nd getting well, I trust, especially after
we had given you and Mr. Hans up as dead."

I thanked him and drank the soup, asking him to cook me something more
substantial as I was starving, which he departed to do. Then I sent Hans
to find Lord Ragnall, who it appeared was out walking in the town. No
sooner had they gone than Harut entered looking more dignified than ever
and, bowing gravely, seated himself upon the mat in the Eastern fashion.

"Some strong spirit must go with you, Lord Macumazana," he said, "that
you should live today, after we were sure that you had been slain."

"That's where you made a mistake. Your magic was not of much service to
you there, friend Harut."

"Yet my magic, as you call it, though I have none, was of some service
after all, Macumazana. As it chanced I had no opportunity of breathing
in the wisdom of the Child for two days from the hour of our arrival
here, because I was hurt on the knee in the fight and so weary that I
could not travel up the mountain and seek light from the eyes of the
Child. On the third day, however, I went and the Oracle told me all.
Then I descended swiftly, gathered men and reached those fools in time
to keep you from harm. They have paid for what they did, Lord."

"I am sorry, Harut, for they knew no better; and, Harut, although I
saved myself, or rather Hans saved me, we have left your brother behind,
and with him the others."

"I know. Jana was too strong for them; you and your servant alone could
prevail against him."

"Not so, Harut. He prevailed against us; all we could do was to injure
his eye and the tip of his trunk and escape from him."

"Which is more than any others have done for many generations, Lord. But
doubtless as the beginning was, so shall the end be. Jana, I think, is
near his death and through you."

"I don't know," I repeated. "Who and what is Jana?"

"Have I not told you that he is an evil spirit who inhabits the body of
a huge elephant?"

"Yes, and so did Marut; but I think that he is just a huge elephant with
a very bad temper of his own. Still, whatever he is, he will take some
killing, and I don't want to meet him again by that horrible lake."

"Then you will meet him elsewhere, Lord. For if you do not go to look
for Jana, Jana will come to look for you who have hurt him so sorely.
Remember that henceforth, wherever you go in all this land, it may
happen that you will meet Jana."

"Do you mean to say that the brute comes