d into sheer space to crash lifeless on the stone floor below, where
he lay, his head and hands hanging over the edge of the pool.

Now for the first time Otter's emotions overcame him. He stood up on the
knees of the dwarf, and shaking the sceptre in his hand, he pointed
with it to the dead men on the paving below, at the same time crying in
stentorian tones:

"Well done, Baas, well done! Now tumble the old one yonder off his
perch, for I weary of his howlings."

This speech of Otter's produced even a greater effect on the spectators,
if that were possible, than the mysterious death of the priests. That
he whose name was Silence should cry aloud in a strange tongue, of
which they understood no single word, was a dread and ominous thing
that showed his anger to be deep. But Leonard took no heed, he was too
engaged in covering the second guard with the barrel of his repeater.
This man, however, had no liking for such a dreadful death. Swiftly he
flung himself on to his knees, imploring Leonard to spare him in humble
accents, and with gestures that spoke more plainly than his words.

Taking advantage of the pause, again Juanna cried aloud: "Ye see, People
of the Mist, I make no idle threats. Where are they now, the disobedient
ones? The tongue of flame has licked them and they are dead, and as they
have perished, so shall all perish who dare to gainsay my word, or the
word of Jal. Ye know us for gods and ye have crowned us kings, and gods
and kings we are indeed. Yet fear not, for on the rebellious only shall
our anger fall. Answer you, Nam. Will you do our bidding? Or will you
die also as your servants died?"

Nam glanced round desperately. He looked down on the multitude and found
no help there. Long had they cowered beneath him; now hope was born in
their breasts, and in the presence of a power greater than his, if
only for a little while, they broke his yoke and the yoke of their red
superstitions. He looked at the company of priests; their heart was
out of them, they were huddled together like knots of frightened sheep,
staring at the corpses of their two companions. Then he bethought him
of Otter. Surely there was refuge in the god of blood and evil; and he
cried to him:

"The Mother has spoken, but the Mother is not the child. Say, O Jal,
what is your command?"

Otter made no answer, because he did not understand; but Juanna replied
swiftly:

"I am the mouth of Jal, as Jal is my hand. When I speak I speak