behind an object like a large Saxon font,
also made of gold. The shape of this column reminded Alan of something,
namely of a very similar column, although fashioned of a different
material which stood in the granite-built office of Messrs. Aylward &
Haswell in the City of London. Nor did this seem wonderful to him, since
on top of it, squatting on its dwarf legs, stood a horrid but familiar
thing, namely Little Bonsa herself come home at last. There she sat
smiling cruelly, as she had smiled from the beginning, forgetful
doubtless of her wanderings in strange lands, while round her stood a
band of priests armed with spears.

Followed by the Asika and Jeekie, Alan walked up and looked her in
the face and to his excited imagination she appeared to grin at him in
answer. Then while the priests prostrated themselves, he examined the
golden basin or laver, and saw that at the further side of it was a
little platform approached by steps. On the top of these golden steps
were two depressions such as might have been worn out in the course of
ages by persons kneeling there. Also the flat edge of the basin which
stood about thirty inches above the level of the topmost step, was
scored as though by hundreds of sword cuts which had made deep lines in
the pure metal. The basin itself was empty.

Seeing that these things interested him, the Asika volunteered the
information through Jeekie, that this was a divining-bowl, and that if
those who went before her had wished to learn the future, they caused
Little Bonsa to float in it and found out all they wanted to know by
her movements. She, however, she added, had other and better methods of
learning things that were predestined.

"Where does the water come from?" asked Alan thoughtlessly searching the
bowl for some tap or inlet.

"Out of the hearts of men," she answered with a low and dreadful laugh.
"These marks are those of swords and every one of them means a life."
Then seeing that he looked incredulous she added, "Stay, I will show
you. Little Bonsa must be thirsty who has fasted so long, also there
are matters that I desire to know. Come hither--you, and you," and she
pointed at hazard to the two priests who knelt nearest to her, "and do
you bid the executioner bring his axe," she went on to a third.

The dark faces of the men turned ashen, but they made no effort to
escape their doom. One of them crept up the steps and laid his neck upon
the edge of gold, while the other,