an uncomplimentary one between his lips which Barbara heard； or read；
she continued：
〃And you are all very rich and successful； are you not； and are going
to be much richer and much more successfulnext week。 Now what I want
to ask you ishow is it done？〃
〃Accepting the premises for the sake of argument； Miss Champers；〃
replied Sir Robert； who felt that he could not refuse the challenge；
〃the answer is that it is done by finance。〃
〃I am still in the dark；〃 she said。 〃Finance； as I have heard of it；
means floating companies； and companies are floated to earn money for
those who invest in them。 Now this afternoon as I was dull； I got hold
of a book called the Directory of Directors； and looked up all your
names in it； except those of the gentlemen from Paris； and the
companies that you directI found out about those in another book。
Well； I could not make out that any of these companies have ever
earned any money； a dividend； don't you call it？ Therefore how do you
all grow so rich； and why do people invest in them？〃
Now Sir Robert frowned； Alan coloured； two or three of the company
laughed outright； and one of the French gentlemen who understood
English and had already drunk as much as was good for him； remarked
loudly to his neighbour； 〃Ah！ she is charming。 She do touch the spot；
like that ointment you give me to…day。 How do we grow rich and why do
the people invest？ /Mon Dieu！/ why do they invest？ That is the great
mystery。 I say that /cette belle demoiselle； votre nièce； est
ravissante。 Elle a d'esprit； mon ami Haswell。/〃
Apparently her uncle did not share these sentiments； for he turned as
red as any turkey…cock； and said across the great round table：
〃My dear Barbara； I wish that you would leave matters which you do not
understand alone。 We are here to dine； not to talk about finance。〃
〃Certainly； Uncle；〃 she answered sweetly。 〃I stand； or rather sit；
reproved。 I suppose that I have put my foot into it as usual； and the
worst of it is；〃 she added； turning to Sir Robert； 〃that I am just as
ignorant as I was before。〃
〃If you want to master these matters； Miss Champers；〃 said Aylward
with a rather forced laugh； 〃you must go into training and worship at
the shrine of〃he meant to say Mammon； then thinking that the word
sounded unpleasant； substituted〃the Yellow God as we do。〃
At these words Alan； who had been studying his plate； looked up
quickly； and her uncle's face turned from red to white。 But the
irrepressible Barbara seized upon them。
〃The Yellow God；〃 she repeated。 〃Do you mean money or that fetish
thing of Major Vernon's with the terrible woman's face that I saw at
the office in the City。 Well； to change the subject； tell us； Alan；
what is that yellow god of yours and where did it come from？〃
〃My uncle Austin； who was my mother's brother and a missionary；
brought it from West Africa a great many years ago。 He was the first
to visit the tribe who worship it； in fact I do not think that anyone
has ever visited them since。 But really I do not know all the story。
Jeekie can tell you about it if you want to know； for he is one of
that people and escaped with my uncle。〃
Now Jeekie having left the room； some of the guests wished to send for
him； but Mr。 Champers…Haswell objected。 The end of it was that a
compromise was effected； Alan undertaking to produce his retainer
afterwards when they went to play billiards or cards。
Dinner was over at length and the diners； who had dined well； were
gathered in the billiard room to smoke and amuse themselves as they
wished。 It was a very large room； sixty feet long indeed； with a wide
space in the centre between the two tables； which was furnished as a
lounge。 When the gentlemen entered it they found Barbara standing by
the great fireplace in this central space； a little shape of white and
silver in its emptiness。
〃Forgive me for intruding on you；〃 she said； 〃and please do not stop
smoking； for I like the smell。 I have sat up expressly to hear
Jeekie's story of the Yellow God。 Alan； produce Jeekie； or I shall go
to bed at once。〃
Her uncle made a movement as though to interfere； but Sir Robert said
something to him which appeared to cause him to change his mind； while
the rest in some way or another signified an enthusiastic assent。 All
of them were anxious to see this Jeekie and hear his tale； if he had
one to tell。 So Jeekie was sent for and presently arrived clad in the
dress clothes which are common to all classes in England and America。
There he stood before them white…headed； ebony…faced； gigantic；
imperturbable。 There is no doubt that his appearance produced an
effect； for it was unusual and indeed striking。
〃You sent for me； Major？〃 he said； addressing his master； to whom he
gave a military salute； for he had been Alan's servant when he was in
the Army。
〃Yes； Jeekie。 Miss Barbara here and these gentlemen； wish you to tell
them all that you know about the Yellow God。〃
The negro started and rolled his round eyes upwards till the whites of
them showed； then began in his school…book English：
〃That is a private subject； Major； upon which I should prefer not to
discourse before this very public company。〃
A chorus of remonstrance arose and one of the Jewish gentlemen
approaching Jeekie； slipped a couple of sovereigns into his great
hand； which he promptly transferred to his pocket without seeming to
notice them。
〃Jeekie；〃 said Barbara； 〃don't disappoint me。〃
〃Very well； miss； I fall in with your wishes。 The Yellow God that all
these gentlemen worship； quite another god to that of which you desire
that I should tell you。 You know all about him。 My god is of female
sex。〃
At this statement his audience burst into laughter while Jeekie rolled
his eyes again and waited till they had finished。 〃My god；〃 he went on
presently； 〃I mean； gentlemen； the god I used to pray to； for I am a
good Christian now； has so much gold that she does not care for any
more；〃 and he paused。
〃Then what does she care for？〃 asked someone。
〃Blood；〃 answered Jeekie。 〃She is god of Death。 Her name is Little
Bonsa or Small Swimming Head； she is wife of Big Bonsa or Great
Swimming Head。〃
Again there was laughter； though less generalfor instance； neither
Sir Robert nor Mr。 Champers…Haswell laughed。 This merriment seemed to
excite Jeekie。 At any rate it caused him to cease his stilted talk and
relapse into the strange vernacular that is common to all negroes；
tinctured with a racy slang that was all his own。
〃You want to hear Yellow God palaver？〃 he said rapidly。 〃Very well； I
tell you； you cocksure white men who think you know everything； but
know nothing at all。 My people； people of the Asiki； that mean people
of Spirits； what you call ghosts and say you no believe in； but always
look for behind door； they worship Yellow God； Bonsa Big and Bonsa
Little； worship both and call them one； only Little Bonsa on trip to
this country just now and sit and think in City office。 Yellow God
live long way up a great river； then turn to the left and walk six
days through big forest where dwarf people shoot you with poisoned
arrow。 Then turn to the right； walk up stream where many wild beasts。
Then turn to the left again and go in canoe through swamp where you
die of fever； and across lake。 Then walk over grassland and mountains。
Then in kloof of the mountains where big black trees make a roof and
river fall like thunder； find Asiki and gold house of the Yellow God。
All that mountain gold； full of gold and beneath gold house Yellow God
afloat in water。 She what you call Queen； priestess； live there also；
always there； very beautiful woman called Asika with face like Yellow
God； cruel； cruel。 She take a husband every year； and every year he
die because she always hunt for right man but never find him。〃
〃Does she kill him then？〃 asked Barbara。
〃Oh！ no； she no kill him； Miss； he kill himself at end of year； glad
to get away from Asika and go to spirits。 While he live he have a very
good time； plenty to eat； plenty wives； fine house； much gold as he
like； only nothing to spend it on； pretty necklace； nice paint for
face。 But Asika； little bit by little bit she eat up his spirit。 He
see too many ghosts。 The house where he sleep with dead men who once
have his billet； full of ghosts and every night there come more and
sit with him； sit all round him； look at him with great eyes； just
like you look at me； till at last when Asika finish eating up his
spirit； he go crazy； he howl like man in hell； he throw away all the
gold they give him； and then； sometimes after one week； sometimes
after one month； sometimes after one year if he be strong but never
more； he run out at night and jump into canal where Yellow God float
and god get him； while Asika sit on the bank and laugh； 'cause she
hungry for new man to eat up his spirit too。〃
Jeekie's big voice died away to a whisper and ceased。 There was a
silence in the room； for even in the shine of the electric light and
through the fumes of champagne； in more than one imagination there
rose a vision of that haunted water in which floated the great Yellow
God； and of some mad being casting himself to his death bene