“Myhusband，thief，whichhusband？Doyoumeanyourfather，theonewiththebrokennose，whowassacrificedbecauseyouranawaywiththewhitemanwhomBonsaloved？Well，youlookoutforhimwhenyougetintotheworldofghosts，forhesaidthathewasgoingtowaitforyoutherewiththebiggeststickthathecouldfind。WhyIhaven’tthoughtofhimforyears，butthenIhavehadthreeotherhusbandssincehistime，badenough，butbetterthanhewas，sowhowould？AndnowBonsahasgotthelot，andIhavenochildrenalive，andtheysayIamtobedrivenoutoftheprisontostarvenextweekastheywon’tfeedmeanylonger，Iwhocanstillworkagainstanyoneofthem，and——you’vegotmyblanket，youuglyoldrascal，“andcollapsingbeneaththeweightofherrecitedwoes，thehagburstintoamelancholyhowl。
“Peace，mymother，“saidJeekie，pattingheronthehead。“DowhatI
tellyouandyoushallhavemoreblanketsthanyoucanwearand，asyouarestillsohandsome，anotherhusbandtooifyoulike，andagardenandslavestoworkforyouandplentytoeat。“
“HowshallIgetallthesethings，myson？“askedtheoldwoman，lookingup。“Willyoutakemetoyourhomeandsupportme，orwillthatwhitelordmarryme？TheytoldmethattheAsikahadnamedhimastheMungana，andsheisveryjealous，themostjealousAsikathatI
haveeverknown。“
“No，mother，hewouldliketo，buthedarenot，andIcannotsupportyouasIshouldwish，ashereIhavenohouseorproperty。Youwillgetallthisbytakingawalkandholdingyourtongue。Youseethismanhere，heisFahni，kingofagreattribe，theOgula。Hewantsyoutocarryamessageforhim，andbyandbyhewillmarryyou，won’tyou，Fahni？“
“Oh！yes，yes，“saidFahni；“Iwilldoanythingshelikes。Nooneshallbesorichandhonouredinmycountry，andforhersakewewillnevereatanotheroldwoman，whereasifshestayshereshewillbedriventothemountainstostarveinaweek。“
“Setoutthematter，“saidthemotherofJeekie，whowasbynomeanssofoolishassheseemed。
Sotheytoldherwhatshemustdo，namely，traveldowntotheOgulaandtellthemoftheplightoftheirchief，biddingthemmusteralltheirfightingmenandwhentheswampsweredryenough，advanceasnearastheydaredtotheAsikicountryand，iftheycouldnotattackit，waittilltheyhadfurthernews。
TheendofitwasthatthemotherofJeekie，whoknewhercasetobedesperateathome，whereshewasinnogoodrepute，promisedtoattemptthejourneyinconsiderationofadvantagestobereceived。
Sinceshewastobeturnedadrifttomeetherfatewithasmuchfoodasshecouldcarry，thisshecoulddowithoutexcitinganysuspicion，forwhowouldtroubleaboutthemovementsofauselessoldthief？
MeanwhileJeekiegaveheroneoftherobeswhichtheAsikahadprovidedforAlan，alsovariousarticleswhichshedesiredand，havinglearnedFahni’smessagebyheartandannouncedthatsheconsideredherselfhisaffiancedbride，thegauntoldcreaturedepartedhappyenoughafterexchangingembraceswithherlonglostson。
“Shewilltellsomebodyallaboutitandweshallonlygetourthroatscut，“saidAlanwearily，forthewholethingseemedtohimafoolishfarce。
“No，no，Major。ImakeherswearnotsplitonghostsofallherhusbandsandbyBigBonsahisself。Shesittightaswax，becauseshethinktheyhauntherifshedon’tandItoobyandbywhenIdead。
P’rapsshegettoOgulacountryandp’rapsnot。Ifshedon’t，can’thelpitandnoharmdone。Breakmyheart，butonlyoneoldwomanless。
Anyhowsheholdtongue，thatmainpoint，andIreallyverygladfindmyma，whoneverhopedtoseeagain。HeavenverykindtoJeekie，givehimbacktofamilybosom，“headded，unctuously。
Thatdaytherewerenoexcitements，andtoAlan’sintensereliefhesawnothingoftheAsika。Afteritsorgyofwitchcraftandbloodshedonthepreviousnight，wearinessandsilenceseemedtohavefallenuponthetown。Atanyratenosoundcamefromitthatcouldbeheardabovethelow，constantthunderofthegreatwaterfallrushingdownitsprecipice，andinthecedar-shadowedgardenwhereAlanwalkedtillhewasweary，attendedbyJeekieandtheOgulasavages，notasoulwastobeseen。
Onthefollowingmorning，whenhewassittingmoodilyinhisroom，twopriestscametoconducthimtotheAsika。Havingnochoice，followedbyJeekie，heaccompaniedthemtoherhouse，maskedasusual，forwithoutthishatefuldisguisehewasnotallowedtostir。Hefoundherlyinguponapileofcushionsinasmallroomthathehadneverseenbefore，whichwasbetterlightedthanmostinthatmelancholyabode，andseemedtoserveasherprivatechamber。Infrontofherlaytheskinofthelionthathehadsentasapresent，andaboutherthroathunganecklacemadeofitsclaws，heavilysetingold，withwhichshewasplayingidly。
AttheopeningofthedoorshelookedupwithaswiftsmilethatturnedtoafrownwhenshesawthathewasfollowedbyJeekie。
“Say，Vernoon，“sheaskedinherlanguorousvoice，“canyounotstirayardwithoutthatuglyblackdogatyourheels？Doyoubringhimtoprotectyourback？Ifso，whatistheneed？HaveInotswornthatyouaresafeinmyland？“
AlanmadeJeekieinterpretthisspeech，thenansweredthatthereasonwasthatheknewbutlittleofhertongue。
“CanInotteachittoyoualone，then，withoutthislowfellowhearingallmywords？Well，itwillnotbeforlong，“andshelookedatJeekieinawaythatmadehimfeelveryuncomfortable。“Getbehindus，dog，andyou，Vernoon，comesitonthesecushionsatmyside。Nay，notthere，Isaiduponthecushions——so。NowIwilltakeoffthatuglymaskofyours，forIwouldlookintoyoureyes。Ifindthempleasant，Vernoon，“andwithoutwaitingforhispermission，shesatupanddidso。“Ah！“shewenton，“weshallbehappywhenwearemarried，shallwenot？Donotbeafraid，Vernoon，IwillnoteatoutyourheartasI
havethoseofthementhatwentbeforeyou。Wewilllivetogetheruntilweareold，anddietogetheratlast，andtogetherbebornagain，andsoonandontilltheendwhichevenIcannotforesee。Whydoyounotsmile，Vernoon，andsaythatyouarepleased，andthatyouwillbehappywithmewholovedyoufromthemomentthatmyeyesfelluponyouinsleep？Speak，Vernoon，lestIshouldgrowangrywithyou。“
“Idon’tknowwhattosay，“answeredAlandespairinglythroughJeekie，“thehonouristoogreatforme，whoambutawanderingtraderwhocameheretobarterLittleBonsaagainstthegoldIneed“——tosupportmywifeandfamily，hewasabouttoadd，thenrememberingthatthisstatementmightnotbewellreceived，substituted，“tosupportmyoldparentsandeightbrothersandsisterswhoaredependentuponme，andremainhungryuntilIreturntothem。“
“ThenIthinktheywillremainhungryalongtime，Vernoon，forwhileIliveyoushallneverreturn。MuchasIloveyouIwouldkillyoufirst，“andhereyesglitteredasshesaidthewords。“Still，“sheadded，notingthefallinhisface，“ifitisgoldthattheyneed，youshallsenditthem。Yes，mypeopleshalltakeallthatIgaveyoudowntothecoast，andthereitcanbeputinabigcanoeandcarriedacrossthewater。Seetothepackingofthestuff，youblackdog，“shesaidtoJeekieoverhershoulder，“andwhenitisreadyIwillsendithence。“
Alanbegantothankher，thoughhethoughtitmorethanprobablethatevenifshekeptherword，thisbullionwouldnevergettoOldCalabar，andmuchlesstoEngland。Butshewaivedthematterasideasoneinwhichshewasnotinterested。
“Tellme，“sheasked；“wouldyouhavemeotherthanIam？First，doyouthinkmebeautiful？“
“Yes，“answeredAlanhonestly，“verybeautifulwhenyouarequietasnow，notwhenyouaredancingasyoudidtheothernightwithoutyourrobes。“
WhensheunderstoodwhathemeanttheAsikaactuallyblushedalittle。
“Iamsorry，“sheansweredinavoicethatforherwasquitehumble。
“Iforgetthatitmightseemstrangeinyoureyes。IthasalwaysbeenthecustomfortheAsikatodoasIdidatfeastsandsacrifices，butperhapsthatisnotthefashionamongyourwomen；perhapstheyalwaysremainveiled，asIhaveheardtheworshippersoftheProphetdo，andthereforeyouthoughtmeimmodest。Iamvery，verysorry，Vernoon。I
prayyoutoforgivemewhoamignorantandonlydowhatIhavebeentaught。“
“Yes，theyalwaysremainveiled，“stammeredAlan，thoughhewasnotreferringtotheirfaces，andasthewordspassedhislipshewonderedwhattheAsikawouldthinkifshecouldseeaballetataLondonmusic-hall。
“Isthereanythingelsewrong？“shewentongently。“Ifso，tellmethatImaysetitright。“
“Idonotlikecrueltyorsacrifices，OAsika。Ihavetoldyouthatbloodshedis/orunda/tome，andatthefeastthosemenwerepoisonedandyoumockedthemintheirpain；alsomanyothersweretakenawaytobekilledfornocrime。“
Sheopenedherbeautifuleyesandstaredathim，answering:
“But，Vernoon，allthisisnotmyfault；theyweresacrificestothegods，andifIdidnotsacrifice，Ishouldbesacrificedbythepriestsandwizardswholivetosacrifice。Yes，myselfIshouldbemadetodrinkthepoisonandbemockedatwhileIdiedlikeasnakewithabrokenback。OrevenifIescapedthevengeanceofthepeople，thegodsthemselveswouldkillmeandraiseupanotherinmyplace。Dotheynotsacrificeinyourcountry，Vernoon？“
“No，Asika，theyfightifnecessaryandkillthosewhocommitmurder。
Buttheyhavenofetishthatasksforblood，andthelawtheyhavefromheavenisalawofmercy。“
Shestaredathimagain。
“Allthisisstrangetome，“shesaid。“Iwastaughtotherwise。Godsaredevilsandmustbeappeased，lesttheybringmisfortuneonus；menmustberuledbyterror，ortheywouldrebelandpulldownthegreatHouse；doctorsmustlearnmagic，orhowcouldtheyavertspells？
wizardsmustbekilled，orthepeoplewouldperishintheirnet。Maynotwewholiveinahell，strivetobeatbackitsflamewiththewisdomourforefathershavehandedontous？Tellme，Vernoon，forI
wouldknow。“