brides； stood upon the steamship /Benin/； and as the sun sank； looked
their last upon the coast of Western Africa。
〃Yes； dear；〃 Alan was saying to his wife； 〃from first to last it has
been a very queer story； but I really think that our getting that
Asiki gold after all was one of the queerest parts of it； also
uncommonly convenient； as things have turned out。〃
〃Namely that you have got a little pauper for a wife instead of a
great heiress； Alan。 But tell me again about the gold。 I have had so
much to think of during the last few days；〃 and she blushed； 〃that I
never quite took it all in。〃
〃Well； love； there isn't much to tell。 When that forwarding agent； Mr。
Aston； knew that we were in the town； he came to me and said that he
had about fifty cases full of something heavy； as he supposed samples
of ore； addressed to me to your care in England which he was proposing
to ship on by the /Benin/。 I answered 'Yes； that was all right；' and
did not undeceive him about their contents。 Then I asked how they had
arrived； and if he had not received a letter with them。 He replied
that one morning before the warehouse was open； some natives had
brought them down in a canoe； and dumped them at the door； telling the
watchman that they had been paid to deliver them there by some other
natives whom they met a long way up the river。 Then they went away
without leaving any letter or message。 Well； I thanked Aston and paid
his charges and there's an end of the matter。 Those fifty…three cases
are now in the hold invoiced as ore samples and； as I inspected them
myself and am sure that they have not been tampered with； besides the
value of the necklace the Asika gave me we've got ￡100；000 to begin
our married life upon with something over for old Jeekie； and I
daresay we shall do very well on that。〃
〃Yes； Alan； very well indeed。〃 Then she reflected a while； for the
mention of Jeekie's name seemed to have made her thoughtful； and
added； 〃Alan； what /do/ you think became of Lord Aylward？〃
〃I am sure I don't know。 Jeekie and I and some of the porters went to
see the Old Calabar officials and made affidavits as to the
circumstances of his disappearance。 We couldn't do any more； could
we？〃
〃No； Alan。 But do you think that Jeekie quite understands the meaning
of an oath？ I mean it seems so strange that we should never have found
the slightest trace of him； and； Alan； I don't know if you noticed it；
but why did Jeekie appear that morning wearing Lord Aylward's socks
and boots？〃
〃He ought to know all about oaths； he has heard enough of them in
Magistrates' Courts； but as regards the boots； I am sure I can't say；
dear；〃 answered Alan uneasily。 〃Here he comes； we will ask him；〃 and
he did。
〃Sock and boot；〃 replied Jeekie； with a surprised air； 〃why； Mrs。
Major； if that good lord go mad and cut off into forest leaving them
behind； of course I put them on； as they no more use to him； and I
just burn my dirty old Asiki dress and sandal and got nothing to keep
jigger out of toe。 Don't you sit up here in this damp； cold； Mrs。
Major； else you get more fever。 You go down and dress dinner； which at
half…past six to…night。 I just come tell you that。〃
So Barbara went； leaving the other two talking about various matters；
for they were alone together on the deck； all the passengers； of whom
there were but few； having gone below。
The short African twilight had come； a kind of soft blue haze that
made the ship look mysterious and unnatural。 By degrees their
conversation died away。 They lapsed into a silence； which Alan was the
first to break。
〃What are you thinking of； Jeekie？〃 he asked nervously。
〃Thinking of Asika； Major；〃 he answered in a scared whisper。 〃Seem to
me that she about somewhere； just as she use pop up in room in Gold
House； seem to me I feel her all down my back； likewise in head wool；
which stand up。〃
〃It's very odd； Jeekie；〃 replied Alan； 〃but so do I。〃
〃Well； Major； 'spect she thinking of us； specially of you； and just
throw what she think at us； like boy throw stones at bird what fly
away out of cage。 Asika do all that； you know； she not quite human；
full of plenty Bonsa devil； from gen'ration to gen'rations； amen！
P'raps she just find out something what make her mad。〃
〃What could she find out after all this time； Jeekie？〃
〃Oh； don't know。 How I know？ Jeekie can't guess。 Find out you marry
Miss Barbara； p'raps。 Very sick that she lose you for this time；
p'raps。 Kill herself that she keep near you； p'raps； while she wait
till you come round again； p'raps。 Asika can do all these things if
she like； Major。〃
〃Stuff and rubbish；〃 answered Alan uneasily； for Jeekie's suggestions
were most uncomfortable； 〃I believe in none of your West Coast
superstitions。〃
〃Quite right； Major； nor don't I。 Only you 'member； Major； what she
show us there in Treasure…placeMr。 Haswell being buried； eh？ Miss
Barbara in tent； eh？ t'other job what hasn't come off yet； eh？ Oh！ my
golly！ Major； just you look behind you and say you see nothing；
please；〃 and the eyes of Jeekie grew large as Maltese oranges； while
with chattering teeth he pointed over the bulwark of the vessel。
Alan turned and saw。
This was what he saw or seemed to see： The figure of the Asika in her
robes and breastplate of gold； standing upon the air； just beyond the
ship； as though on it she might set no foot。 Her waving black hair
hung about her shoulders； but the sharp wind did not seem to stir it
nor did her white dress flutter； and on her beautiful face was stamped
a look of awful rage and agony； the rage of betrayal； the agony of
loss。 In her right hand she held a knife； and from a wound in her
breast the red blood ran down her golden corselet。 She pointed to
Jeekie with the knife； she opened her arms to Alan as though in
unutterable longing； then slowly raised them upwards towards the
fading glory of the sky aboveand was gone。
Jeekie sat down upon the deck； mopping his brow with a red
handkerchief； while Alan； who felt faint； clung to the bulwarks。
〃Tell you； Major； that Asika can do all that kind of thing。 Never know
where you find her next。 'Spect she come to live with us in England
and just call in now and again when it dark。 Tell you； she very
awkward customer； think p'raps you done better stop there and marry
her。 Well； she gone now； thank Heaven！ seem to drop in sea and hope
she stay there。〃
〃Jeekie；〃 said Alan； recovering himself； 〃listen to me； this is all
infernal nonsense； we have gone through a great deal and the nerves of
both of us are overstrained。 We think we saw what we did not see； and
if you dare to say a single word of it to your mistress； I'll break
your neck。 Do you understand？〃
〃Yes； Major； think so。 All 'fernal nonsense； nerves strained； didn't
see what we see； and say nothing of what did see to Mrs。 Major； if
either do say anything； t'other one break his neck。 That all right；
quite understand。 Anything else； Major？〃
〃Yes； Jeekie。 We have had some wonderful adventures； but they are past
and done with and the less we talk or even think about them the
better； for there is a lot that would be rather difficult to explain；
and that if explained would scarcely be believed。〃
〃Yes； Major； for instance； very difficult explain Mrs。 Barbara how
Asika so fond of you if you only tell her； 'Go away； go away！' all the
time； like old saint…gentleman to pretty girl in picture。 P'raps she
smell rat。〃
〃Stop your ribald talk；〃 said Alan in a stern voice。 〃It would be
better if instead of making jokes you gave thanks to Providence for
bringing both of us alive and well out of very dreadful dangers。 Now I
am going to dress for dinner；〃 and with an anxious glance seaward into
the gathering darkness； he turned and went。
Jeekie stood alone upon the empty deck； wagging his great white head
to and fro and soliloquizing thus：
〃Wonder if Major see what under lady Asika's feet when she stand out
there over nasty deep。 Think not or he say something。 That noble lord
not look nice。 No； private view for Jeekie only； free ticket and
nothing to pay and me hope it no come back when I go to bed。 Major
know nothing about it； so he not see； but Jeekie know a lot。 Hope that
Aylward not write any letters home； or if he write； hope no one post
them。 Ghost bad enough； but murder； oh my！〃
He paused a while； then went on：
〃Jeekie do big sacrifice to Bonsa when he reach Yarleys； get lamb in
back kitchen at night； or if ghost come any more； calf in wood
outside。 Not steal it； pay for it himself。 Then think Jeekie turn
Cath'lic； confess his sins； they say them priest chaps not split； and
after they got his sins； they tackle Asika and Bonsas too；〃 and he
uttered a series of penitent groans； turning slowly round and round to
be sure that nothing was behind him。
Just then the full moon appeared out of a bank of clouds； and as it
rose higher； flooding the world with light； Jeekie's spirits rose
also。
〃Asika never come in moonshine；〃 he said； 〃that not the game； against
rule； and after all； what Jeekie done bad？ He very good fellow really。
Aylward great villain； serve him jolly well right if Asika spiflicate
him； that not Jeekie's fau