bs come on their strange beasts to seize
you, lest they should take us also and there should be a fight in which
we, being the fewer, must die. The loads are all in order ready to be
laden on their strange beasts. If they declare that the horses cannot
cross the desert, leave them loose and we will catch them and take them
home with us, and since they are male and female, breed young ones from
them which shall be yours when you send for them, or Bausi the king's
if you never send. Nay, I want no more presents who have the gun and the
powder and the bullets you gave me, and the tusks of ivory for Bausi the
king, and what is best of all, the memory of you and of your courage
and wisdom. May these and the gods you worship befriend you. From
yonder hill we will watch till we see that you have gone. Farewell,"
and waiting for no answer, he departed with the tears running from his
solitary eye.

Ten minutes later the Mazitu bearers had also saluted us and gone,
leaving us seated in that deserted camp surrounded by our baggage, and
so far as I was concerned, feeling most lonely. Another ten minutes went
by which we occupied in packing our personal belongings. Then Hans, who
was now washing out the coffee kettle at a little distance, looked up
and said:

"Here come the spook-men, Baas, the whole regiment of them." We ran and
looked. It was true. Marshalled in orderly squadrons, the camels with
their riders were sweeping towards us, and a fine sight the beasts made
with their swaying necks and long, lurching gait. About fifty yards away
they halted just where the stream from our spring entered the desert,
and there proceeded to water the camels, twenty of them at a time. Two
men, however, in whom I recognized Harut and Marut, walked forward and
presently were standing before us, bowing obsequiously.

"Good morning, Lord," said Harut to Ragnall in his broken English. "So
you come with Macumazana to call at our poor house, as we call at your
fine one in England. You think we got the beautiful lady you marry, she
we give old necklace. That is not so. No white lady ever in Kendahland.
We hear story from Macumazana and believe that lady drowned in Nile, for
you 'member she walk much in her sleep. We very sorry for you, but gods
know their business. They leave when they will leave, and take when they
will take. You find her again some day more beautiful still and with her
soul come back."

Here I looked at him sharply. I had told