is, or show me some sign upon the earth beneath; fill up
the vessel of my thirsty soul and satisfy the hunger of my spirit. Oh!
thou that art the goddess, thou that hast the gift of power, give me,
thy servant, of thy power, of thy godhead, and of thy peace. Hear me,
O Heaven-born, hear me, Elissa, the daughter of Sakon, the dedicate
of thee. Hear, hear, and answer now in the secret holy hour, answer by
voice, by wonder, or by symbol."

The woman paused as though exhausted with the passion of her prayer,
hiding her face in her hands, and as she stood thus silent and
expectant, the sign came, or at least that chanced which for a while she
believed to have been an answer to her invocation. Her face was hidden,
so she could not see, and fascinated by her beauty as it appeared to
them in that unhallowed spot, and by the depth and dignity of her wild
prayer, the two watchers had eyes for her alone. Therefore it happened
that not until his arm was about to drag her away, did either of them
perceive a huge man, black as ebony in colour, clad in a cloak of
leopard skins and carrying in his right hand a broad-bladed spear who,
following the shadow of the trees, had crept upon the priestess from the
farther side of the glade.

With a guttural exclamation of triumph he gripped her in his left arm,
and, despite her struggles and her shrill cry for help, began half to
drag and half to carry her towards the deep shade of the baobab grove.
Instantly Aziel and Metem sprang up and rushed forward, drawing their
bronze swords as they ran. As it chanced, however, the Israelite caught
his foot in one of the numerous tree-roots, which stood above the
surface of the ground and fell heavily upon his face. In a few seconds,
twenty perhaps, he found his breath and feet again, to see that Metem
had come up with the black giant who, hearing his approach, suddenly
wheeled round to meet him, still holding the struggling priestess in
his grasp. Now the Phoenician was so close upon him that the savage could
find no time to shift the grip upon his spear, but drove at him with
the knobbed end of its handle, striking him full upon the forehead and
felling him as a butcher fells an ox. Then once more he turned to fly
with his captive, but before he had covered ten yards the sound of
Aziel's approaching footsteps caused him to wheel round again.

At sight of the Israelite advancing upon him with drawn sword, the great
barbarian freed himself from the bur