setting his doubts at
rest.

"Do your people find many of these pebbles, Soa?" he asked, "and if so,
where do they find them?"

"Yes, White Man, they find many, though few of such a size as this.
They dig them out of a dry river-bed in some spot that is known to the
priests only, and with them other beautiful stones of a blue colour."

"Sapphires probably," said Leonard to himself: "they generally go
together."

"Every year they dig them," she went on, "and the biggest of those that
are found in their digging they bind upon the brow of her who is to be
offered as a wife to the god Jal. Afterwards, before she dies, they take
the gem from her brow and store it in a secret place, and there in that
secret place are hidden all those that have been worn by the victims of
countless years. Moreover the eyes of Jal are made of such stones, and
there are others.

"This is the legend of my people, White Man, that Jal, God of Death and
Evil, slew his mother, Aca, in the far past. There where the stones are
found he slew her, and the red gems are her blood, and the blue gems are
her tears which she shed praying to him for mercy. Therefore the blood
of Aca is offered to Jal, and so it shall be offered till Aca comes
again to drive his worship from the land."

"A nice bit of mythology, I am sure," said Leonard. "Our old friends the
Darkness and the Dawn in an African shape, I suppose. But listen to me,
mother. This stone, if it is genuine, is worth many ounces of gold, but
there are other stones so like it that none who are not learned can tell
the difference, and if it be one of these it is of little value. Still
it may happen that this, and the others of which you speak, are true
rubies; at any rate I should be willing to take my chance of that. But
now, tell me, what is your plan? This is a very pretty story, and the
rubies may be there, but how am I to get them?"

"I have a plan, White Man," she answered. "If you will help me, I offer
to give you that stone, which I have borne hidden about me for many
years, tellings its story to none, no, not even to Mavoom. I offer
to give it to you now if you will promise to attempt the rescue of my
mistress, for I know by your eyes that if once you promise you will not
desert the quest;" and she paused, looking at him keenly.

"Very well," said Leonard, "but considering the risks the price does not
seem quite good enough. As I told you, this stone may be worth nothing:
you must make