into the territory of the White
Kendah?"

"Yes, Macumazana, at times he comes, or a spirit wearing his shape
comes; I know not which. What I do know is that twice in my life I
myself have seen him upon the Holy Mount, though how he came or how he
went none can tell."

"Why was he wandering there, Harut?"

"Who can say, Lord? Tell me why evil wanders through the world and I
will answer your question. Only I repeat--let those who have harmed Jana
beware of Jana."

"And let Jana beware of me if I can meet him with a decent gun in my
hand, for I have a score to settle with the beast. Now, Harut, there is
another matter. Just before he was killed Marut, your brother, began to
tell me something about the wife of the Lord Ragnall. I had no time to
listen to the end of his words, though I thought he said that she was
upon yonder Holy Mount. Did I hear aright?"

Instantly Harut's face became like that of a stone idol, impenetrable,
impassive.

"Either you misunderstood, Lord," he answered, "or my brother raved in
his fear. Wherever she may be, that beautiful lady is not upon the
Holy Mount, unless there is another Holy Mount in the Land of Death.
Moreover, Lord, as we are speaking of this matter, let me tell you the
forest upon that Mount must be trodden by none save the priest of
the Child. If others set foot there they die, for it is watched by a
guardian more terrible even than Jana, nor is he the only one. Ask me
nothing of that guardian, for I will not answer, and, above all, if you
or your comrades value life, let them not seek to look upon him."

Understanding that it was quite useless to pursue this subject farther
at the moment, I turned to another, remarking that the hailstorm which
had smitten the country of the Black Kendah was the worst that I had
ever experienced.

"Yes," answered Harut, "so I have learned. That was the first of the
curses which the Child, through my mouth, promised to Simba and his
people if they molested us upon our road. The second, you will remember,
was famine, which for them is near at hand, seeing that they have little
corn in store and none left to gather, and that most of their cattle are
dead of the hail."

"If they have no corn while, as I noted, you have plenty which the storm
spared, will not they, who are many in number but near to starving,
attack you and take your corn, Harut?"

"Certainly they will do so, Lord, and then will fall the third curse,
the curse of war. Al