e and
there, coming forward, falling back in an ordered confusion delightful
to witness. At last they paused, and a beautiful young woman sprang out
of the ranks and began to pirouette in front of us with a grace and
vigour which would have put most ballet girls to shame. At length she
retired exhausted, and another took her place, then another and
another, but none of them, either in grace, skill, or personal
attractions, came up to the first.

When the chosen girls had all danced, the king lifted his hand.

"Which deem ye the fairest, white men?" he asked.

"The first," said I unthinkingly. Next second I regretted it, for I
remembered that Infadoos had told us that the fairest woman must be
offered up as a sacrifice.

"Then is my mind as your minds, and my eyes as your eyes. She is the
fairest! and a sorry thing it is for her, for she must die!"

"_Ay, must die!_" piped out Gagool, casting a glance of her quick eyes
in the direction of the poor girl, who, as yet ignorant of the awful
fate in store for her, was standing some ten yards off in front of a
company of maidens, engaged in nervously picking a flower from her
wreath to pieces, petal by petal.

"Why, O king?" said I, restraining my indignation with difficulty; "the
girl has danced well, and pleased us; she is fair too; it would be hard
to reward her with death."

Twala laughed as he answered--

"It is our custom, and the figures who sit in stone yonder," and he
pointed towards the three distant peaks, "must have their due. Did I
fail to put the fairest girl to death to-day, misfortune would fall
upon me and my house. Thus runs the prophecy of my people: 'If the king
offer not a sacrifice of a fair girl, on the day of the dance of
maidens, to the Old Ones who sit and watch on the mountains, then shall
he fall, and his house.' Look ye, white men, my brother who reigned
before me offered not the sacrifice, because of the tears of the woman,
and he fell, and his house, and I reign in his stead. It is finished;
she must die!" Then turning to the guards--"Bring her hither; Scragga,
make sharp thy spear."

Two of the men stepped forward, and as they advanced, the girl, for the
first time realising her impending fate, screamed aloud and turned to
fly. But the strong hands caught her fast, and brought her, struggling
and weeping, before us.

"What is thy name, girl?" piped Gagool. "What! wilt thou not answer?
Shall the king's son do his work at once?"

At