ictim of
phantasies on the matter.

Not until the following morning did we come to understand the full
extent of the calamity which had overtaken the Black Kendah. I think I
have said that their crops this year were magnificent and just ripening
to harvest. From our roof on previous days we could see a great area
of them stretching to the edge of the forest. When the sun rose that
morning this area had vanished, and the ground was covered with a
carpet of green pulp. Also the forest itself appeared suddenly to have
experienced the full effects of a northern winter. Not a leaf was left
upon the trees, which stood their pointing their naked boughs to heaven.

No one who had not seen it could imagine the devastating fury of that
storm. For example, the head of the diviner who was buried in the
court-yard awaiting resurrection through our magic was, it may be
recalled, covered with a stout earthenware pot. Now that pot had
shattered into sherds and the head beneath was nothing but bits of
broken bone which it would have been impossible for the very best magic
to reconstruct to the likeness of a human being.

Calamity indeed stalked naked through the land.

CHAPTER XIII

JANA

No breakfast was brought to us that morning, probably for the reason
that there was none to bring. This did not matter, however, seeing that
plenty of food accumulated from supper and other meals stood in a corner
of the house practically untouched. So we ate what we could and then
paid our usual visit to the hut in which the camelmen had been confined.
I say had been, for now it was quite empty, the last poor fellow having
vanished away like his companions.

The sight of this vacuum filled me with a kind of fury.

"They have all been murdered!" I said to Marut.

"No," he replied with gentle accuracy. "They have been sacrificed to
Jana. What we have seen on the market-place at night was the rite of
their sacrifice. Now it will be our turn, Lord Macumazana."

"Well," I exclaimed, "I hope these devils are satisfied with Jana's
answer to their accursed offerings, and if they try their fiendish
pranks on us----"

"Doubtless there will be another answer. But, Lord, the question is,
will that help us?"

Dumb with impotent rage I returned to the house, where presently the
remains of the reed gate opened. Through it appeared Simba the King, the
diviner with the injured foot walking upon crutches, and others of whom
the most were more or les