that _I_ may be afraid lest _you_ should die--and _I_ be hanged for
it," I added by an afterthought.

"Oh! I see," she answered, "that is really very nice of you. But, of
course, you would think like that; it is your nature."

"Yes," I replied. "Nature, not merit."

She went to a cupboard which formed the bottom of one of the mahogany
museum cases, and extracted from it first of all a bowl of ancient
appearance made of some black stone with projecting knobs for handles
that were carved with the heads of women wearing ceremonial wigs; and
next a low tripod of ebony or some other black wood. I looked at these
articles and recognized them. They had stood in front of the sanctuary
in the temple in Kendah Land, and over them I had once seen this very
woman dressed as she was to-night, bend her head in the magic smoke
before she had uttered the prophecy of the passing of the Kendah god.

"So you brought these away too," I said.

"Yes," she replied with solemnity, "that they might be ready at the
appointed hour when we needed them."

Then she spoke no more for a while, but busied herself with certain
rather eerie preparations. First she set the tripod and its bowl in an
open space which I was glad to note was at some distance from the fire,
since if either of us fell into that who would there be to take us off
before cremation ensued? Then she drew up a curved settee with a back
and arms, a comfortable-looking article having a seat that sloped
backwards like those in clubs, and motioned to me to sit down. This I
did with much the same sensations that are evoked by taking one's place
upon an operation-table.

Next she brought that accursed _Taduki_ box, I mean the inner silver
one, the contents of which I heartily wished I had thrown upon the fire,
and set it down, open, near the tripod. Lastly she lifted some glowing
embers of wood from the grate with tongs, and dropped them into the
stone bowl.

"I think that's all. Now for the great adventure," she said in a voice
that was at once rapt and dreamy.

"What am I to do?" I asked feebly.

"That is quite simple," she replied, as she sat herself down beside me
well within reach of the _Taduki_ box, the brazier being between us
with its tripod stand pressed against the edge of the couch, and in
its curve, so that we were really upon each side of it. "When the smoke
begins to rise thickly you have only to bend your head a little forward,
with your shoulders still resting