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same day。 Oh； Lord！ poor Jeekie think his end very near just now； for
he know quite well that she not let him breathe ten minutes after you
peg out。 Jeekie never pray so hard for anyone before as he pray this
week for you； and by Jingo！ I think he do the trick； he and that
medicine stuff which make him feel very bad in stomach；〃 and he
groaned under the weight of his many miseries。
Weak as he was Alan began to laugh； and that laugh seemed to do him
more good than anything that he could remember； for after it he was
sure that he would recover。
Just then an agonized whisper reached him from Jeekie。
〃Look out！〃 it said； 〃here come Asika。 Go sleep and seem better；
Major； please； or I catch it hot。〃
So Alan almost shut his eyes and lay still。 In another moment she was
standing over him and he noticed that her hair was dishevelled and her
eyes were red as though with weeping。 She scanned him intently for a
little while； then passed round to where Jeekie lay and appeared to
pinch his ear so hard that he wriggled and uttered a stifled groan。
〃How is your lord； dog？〃 she whispered。
〃Better； O Asika； I think that last medicine do us good； though it
make me very sick inside。 Just now he spoke to me and said that he
hoped that your heart was not sad because of him and that all this
time in his dreams he had seen and thought of nobody but you； O
Asika。〃
〃Did he？〃 asked that lady； becoming intensely interested。 〃Then tell
me； dog； why is he ever calling upon one Bar…bar…a？ Surely that is a
woman's name？〃
〃Yes； O Asika； that is the name of his mother； also of one of his
sisters； whom； after you； he loves best of anyone in the whole world。
When you are here he talks of them； but when you are not here he talks
of no one but you。 Although he is so sick he remembers white man's
custom； which tells him that it is very wrong to say sweet things to
lady's face till he is quite married to her。 After that they say them
always。〃
She looked at him suspiciously and muttering； 〃Here it is otherwise。
For your own sake； man； I trust that you do not lie；〃 left him； and
drawing a stool up beside Alan's bed； sat herself down and examined
him carefully； touching his face and hands with her long thin fingers。
Then noting how white and wasted he was； of a sudden she began to
weep； saying between her sobs：
〃Oh！ if you should die； Vernoon； I will die also and be born again not
as Asika； as I have been for so many generations； but as a white woman
that I may be with you。 Only first；〃 she added； setting her teeth； 〃I
will sacrifice every wizard in this land； for they have brought the
sickness on you by their magic； and I will burn Bonsa…town and cast
its gods to melt in the flames； and the Mungana with them。 And then
amid their ashes I will let out my life；〃 and again she began to weep
very piteously and to call him by endearing names and pray him that he
would not die。
Now Alan thought it time to wake up。 He opened his eyes； stared at her
vacantly； and asked if it were raining； which indeed it might have
been； for her big tears were falling on his face。 She uttered a gasp
of joy。
〃No； no；〃 she answered； 〃the weather is very fine。 It is II who have
rained because I thought you die。〃 She wiped his forehead with the
soft linen of her robe； then went on； 〃But you will not die； say that
you will live； say that you will live for me； Vernoon。〃
He looked at her； and feeble though he was； the awfulness of the
situation sank into his soul。
〃I hope that I shall live；〃 he answered。 〃I am hungry； please give me
some food。〃
Next instant there was a tumult near by； and when Alan looked up again
it was to see Jeekie； very lightly clad； flying through the door。
〃It will be here presently；〃 she said。 〃Oh！ if you knew what I have
suffered； if you only knew。 Now you will recover whom I thought dead；
for this fever passes quickly and there shall be such a sacrificeno；
I forgot； you hate sacrificesthere shall be no sacrifice； there
shall be a thanksgiving； and every woman in the land shall break her
bonds to husband or to lover and take him whom she desires without
reproach or loss。 I will do as I would be done by； that is the law you
taught me； is it not？〃
This novel interpretation of a sacred doctrine； worthy of Jeekie
himself； so paralyzed Alan's enfeebled brain that he could make no
answer； nor do anything except wonder what would happen in Asiki…land
when the decree of its priestess took effect。 Then Jeekie arrived with
something to drink which he swallowed with the eagerness of the
convalescent and almost immediately went to sleep in good earnest。
Alan's recovery was rapid； since as the Asika had told him； if a
patient lives through it； the kind of fever that he had taken did not
last long enough to exhaust his vital forces。 When she asked him if he
needed anything to make him well； he answered：
〃Yes； air and exercise。〃
She replied that he should have both； and next morning his hated mask
was put upon his face and he was supported by priests to a door where
a litter； or rather litters were waiting； one for himself and another
for Jeekie who； although in robust health； was still supposed to be
officially ill and not allowed to walk upon his own legs。 They entered
these litters and were borne off till presently they met a third
litter of particularly gorgeous design carried by masked bearers；
wherein was the Asika herself； wearing her coronet and a splendid
robe。
Into this litter； which was fitted with a second seat； Alan was
transferred； the Mungana； for whom it was designed； being placed in
that vacated by Alan； which either by accident or otherwise； was no
more seen that day。 They went up the mountain side and to the edge of
the great fall and watched the waters thunder down； though the crest
of them they could not reach。 Next they wandered off into the huge
forests that clothed the slopes of the hills and there halted and ate。
Then as the sun sank they returned to the gloomy Bonsa…Town beneath
them。
For Alan； notwithstanding his weakness and anxieties； it was a
heavenly day。 The Asika was passive； some new mood being on her； and
scarcely troubled him at all except to call his attention to a tree； a
flower； or a prospect of the scenery。 Here on the mountain side； too；
the air was sweet； and for the restwell； he who had been so near to
death； was escaped for an hour from that gloomy home of bloodshed and
superstition； and saw God's sky again。
This journey was the first of many。 Every day the litters were waiting
and they visited some new place； although into the town itself they
never went。 Moreover； if they passed through outlying villages； though
Alan was forced to wear his mask； their inhabitants had been warned to
absent themselves； so that they saw no one。 The crops were left
untended and the cattle and sheep lowed hungrily in their kraals。 On
certain days； at Alan's request； they were taken to the spots where
the gold was found in the gravel bed of an almost dry stream that
during the rains was a torrent。
He descended from the litter and with the help of the Asika and
Jeekie； dug a little in this gravel； not without r