medicine-man, and I understood something of his talk.

"Dog," he said in effect, speaking in a smooth, measured voice that yet
was terrible, "accursed dog, beast-worshipper, what were you about to do
to the guests of the mighty Mother of the Mountain? Is it for this that
you and your idolatries have been spared so long? Answer, if you have
anything to say. Answer quickly, for your time is short."

With a groan of fear the great fellow flung himself upon his knees, not
to the head-priest who questioned him, but before the quivering shape of
our guide, and to her put up half-articulate prayers for mercy.

"Cease," said the high-priest, "she is the Minister who judges and the
Sword that strikes. I am the Ears and the Voice. Speak and tell
me--were you about to cast those men, whom you were commanded to receive
hospitably, into yonder fire because they saved the victim of your
devilries and killed the imp you cherished? Nay, I saw it all. Know that
it was but a trap set to catch you, who have been allowed to live too
long."

But still the wretch writhed before the draped form and howled for
mercy.

"Messenger," said the high-priest, "with thee the power goes. Declare
thy decree."

Then our guide lifted her hand slowly and pointed to the fire. At once
the man turned ghastly white, groaned and fell back, as I think, quite
dead, slain by his own terror.

Now many of the people had fled, but some remained, and to these
the priest called in cold tones, bidding them approach. They obeyed,
creeping towards him.

"Look," he said, pointing to the man, "look and tremble at the justice
of Hes the Mother. Aye, and be sure that as it is with him, so shall it
be with every one of you who dares to defy her and to practise sorcery
and murder. Lift up that dead dog who was your chief."

Some of them crept forward and did his bidding.

"Now, cast him into the bed which he had made ready for his victims."

Staggering forward to the edge of the flaming pit, they obeyed, and the
great body fell with a crash amongst the burning boughs and vanished
there.

"Listen, you people," said the priest, "and learn that this man deserved
his dreadful doom. Know you why he purposed to kill that woman whom the
strangers saved? Because his familiar marked her as a witch, you think.
I tell you it was not so. It was because she being fair, he would
have taken her from her husband, as he had taken many another, and she
refused him. But the Eye saw