re of his people can go to study such as remain of them in their
own habitat, which for my part I never wish to visit any more.

During our journey to Kor poor Inez never stirred. Whenever I went to
look at her in the litter, I found her lying there with her eyes open
and a fixed stare upon her face which frightened me very much, since I
began to fear lest she should die. However I could do nothing to help
her, except urge the bearers to top speed. So swiftly did we travel down
the hill and across the plain that we reached Kor just as the sun was
setting. As we crossed the moat I perceived old Billali coming to meet
us. This he did with many bows, keeping an anxious eye upon the litter
which he had learned contained Umslopogaas. Indeed his attitude and that
of the Amahagger towards the two of us, and even Hans, thenceforward
became almost abject, since after our victory over Rezu and his death
beneath the axe, they looked upon us as half divine and treated us
accordingly.

"O mighty General," he said, "She-who-commands bids me conduct the lady
who is sick to the place that has been made ready for her, which is near
your own so that you may watch over her if you will."

I wondered how Ayesha knew that Inez was sick, but being too tired
to ask questions, merely bade him lead on. This he did, taking us to
another ruined house next to our own quarters which had been swept,
cleaned and furnished after a fashion, and moreover cleverly roofed in
with mats, so that it was really quite comfortable. Here we found two
middle-aged women of a very superior type, who, Billali informed me,
were by trade nurses of the sick. Having seen her laid upon her bed, I
committed Inez to their charge, since the case was not one that I dared
to try to doctor myself, not knowing what drug of the few I possessed
should be administered to her. Moreover Billali comforted me with the
information that soon She-who-commands would visit her and "make her
well again," as she could do.

I answered that I hoped so and went to our quarters where I found an
excellent meal ready cooked and with it a stone flagon, of the contents
of which Billali said we were all three to drink by the command of
Ayesha, who declared that it would take away our weariness.

I tried the stuff, which was pale yellow in colour like sherry and, for
aught I knew, might be poison, to find it most comforting, though it
did not seem to be very strong to the taste. Certainly, too,