sweet, golden, penetrating. The vision of
his midday slumbers--Lilith. But a few hours had gone by since that
dream, and within them he had fought fiercely for his life; and now, in
this hell-haunt, the sweet entrancement of it came back to charm away,
as with a hallowed spell, the black horrors that hung over his soul as
though on vulture wing.

Presently Mgara entered, followed by people bearing food--cooked
goat-flesh and millet and plantains. From the smoking meat Laurence
recoiled with a loathing he could hardly repress. It was too suggestive
of the foul and fearful feast proceeding outside; and even when the
chief, with a furtive half-smile, assured him he might safely partake of
it, yet he could not touch it, contenting himself with the other fare,
cereal and vegetable.

After some further talk Mgara withdrew, and Laurence, left alone, gave
his meditations the rein once more. Never had he loathed the sinister
occupation upon which he was embarked as he did now, possibly because
the term of the undertaking was nearing its end. "I predict you will
come back with what you want," Lilith had said, and her words had been
fully verified. He had gained riches--even beyond his wildest dreams,
but how he had gained them--trafficking in human flesh and blood, yea,
even human life--she should never know. It seemed to him as though he
were already returning with that which should place all the world at his
feet.

But for once he seemed to forget that he had not yet returned--not yet.
And as the drums and yelling of the barbarous orgy outside gradually
sank into the silence of night, even that, strange to say, failed to
remind him.

CHAPTER XVI.

AN ANGEL UNAWARES.

Not much sleep did Laurence get that night--such, indeed, as he obtained
being of the "with one eye open" order. Simple trust in anybody or
anything was not one of his failings, as we think we have shown;
wherefore having carefully scrutinized the plastered walls of his rude
quarters, he took the precaution to secure the wicker door from the
inside, and lay down with his Express, so covering the same that but the
very slightest movement of the hand would be needed on his part in order
to rake from stem to stern whosoever should be so ill-advised as to
essay a stealthy ingress.

Still more would he have applauded his own foresight in taking these
precautions could he have known that a large portion of the night was
spent by his "entertainers" keenl