ched our souls!"

Zalu Zako paused and listened; replaced the gun and squatted, resuming his
pose of dignity before the first man made entrance. For a few moments the
shrilling of the women and the wild jabber continued. Then entered a slave
followed by a warrior who, excitedly falling upon his knees, gasped out:

"He hath bewitched our souls! He hath bewitched our souls! Our spears were
blunted by his magic! Our swords were turned by the wall of his soul! He
is a mighty magician!"

"Of whom speakest thou, fool?"

As Zalu Zako put the question the tall figure of Bakahenzie stalked slowly
into the courtyard. The warrior rose and fled at a command from Zalu Zako.
Bakahenzie greeted him gravely and very elaborately took snuff in order to
show how casual the matter was. When he had meticulously restored the cork
of twisted leaves, he announced slowly:

"As I have prophesied the breaking of the sacred circle has delivered us
into the hands of the false magician, Eyes-in-the-hands. The daughter of
Bakala is even now at the camp of the white man, whom they call
Moonspirit."

"Ehh!" commented Zalu Zako.

"The brother of Eyes-in-the-hands hath taken her in concubinage,"
continued Bakahenzie.

Zalu Zako made no response. Grimly approached Marufa and squatted beside
them.

"Even as I have prophesied," commented Marufa, who never failed to seize
an opportunity of suggestion.

"I bade him render up the Bride of the Banana; but she hath bitten his
soul in his sleep. He held her in his arms. He breathed upon her so that
she would not obey. The magic of this brother of Eyes-in-the-hands hath
indeed rotted the livers of our people, for they fled like young jackals."

"Eh!"

Zalu Zako stared cautiously at the compound fence; Marufa regarded
Bakahenzie's left knee with interest. For fully five minutes no word was
said. Then Bakahenzie portentously:

"Tarum demands the brother of Eyes-in-the-hands, this Moonspirit, for if
one be taken then will the other, Eyes-in-the-hands, wither away and the
Unmentionable One will be revealed."

"Thou hast spoken!" assented Marufa.

But Zalu Zako continued to stare blankly at the fence. His mind was aflame
for Bakuma. Bakahenzie had no suspicion of his passion, yet the fear of
his enmity acted like a douche of water in spite of the fact that the
implicit faith in the doctors had been weakened. But disbelief was not
positive enough to stimulate action. However, from the news of Bakuma's