be a bait
upon the hook. Do you see, Vernoon, that yellow dirt was the bait, that
I--I am the hook? Well, you have felt it before, so it should not gall
you overmuch."

Now Alan was more frightened than he had been since he set foot in
Asiki-land, for of a sudden this woman became terrible to him. He felt
that she knew things which were hidden from him. For the first time
he believed in her, believed, that she was more than a mere passionate
savage set by chance to rule over a bloodthirsty tribe; that she was one
who had a part in his destiny.

"Felt the hook?" he muttered. "I do not understand."

"You are very forgetful," she answered. "Vernoon, we have lived and
loved before, who were twin souls from the first. That man now, whom
I told you lived once on the great river called the Nile, have you no
memory of him? Well, well, let it be, I will tell you afterwards. Here
we are at the Gold House again, to-night when I am ready I will send for
you, and this I promise, you shall leave me wiser than you were."

When they were alone in their room Alan told Jeekie of the expected
entertainment of crystal gazing, or whatever it might be, and the part
that he was to play in it.

"You say that again, Major," said Jeekie.

Alan repeated the information, giving every detail that he could
remember.

"Oh!" said Jeekie, "I see Asika show us things, 'cause she afraid to
look at them herself, or take oath, or can't, or something. She no ask
you tell her what she see, because you too kind hurt her feeling, if
happen to be something beastly. But Jeekie just tell her because he so
truthful and not care curse about her feeling. Well, that all right,
Jeekie tell her sure enough. Only, Major, don't you interrupt. Quite
possible these magic things, I see one show, you see another. So don't
you go say, 'Jeekie, that a lie,' and give me away to Asika just because
you think you see different, 'cause if so you put me into dirty hole,
and of course I catch it afterwards. You promise, Major?"

"Oh! yes, I promise. But, Jeekie, do you really think we are going to
see anything?"

"Can't say, Major," and he shook his head gloomily. "P'raps all put up
job. But lots of rum things in world, Major, specially among beastly
African savage who very curious and always ready pay blood to bad
Spirit. Hope Asika not get this into her head, because no one know what
happen. P'raps we see too much and scared all our lives; but p'raps all
tommy rot."