vious 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, Vern