hy country,
so that he shall reign upon the Emerald Throne in the place of thy lover
Omar."

"An expedition to invade Mo?" she cried surprised. "Hath Samory done
this; is it his intention to cause Omar's overthrow?"

"Most assuredly it is," I answered. "The reason of our presence here in
such force was to assault Koussan in the absence of its picked troops,
twenty thousand of whom were we ascertained on their way northward, with
the intention of forcing a passage through Aribanda and the Hombori
Mountains into Mo. Niaro hath led our fighting-men to repel their attack,
and he is accompanied by Omar and thy father, while we are here, under
Kona's leadership, to punish Samory for his intrepidity."

Then she asked how Omar fared, and I explained how it had been believed
that she had died, and that all were mourning for her.

"My slave Wyona must have been mistaken for me," she answered. "And
naturally, as I had given her one of my left-off robes only the day
before."

"Omar believeth thee dead. Thy presence in Mo will indeed bring happiness
to his eyes, and gaiety to his heart," I exclaimed happily.

"Doth he still mourn for me?" she inquired artlessly. I knew she wanted
to ask me many questions regarding her lover, but her modesty forbade it.

"Since the fatal night when thou wert lost joy hath never caused a smile
to cross his countenance. Sleeping and waking he thinketh only of thee,
revering thy memory, reflecting upon the happy moments spent at thy side,
as one fondly remembers a pleasant dream or adventures in some fair
paradise, yet ever sad in the knowledge that those blissful days can
never return. His is an empty honour, a kingship devoid of all pleasure
because thou art no longer his."

Her lips trembled slightly, and I thought her brilliant eyes became
brighter for a moment because of an unshed tear.

"I am still his," she said slowly, with emphasis. "I am ready, nay
anxious, to return to him. Thou hast saved me from death and from
dishonour; truly thou art a worthy friend of Omar's, for by thy valiant
deed alone thou restorest unto him the woman he loveth."

I urged her to utter no word of thanks, and pointing to the sky, rendered
every moment more dark by the increasing volumes of smoke ascending from
the city, said:

"See! Our men are busy preparing for the destruction of this palace that
through many centuries hath been a centre of Mohammedan influence and
oppression. Time doth not admit of than