rimes at all, but grim necessities of the
peculiar position which she occupied as ruler of a turbulent and restive
people. But, having steeled myself against the effect of her tears and
her pathetic assumption of helplessness, I was able instantly to detect
and draw her attention to the weak points of her defence; with the
result that at last, realising, I suppose, that she had lost her power
over me and that I was no longer to be cajoled, she suddenly abandoned
her efforts and flew into a furious passion, abusing me most abominably,
and heaping upon my head every opprobrious epithet that she could think
of--and she was able to think of a good many.

"And you are fool enough to think that after such treatment as I have
received at your hands I will let you go?" she shrieked in a perfect
frenzy of fury. "No, Chia'gnosi; you have humiliated me as I believe no
woman was ever before humiliated by a man, and since you have scorned my
friendship you shall learn what it means to incur my hate. See!" and
she flashed the ring on her thumb before my eyes. "By the power which
the possession of this stone confers upon me I slay all your cattle.
So! they are dead!" and she dashed her clenched right fist toward me.
"Now it is impossible for you to leave the country, unless you choose to
adventure into the wilderness without your wagon. But even that you
shall not do. You shall leave this palace, as you have determined, at
once, but it shall be to lodge in the cage next that occupied by the
captive man-monkeys; and as soon as I have disposed of Anuti and his
friends I will proclaim a festival, at which you and those of my enemies
who survive shall do battle with an equal number of the monkeys, for the
delectation and amusement of the people! Aha, Chia'gnosi, it will be a
rare sight to watch you, unarmed, fighting for your life against the
biggest and most savage man-monkey that my hunters can capture! Ha,
release me, brute! What would you do to me? Help--!"

Although I had not the smallest belief in the woman's power to destroy
my cattle by any alleged occult virtue pertaining to her wonderful ring,
the sight of it flashed before my eyes in so provocative a manner
reminded me of my almost forgotten promise to Siluce to take the jewel
from Bimbane, if I could; and, exasperated at last beyond endurance by
her abuse and threats, I sprang to my feet, seized her right hand in
mine, and, while I stifled her cries for help with my