in her arms and for a moment hugged it to her breast。
〃Saved！〃 she exclaimed； recovering herself and placing it on the
table； whereon Jeekie； to their astonishment； began to execute a kind
of war dance。
〃Oh！ yes；〃 he said； 〃saved； very much saved。 All saved； most
magnificent omen。 Lady kneel to Little Bonsa and Little Bonsa nip out
of box； make bow and jump in lady's arms。 That splendid； first…class
luck； for miss and everybody。 When Little Bonsa do that need fear
nothing no more。 All come right as rain。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 said Barbara； laughing。 Then from a cautious distance she
continued her examination of the fetish。
〃See；〃 said Jeekie； pointing to the misshapen little gold legs which
were yet so designed that it could be stood up upon them； 〃when anyone
wear Little Bonsa； tie her on head behind by these legs； look； here
same old leather string。 Now I put her on； for she like to be worn
again；〃 and with a quick movement he clapped the mask on to his face；
manipulated the greasy black leather thongs and made them fast。 Thus
adorned the great negro looked no less than terrific。
〃I see you； miss；〃 he said； turning the fixed eyes of opal…like stone；
bloodshot with little rubites； upon Barbara； 〃I see you； though you no
see me； for these eyes made very cunning。 But listen； you hear me；〃
and suddenly from the mask； produced by some contrivance set within
it； there proceeded an awful； howling sound that made her shiver。
〃Take that thing off； Jeekie；〃 said Alan； 〃we don't want any banshees
here。〃
〃Banshees？ Not know him； he poor English fetish p'raps；〃 said Jeekie；
as he removed the mask。 〃This real African god； howl banshee and all
that sort into middle of next week。 This Little Bonsa and no mistake；
ten thousand years old and more； eat up lives； so many that no one can
count them； and go on eating for ever； yes unto the third and fourth
generation； as Ten Commandments lay it down for benefit of Christian
man； like me。 Look at her again； Miss Barbara。〃
Miss Barbara took the hateful； ancient thing in her hands and studied
it。 No one could doubt its antiquity； for the gold plate of which it
was made was literally worn away wherever it had touched the foreheads
of the high priests or priestesses who donned it upon festive
occasions or days of sacrifice； showing that hundreds and hundreds of
them must have used it thus in succession。 So was the vocal apparatus
within the mouth； and so were the little toad…like feet upon which it
was stood up。 Also the substance of the gold itself as here and there
pitted as though with acid or salts； though what those salts were she
did not inquire。 And yet； so consummate was the art with which it had
originally been fashioned； that the battered beautiful face of Little
Bonsa still peered at them with the same devilish smile that it had
worn when it left the hands of its maker； perhaps before Mohammed
preached his holy war； or even earlier。
〃What is all that writing on the back of it？〃 asked Barbara； pointing
to the long lines of rune…like characters which were inscribed within
it。
〃Not know； miss； think they dead tongue cut in the beginning when
black men could write。 But Asiki priests swear they remember every one
of them； and that why no one can copy Little Bonsa； for they look
inside and see if marks all right。 They say they names of those who
died for Little Bonsa； and when they all done； Little Bonsa begin
again； for Little Bonsa never die。 But p'raps priests lie。〃
〃I daresay；〃 said Barbara； 〃but take Little Bonsa away； for however
lucky she may be； she makes me feel sick。〃
〃Where I put her； Major？〃 asked Jeekie of Alan。 〃In box in library
where she used to live； or in plate…safe with spoons？ Or under your
bed where she always keep eye on you？〃
〃Oh！ put her with the spoons；〃 said Alan angrily； and Jeekie departed
with his treasure。
〃I think； dear；〃 remarked Barbara as the door closed behind him； 〃that
if I come to lunch here any more； I shall bring my own christening
present with me； for I can't eat off silver that has been shut up with
that thing。 Now let us get to businessshow me the diary and the
map。〃
〃Dearest Alan；〃 wrote Barbara from The Court two days later； 〃I
have been thinking everything over； and since you are so set upon
it； I suppose that you had better go。 To me the whole adventure
seems perfectly mad； but at the same time I believe in our luck；
or rather in the Providence which watches over us； and I don't
believe that you； or I either； will come to any harm。 If you stop
here； you will only eat your heart out and communication between
us must become increasingly difficult。 My uncle is furious with
you； and since he discovered that we were talking over the
telephone； to his own great inconvenience he has had the wires cut
outside the house。 That horrid letter of his to you saying that
you had 'compromised' me in pursuance of a 'mercenary scheme' is
all part and parcel of the same thing。 How are you to stop here
and submit to such insults？ I went to see my friend the lawyer；
and he tells me that of course we can marry if we like； but in
that case my father's will； which he has consulted at Somerset
House； is absolutely definite； and if I do so in opposition to my
uncle's wishes； I must lose everything except ￡200 a year。 Now I
am no money…grubber； but I will not give my uncle the satisfaction
of robbing me of my fortune； which may be useful to both of us by
and by。 The lawyer says also that he does not think that the Court
of Chancery would interfere； having no power to do so as far as
the will is concerned； and not being able to make a ward of a
person like myself who is over age and has the protection of the
common law of the country。 So it seems to me that the only thing
to do is to be patient； and wait until time unties the knot。
〃Meanwhile； if you can make some money in Africa； so much the
better。 So go； Alan； go as soon as you like； for I do not wish to
prolong this agony； or to see you exposed daily to all you have to
bear。 Whenever you return you will find me waiting for you； and if
you do not return； still I shall wait； as you in like
circumstances will wait for me。 But I think you will return。〃
Then followed much that need not be written； and at the end a
postscript which ran：
〃I am glad to hear that you have succeeded in shifting the mortgage
on Yarleys； although the interest is so high。 Write to me whenever
you get a chance； to the care of the lawyer； for then the letters
will reach me； but never to this house； or they may be stopped。 I
will do the same to you to the address you give。 Good…bye； dearest
Alan； my true and only lover。 I wonder where and when we shall
meet again。 God be with us both and enable us to bear our trial。
〃P。P。S。 I hear that the Sahara flotation was /really/ a success；
notwithstanding the /Judge/ attacks。 Sir Robert and my uncle have
made millions。 I wonder how long they will keep them。〃
A week after he received this letter Alan was on the seas heading for
the shores of Western Africa。
CHAPTER VIII
THE DWARF FOLK
It was dawn at last。 All night it had rained as it can rain in West
Africa； falling on the wide river with a hissing splash； sullen and
continuous。 Now； towards morning； the rain had ceased and everywhere
rose a soft and pearly mist that clung to the face of the waters and
seemed to entangle itself like strands of wool among the branches of
the bordering trees。 On the bank of the river at a spot that had been
cleared of bush； stood a tent； and out of this tent emerged a white
man wearing a sun helmet and grey flannel shirt and trousers。 It was
Alan Vernon； who in these surroundings looked larger and more
commanding than he had done at the London office； or even in his own
house of Yarleys。 Perhaps the moustache and short brown beard which he
had grown； or his skin； already altered and tanned by the tropics； had
changed his appearance for the better。 At any rate it was changed。 So
were his manner and bearing； whereof all the diffidence had gone。 Now
they were those of a man accustomed to command who found himself in
his right place。
〃Jeekie；〃 he called； 〃wake up those fellows and come and light the
oil…stove。 I want my coffee。〃
Thereon a deep voice was heard speaking in some native tongue and
saying：
〃Cease your snoring； you black dogs； and arouse yourselves； for your
lord calls you；〃 an invocation that was followed by the sound of
kicks； thumps； and muttered curses。
A minute or two later Jeekie himself appeared； and he also was much
changed in appearance； for now instead of his smart； European clothes；
he wore a white robe and sandals that gave him an air at once
dignified and patriarchal。
〃Good…morning； Major；〃 he said cheerfully。 〃I hope you sleep well；
Major； in this low…lying and accursed situation； which is more than we
do in boat that half full of water； to say nothing of smell of black
man and prevalent mosquito。 But the rain it over and gone； and
presently the sun shine out； so might be much worse； no cause at all
complain。〃
〃I don't know；〃 answered Alan； with a s