it. The men were dressed in leopards' skins and wore hideous masks, and
carried long whips with which they flogged all whom they caught, and
often killed them. Soon the village was filled with the queer figures,
and shots were being fired. The women in the yard trembled in terror,
and Ma prayed. By and by the noise died away, and on looking out she
found that all had gone. Only one village had been destroyed. In revenge
Edem armed his men, and they went after them, and shot down every
straggler they came across.

Then arose another trouble. The brother of Edem, called Ekpenyong, was
accused of slaying the dead lad Etim, and after drinking heavily he
said he would take the poison ordeal to prove his innocence. When Ma
arrived at his yard the women were clinging to him and trying to seize a
bag which he held, and he was striking them fiercely.

"He has the beans in the bag, Ma," they cried.

She walked through the line of armed men who stood by.

"Give me the bag," she said quietly to the chief.

"No, Ma, there are only palm nuts and cartridges in it," he mumbled.

"Give it to me."

He threw it at her feet. She looked in and saw palm nuts and cartridges.
Had he spoken the truth? But deep at the bottom she came upon two-score
of the poison beans.

"I'll keep these," she told him.

"You will not! They are mine."

"Give them back," shouted the warriors.

Ma's heart beat wildly, but she walked down the ranks of the men,
saying, "Here they are, take them."

They were so amazed at her courage that they let her pass, and she went
and hid the beans in her house.

During the night Ekpenyong stole off to find more beans. Eme Ete sent Ma
a secret message, and she rose and followed him, and coaxed him to take
the native oath instead of the ordeal.

After all these wild doings the people came back to a better mind, and
began to realise how brave and good Ma was; and at night, when she was
alone with her bairns, they slipped in, one by one, and called her their
great white mother, and thanked her with tears for all her love and
devotion.

[Illustration: A CHIEF AND HIS CHILDREN.]

Edem, too, was softened, and the thought of vengeance left his heart. Ma
prevailed upon him to allow the chief who had run away to return. Poor
Akpo! His village had been burnt to the ground, and all his goats and
fowls and goods were lost. But Edem gave him a new piece of land, and
seed for food plants.

"Ah, Chief," said Ma, "that is t