e to none save my lord Sandi, who, as you know, is gone from
us."

"That I know," said the patient Houssa, "and because it is in my heart
to show all people what manner of law Sandi has left behind, I fine you
and your city ten thousand _matakos_ that you shall remember that the
law lives, though Sandi is in the moon, though all rulers change and
die."

A slow gleam of contempt came to the chief's eyes.

"Soldier," said he, "I do not pay _matako--wa_!"

He stumbled back, his mouth agape with fear. The long barrel of
Hamilton's revolver rested coldly on his bare stomach.

"We will have a fire," said Hamilton, and spoke to his sergeant in
Arabic. "Here in the centre of the city we will make a fire of proud
shields and unlawful spears."

One by one the counsellors dropped their wicker shields upon the fire
which the Houssa sergeant had kindled, and as they dropped them, the
sergeant scientifically handcuffed the advisers of the Isisi chief in
couples.

"You shall find other counsellors, B'sano," said Hamilton, as the men
were led to the _Zaire_. "See that I do not come bringing with me a new
chief."

"Lord," said the chief humbly, "I am your dog."

Not alone was B'sano at fault. Up and down the road old grievances
awaited settlement: there were scores to adjust, misunderstandings to
remove. Mostly these misunderstandings had to do with important
questions of tribal superiority and might only be definitely tested by
sanguinary combat.

Also picture a secret order, ruthlessly suppressed by Sanders, and
practised by trembling men, each afraid of the other despite their
oaths; and the fillip it received when the news went forth--"Sandi has
gone--there is no law."

This was a fine time for the dreamers of dreams and for the men who saw
portends and understood the wisdom of Ju-jus.

Bemebibi, chief of the Lesser Isisi, was too fat a man for a dreamer,
for visions run with countable ribs and a cough. Nor was he tall nor
commanding by any standard. He had broad shoulders and a short neck. His
head was round, and his eyes were cunning and small. He was an irritable
man, had a trick of beating his counsellors when they displeased him,
and was a ready destroyer of men.

Some say that he practised sacrifice in the forests, he and the members
of his society, but none spoke with any certainty or authority, for
Bemebibi was chief, alike of a community and an order. In the Lesser
Isisi alone, the White Ghosts had flouris