he price the girl's uncle demanded, yet----
MYalu had bought other wives whose unimpassioned charms had quickly
staled. His soul, as he put it, had indeed been tempted into a trap by
Bakuma; for he wished only that she should desire him as he desired her.
Yet was he angry. Love seemed to be a costly business. Marufa tapped out
snuff and sniffed delicately with the air of a connoisseur devoting
himself to the pleasure of the moment. Replacing the cork of twisted
leaves he stirred as if to rise.

"Canst thou procure then the nail and the hairs that are asked by the
spirits?" inquired MYalu sulkily.

"All things are possible to the son of MTungo," asserted Marufa. "Four
tusks, and these things are found; but of fine grain, for the others were
old and coarse."

"Ehh! How wilt thou procure these things?" demanded MYalu sceptically.

"The ways of the wise are not the ways of fools."

"The tusks are thine," said MYalu reluctantly, "if thou wilt tell me how
thou wilt procure them."

"Thy words are like unto the vomit of a dog," muttered the old man.

"But how? My heart is not bound in clay."

"Tch!" clicked Marufa contemptuously. "Every fool must needs see the spoor
of the god which he cannot read. I have spoken." MYalu regarded the old
wizard incredulously. "Tch! Send the four tusks as we have agreed and so
shall it be. Begone!"

Slowly MYalu rose, made his greeting, and departed more impressed than
ever that the old man was a mighty magician.

During the hour when the soul is small and dwells timidly around the feet
Marufa dozed in the cool of his hut; but later when it spread boldly out
was he squatted once more in his favourite seat at the entrance to the
compound, taking snuff and contemplating. The shadows grew from violet to
blue; the small hens pecked for worms with avidity and the goats scratched
with vigour in the cool. Patiently Marufa sat. At length that for which he
had waited with a sound though primitive knowledge of psychology, came to
pass. Bakuma appeared, apprehensive, but with yet an abandon which sang
her happiness. Beside Marufa she sat so as to avoid the shadow of one foot
protruding beyond that of the fence.

"O great and mighty magician," she began eagerly, after the formal
greetings. "Indeed all that thou hast said hath come to pass. Thy charm is
infallible."

"Ugh!" grunted Marufa unconcernedly.

"All that my heart desireth hath already begun to be. I thank thee."

"Ugh!"

"O mighty