apparently
to make him get out of the way.

Not knowing what to do, Alan stepped on to the dais, the painted man
scowling at him as he passed. Then he halted and said:

"How can I kiss your hand through this mask, Asika?"

"True," she answered, then considered a little and added, "White man,
you have brought back Little Bonsa, have you not, Little Bonsa who ran
away with you a great many years ago?"

"I have," he said, ignoring the rest of the question.

"Your messengers said that you required a present of gold in return for
Little Bonsa. I have sent you one, is it sufficient? If not, you can
have more."

"I cannot say, O Asika, I have not examined it. But I thank you for the
present and desire porters to enable me to carry it away."

"You desire porters," she repeated meditatively. "We will talk of that
when you have rested here a moon or two. Meanwhile, give me Little Bonsa
that she may be restored to her own place."

Alan opened the tin box and lifting out the fetish, gave it to the
priestess, who took it and with a serpentine movement of extraordinary
grace glided from her chair on to her knees, holding the mask above her
head in both hands, then thrice covered her face with it. This done, she
called to the priests, bidding them take Little Bonsa to her own place
and give notice throughout the land that she was back again. She added
that the ancient Feast of Little Bonsa would be held on the night of the
full moon within three days, and that all preparations must be made for
it as she had commanded.

Then the head medicine-man, raising himself upon his knees, crept on to
the dais, took the fetish from her hands, and breaking into a wild song
of triumph, he and his companions crawled down the hall and vanished
through the door, leaving them alone save for the Asika's husband.

When they had gone the Asika looked at this man in a reflective way, and
Alan looked at him also through the eyeholes of his mask, finding him
well worth studying. As has been said, notwithstanding his paint and
grotesque decorations, he was very good-looking for a native, with
well-cut features of an Arab type. Also he was tall and muscular and not
more than thirty years of age. What struck Alan most, however, was none
of these things, nor his jewelled chains, nor even his gilded pigtail,
but his eyes, which were full of terrors. Seeing them, Alan remembered
Jeekie's story, which he had told to Mr. Haswell's guests at The Court,
o