them,
though this may have been because so many voices were sounding
from different places at once, for as I have said, Zikali
arranged his performance very well, as well as any medium could
have done on a prepared stage in London.

In a moment, as though at a signal, the voices died away. Then
other things happened. To begin with I felt very faint, as
though all the strength were being taken out of me. Some queer
fancy got a hold of me. I don't quite know what it was, but it
had to do with the Bible story of Adam when he fell asleep and a
rib was removed from him and made into a woman. I reflected that
I felt as Adam must have done when he came out of his trance
after this terrific operation, very weak and empty. Also, as it
chanced, presently I saw Eve--or rather a woman. Looking at the
fire in a kind of disembodied way, I perceived that dense smoke
was rising from it, which smoke spread itself out like a fan. It
thinned by degrees, and through the veil of smoke I perceived
something else, namely, a woman very like one whom once I had
known. There she stood, lightly clad enough, her fingers playing
with the blue beads of her necklace, an inscrutable smile upon
her face and her large eyes fixed on nothingness.

Oh! Heaven, I knew her, or rather thought I did at the moment,
for now I am almost sure that it was Nombe dressed, or undressed,
for the part. That knowledge came with reflection, but then I
could have sworn, being deceived by the uncertain light, that the
long dead Mameena stood before us as she had seemed to stand
before me in the hut of Zikali, radiating a kind of supernatural
life and beauty.

A little wind arose, shaking the dry leaves of the aloes in the
kloof; I thought it whispered--_Hail, Mameena!_ Some of the
older men, too, among them a few who had seen her die, in
trembling voices murmured, "It is Mameena!" whereon Zikali
scowled at them and they grew silent.

As for the figure it stood there patient and unmoved, like one
who has all time at its disposal, playing with the blue beads. I
heard them tinkle against each other, which proves that it was
human, for how could a wraith cause beads to tinkle, although it
is true that Christmas-story ghosts are said to clank their
chains. Her eyes roved idly and without interest over the
semi-circle of terrified men before her. Then by degrees they
fixed themselves upon the tree behind which I was crouching,
whereon Goza sank paralyzed to