f death he must delay no longer. Dashing the sweat from
his eyes with one hand, with the other he seized the gourd of fluid
that he had placed ready, and thrusting back her head, he poured of its
contents down her throat and waited a while. She did not move. In an
extremity of terror he snatched a knife, and with a single cut severed
a vein in her arm, then taking some of the fluid that remained in the
gourd in his hand, he rubbed it roughly upon her brow and throat and
heart. Now Noma's fingers stirred, and now, with horrible contortions
and every symptom of agony, life returned to her. The blood flowed from
her wounded arm, slowly at first, then more fast, and lifting her head
she spoke.

"Take me hence," she cried, "or I shall go mad; for I have seen and
heard things too terrible to be spoken!"

"What have you seen and heard?" he asked, while he cut the thongs which
bound her wrists and feet.

"I do not know," Noma answered weeping; "the vision of them passes
from me; but all the distances of death were open to my sight; yes, I
travelled through the distances of death. In them I met him who was the
king, and he lay cold within me, speaking to my heart; and as he passed
from me he looked upon the child which I shall bear and cursed it, and
surely accursed it shall be. Take me hence, O you most evil man, for of
your magic I have had enough, and from this day forth I am haunted!"

"Have no fear," answered Hokosa; "you have made the journey whence but
few return; and yet, as I promised you, you have returned to wear the
greatness you desire and that I sent you forth to win; for henceforth
we shall be great. Look, the dawn is breaking--the dawn of life and the
dawn of power--and the mists of death and of disgrace roll back before
us. Now the path is clear, the dead have shown it to me, and of wizardry
I shall need no more."

"Ay!" answered Noma, "but night follows dawn as the dawn follows
night; and through the darkness and the daylight, I tell you, Wizard,
henceforth I am haunted! Also, be not so sure, for though I know not
what the dead have spoken to you, yet it lingers on my mind that their
words have many meanings. Nay, speak to me no more, but let us fly from
this dread home of ghosts, this habitation of the spirit-folk which we
have violated."

So the wizard and his wife crept from that solemn place, and as they
went they saw the dawn-beams lighting upon the white cross that was
reared in the Plain of Fire.