ed from the shadows of the plantation.

"Greeting, daughter of Bakala," said he, his eyes greedily devouring her.

"Greeting, O Chief!" returned Bakuma, as she politely stepped to one side
to avoid standing on the vague shadow of the chief.

"The fawn seeks the pastures early," remarked MYalu.

"Before the breath of the sun the grass is sweeter," retorted Bakuma,
edging away.

"Aye," remarked MYalu, with a hungry glint in his eyes, "thou art eager to
slake thy thirst? But in the valley will no buck walk this day!"

"Ehh!" gasped Bakuma, recollecting instantly the omen of the Baroto bird
heard that night. "What meanest thou?"

"Maybe the soul of him hath wandered and been caught in a trap or maybe----"
He paused to watch her closely--"maybe an enemy hath made magic upon the
parts of him."

"Ehh!" Bakuma started nervously.

MYalu smiled and touched her upon the shoulder.

"Thy flesh is cooler than the dew."

"Nay, nay, O Chief, thou hast not tied my girdle," she protested, as she
backed away from him, her eyes wide like a terrified deer's.

"Nay, but will I untie it soon," he retorted.

But as he stepped towards her she turned and fled. As MYalu watched her
running as swiftly as a pookoo into the plantation he grinned and called
out: "Even now is the cooling draught steaming in the breath of the
Unmentionable One! But the goblet shall hold a sweeter draught for me!"

"Aie! Aie-e!" wailed Bakuma, her heart beating furiously, "what devil hath
bewitched me! O, that father of many goats hath betrayed me! Aie! Aie-e!
O, the cry of the Baroto bird! Aie! Aie-e!"

And when Bakuma, distraught with terror by the menace that she had only
procured the nail paring and hair to give her lover into the hands of the
false magician who, of course, had been bought by MYalu, arrived at the
"pastures" by the river, as MYalu had foretold, no buck walked there.

The sun spilled blue shadows on the village from the sacred hill where
another scene was being enacted, and it was not as imagined by the amorous
MYalu.

In the council house, which was within the outer fence and before the
sacred enclosure, was in progress a meeting of the doctors. In the door of
the enclosure squatted Kawa Kendi, with Kingata Mata in attendance tending
the royal fires. Before him, in front of their fellows, were seated
Bakahenzie and Marufa in full dress of green feathers and the scarlet
plume. The left side of the idol, which was so set that the sh