on that night. Were they not to God?"

"Begin your missionary work with me, Tennys. I am worse than the
savages," he said, not in answer to her question.

Silently and greedily they ate of the delicious fruit, and found new
sensations in the taste of more than one strange viand of nature. A calm
restfulness settled down upon their tired bodies, and all the world
seemed joyfully at peace with them.

Almost overcome by sleep, he managed to toss a few tiger skins on the
ground near the door, not forgetting to place his club beside the
improvised couch. "Sleep comfortably and don't be afraid," he said. She
slowly arose from the block and threw herself on the bed of skins.

"You are so good to me and so thoughtful," she murmured sleepily.
"Good-night!"

"Good-night," came his far away voice, as out of a dream.

Outside, the celebration was at its height, but the tired idols heard
not a sound of the homage which was theirs that night.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE TRANSFORMATION BEGINS

When Ridgeway opened his eyes, the sunlight was pouring in upon him
through the doorway. He looked at his watch, and was surprised to find
that it was nearly eleven o'clock. Lady Tennys still slept on her couch
of skins; the torches had burned to the ground; the grim idol leered
malignantly upon the intruders, and the dream that he had experienced
during the night was rudely dispelled. His eyes strayed again to the
black, glossy, confused hair of the sleeper in the far corner, and a
feeling of ineffable pity for her became companion to the sad wrenches
that had grown from the misery of his own unhappiness.

She was sleeping on her side, her face from him, her right arm beneath
her head, the dainty jewelled hand lying limply upon the spotted leopard
skin. The beautifully moulded figure, slight yet perfect, swelling to
the well-turned hip, tapering to the tip of the trim shoe which
protruded from beneath the rumpled skirt, affording a tiny glimpse of a
tempting ankle, was to him a most pathetic picture. As he was about to
turn to the door, she awakened with a start and a faint cry. Sitting
half erect, she gave a terrified, bewildered glance about her, her eyes
at last falling upon him.

"Are you really here?" she cried, joy rushing to her eyes. "I dreamed
that you had fled and left me to be cut to pieces by the savages."

"Dreams go by contraries, and I am, therefore, a very brave man. But
come, it is eleven o'clock. Let us see what th