to the Frenchman the full significance
of the words Methuselah had just begun to utter.

The Frenchman struck up his tune afresh to give the bird a start; but all
to no avail. Methuselah was evidently in no humor for talking just then.
He listened with a callous, uncritical air, bringing his white eyelids
down slowly and sleepily over his bleared gray eyes. Then he nodded his
head slowly. "No use," the Frenchman murmured, pursing his lips up
gravely. "The bird won't talk. It's going off to sleep now. Methuselah
gets visibly older every day, monsieur and mademoiselle. You are only
just in time to catch his last accents."

CHAPTER XXIII.

A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAD.

Early next morning, as Felix lay still in his hut, dozing, and just
vaguely conscious of a buzz of a mosquito close to his ear, he was
aroused by a sudden loud cry outside--a cry that called his native name
three times, running: "O King of the Rain, King of the Rain, King of the
Rain, awake! High time to be up! The King of the Birds sends you health
and greeting!"

Felix rose at once; and his Shadow, rising before him, and unbolting the
loose wooden fastener of the door, went out in haste to see who called
beyond the white taboo-line of their sacred precincts.

A native woman, tall, lithe, and handsome, stood there in the full light
of morning, beckoning. A strange glow of hatred gleamed in her large gray
eyes. Her shapely brown bosom heaved and panted heavily. Big beads
glistened moistly on her smooth, high brow. It was clear she had run all
the way in haste. She was deeply excited and full of eager anxiety.

"Why, what do you want here so early, Ula?" the Shadow asked, in
surprise--for it was indeed she. "How have you slipped away, as soon as
the sun is risen, from the sacred hut of Tu-Kila-Kila?"

Ula's gray eyes flashed angry fire as she answered. "He has beaten me
again," she cried, in revengeful tones; "see the weals on my back! See my
arms and shoulders! He has drawn blood from my wounds. He is the most
hateful of gods. I should love to kill him. Therefore I slipped away from
him with the early dawn and came to consult with his enemy, the King of
the Birds, because I heard the words that the Eyes of Tu-Kila-Kila, who
pervade the world, report to their master. The Eyes have told him that
the King of the Rain, the Queen of the Clouds, and the King of the Birds
are plotting together in secret against Tu-Kila-Kila. When I heard that,
I was g