adding that he had been told they were to be killed that night.

"Why are these men to be slain?" asked Alan of the Asika.

"Because I have learned that they attacked you in their own country,
Vernoon," she answered, "and would have killed you had it not been for
Little Bonsa. It is therefore right that they should die as an offering
to you."

"I refuse the offering since afterwards they dealt well with me. Set
them free and let them return to their own land, Asika."

"That cannot be," she replied coldly. "Here they are and here they
remain. Still, their lives are yours to take or to spare, so keep them
as your servants if you will," and bending down she issued a command
which was instantly obeyed, for the men dressed like devils cut the
bonds of the Ogula and brought them round to the back of the dais, where
they stood blessing Alan loudly in their own tongue.

Then the ceremonies began with a kind of infernal ballet. On the smooth
space between them and the water's edge appeared male and female bands
of dancers who emerged from the shadows. For the most part they were
dressed up like animals and imitated the cries of the beasts that they
represented, although some of them wore little or no clothing. To the
sound of wild music of horns and drums these creatures danced a kind of
insane quadrille which seemed to suggest everything that is cruel and
vile upon the earth. They danced and danced in the moonlight till the
madness spread from them to the thousands who were gathered upon the
farther side of the water, for presently all of these began to dance
also. Nor did it stop there, since at length the Asika rose from her
chair upon the dais and joined in the performance with the Mungana her
husband. Even Jeekie began to prance and shout behind, so that at last
Alan and the Ogula alone remained still and silent in the midst of a
scene and a noise which might have been that of hell let loose.

Leaving go of her husband, the Asika bounded up to Alan and tried to
drag him from his chair, thrusting her gold mask against his mask. He
refused to move and after a while she left him and returned to Mungana.
Louder and louder brayed the music and beat the drums, wilder and wilder
grew the shrieks. Individuals fell exhausted and were thrown into the
water where they sank or floated away on the slow moving stream, as part
of some inexplicable play that was being enacted.

Then suddenly the Asika stood still and threw up her a