing to keep jigger out of +toe. Don't you sit up here in this damp, cold, Mrs. Major, else you +get more fever. You go down and dress dinner, which at half-past six +to-night. I just come tell you that." + +So Barbara went, leaving the other two talking about various matters, +for they were alone together on the deck, all the passengers, of whom +there were but few, having gone below. + +The short African twilight had come, a kind of soft blue haze that made +the ship look mysterious and unnatural. By degrees their conversation +died away. They lapsed into a silence, which Alan was the first to +break. + +"What are you thinking of, Jeekie?" he asked nervously. + +"Thinking of Asika, Major," he answered in a scared whisper. "Seem to me +that she about somewhere, just as she use pop up in room in Gold House; +seem to me I feel her all down my back, likewise in head wool, which +stand up." + +"It's very odd, Jeekie," replied Alan, "but so do I." + +"Well, Major, 'spect she thinking of us, specially of you, and just +throw what she think at us, like boy throw stones at bird what fly away +out of cage. Asika do all that, you know, she not quite human, full of +plenty Bonsa devil, from gen'ration to gen'rations, amen! P'raps she +just find out something what make her mad." + +"What could she find out after all this time, Jeekie?" + +"Oh, don't know. How I know? Jeekie can't guess. Find out you marry Miss +Barbara, p'raps. Very sick that she lose you for this time, p'raps. Kill +herself that she keep near you, p'raps, while she wait till you come +round again, p'raps. Asika can do all these things if she like, Major." + +"Stuff and rubbish," answered Alan uneasily, for Jeekie's suggestions +were most uncomfortable, "I believe in none of your West Coast +superstitions." + +"Quite right, Major, nor don't I. Only you 'member, Major, what she show +us there in Treasure-place--Mr. Haswell being buried, eh? Miss Barbara +in tent, eh? t'other job what hasn't come off yet, eh? Oh! my golly! +Major, just you look behind you and say you see nothing, please," and +the eyes of Jeekie grew large as Maltese oranges, while with chattering +teeth he pointed over the bulwark of the vessel. + +Alan turned and saw. + +This was what he saw or seemed to see: The figure of the Asika in her +robes and breastplate of gold, standing upon the air, just beyond the +ship, as though on it she might set no foot. Her waving black hair hung +about her shoulders, but the sharp wind did not seem to stir it nor did +her white dress flutter, and on her beautiful face was stamped a look +of awful rage and agony, the rage of betrayal, the agony of loss. In +her right hand she held a knife, and from a wound in her breast the +red blood ran down her golden corselet. She pointed to Jeekie with the +knife, she opened her arms to Alan as though in unutterable longing, +then slowly raised them upwards towards the fading glory of the sky +above--and was gone. + + + +Jeekie sat down upon the deck, mopping his brow with a red handkerchief, +while Alan, who felt faint, clung to the bulwarks. + +"Tell you, Major, that Asika can do all that kind of thing. Never know +where you find her next. 'Spect she come to live with us in England +and just call in now and again when it dark. Tell you, she very awkward +customer, think p'raps you done better stop there and marry her. Well, +she gone now, thank Heaven! seem to drop in sea and hope she stay +there." + +"Jeekie," said Alan, recovering himself, "listen to me; this is all +infernal nonsense; we have gone through a great deal and the nerves of +both of us are overstrained. We think we saw what we did not see, and +if you dare to say a single word of it to your mistress, I'll break your +neck. Do you understand?" + +"Yes, Major, think so. All 'fernal nonsense, nerves strained, didn't see +what we see, and say nothing of what did see to Mrs. Major, if either +do say anything, t'other one break his neck. That all right, quite +understand. Anything else, Major?" + +"Yes, Jeekie. We have had some wonderful adventures, but they are past +and done with and the less we talk or even think about them the better, +for there is a lot that would be rather difficult to explain, and that +if explained would scarcely be believed." + +"Yes, Major, for instance, very difficult explain Mrs. Barbara how Asika +so fond of you if you only tell her, 'Go away, go away!' all the time, +like old saint-gentleman to pretty girl in picture. P'raps she smell +rat." + +"Stop your ribald talk," said Alan in a stern voice. "It would be better +if instead of making jokes you gave thanks to Providence for bringing +both of us alive and well out of very dreadful dangers. Now I am going +to dress for dinner," and with an anxious glance seaward into the +gathering darkness, he turned and went. + + + +Jeekie stood alone upon the empty deck, wagging his great white head to +and fro and soliloquizing thus: + +"Wonder if Major see what under lady Asika's feet when she stand out +there over nasty deep. Think not or he say something. That noble lord +not look nice. No, private view for Jeekie only, free ticket and nothing +to pay and me hope it no come back when I go to bed. Major know nothing +about it, so he not see, but Jeekie know a lot. Hope that Aylward not +write any letters home, or if he write, hope no one post them. Ghost bad +enough, but murder, oh my!" + +He paused a while, then went on: + +"Jeekie do big sacrifice to Bonsa when he reach Yarleys, get lamb in +back kitchen at night, or if ghost come any more, calf in wood outside. +Not steal it, pay for it himself. Then think Jeekie turn Cath'lic; +confess his sins, they say them priest chaps not split, and after they +got his sins, they tackle Asika and Bonsas too," and he uttered a series +of penitent groans, turning slowly round and round to be sure that +nothing was behind him. + +Just then the full moon appeared out of a bank of clouds, and as it rose +higher, flooding the world with light, Jeekie's spirits rose also. + +"Asika never come in moonshine," he said, "that not the game, against +rule, and after all, what Jeekie done bad? He very good fellow really. +Aylward great villain, serve him jolly well right if Asika spiflicate +him, that not Jeekie's fault. What Jeekie do, he do to save master and +missus who he love. Care nothing for his self, ready to die any day. +Keep it dark to save them too, 'cause they no like the story. If once +they know, it always leave taste in mouth, same as bad oyster. Also +Jeekie manage very well, take Major safe Asiki-land ('cause Little Bonsa +make him), give him very interesting time there, get him plenty gold, +nurse him when he sick, nobble Mungana, bring him out again, find Miss +Barbara, catch hated rival and bamboozle all Asiki army, bring +happy pair to coast and marry them, arrange first-class honeymoon on +ship--Jeekie do all these things, and lots more he could tell, if he +vain and not poor humble nigger." + +Once more he paused a while, lost in the contemplation of his own +modesty and virtues, then continued: + +"This very ungrateful world. Major there, he not say, 'Thank you, +Jeekie, Jeekie, you great, wonderful man. Brave Jeekie, artful Jeekie. +Jeekie smart as paint who make all world believe just what he like, and +one too many for Asika herself.' No, no, he say nothing like that. He +say 'thank Prov'dence,' not 'Jeekie,' as though Prov'dence do all them +things. White folk think they clever, but great fools, really, +don't know nothing. Prov'dence all very well in his way--p'raps, but +Prov'dence not a patch on Jeekie. + +"Hullo! moon get behind cloud and there second bell; think Jeekie go +down and wait dinner; lonely up here and sure Asika never stand 'lectric +light." + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Yellow God, by H. 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