in I visited Umslopogaas's room to see that all was well
with him and his people, and found him standing in the doorway staring
at the star-spangled sky.

"Greeting, Macumazahn," he said, "you who are white and wise and I am
black and a fighter have seen many strange things beneath the sun, but
never such a one as we have looked upon to-night. Who and what is that
chieftainess, Macumazahn?"

"I do not know," I said, "but it is worth while to have lived to see
her, even though she be veiled."

"Nor do I, Macumazahn. Nay, I do know, for my heart tells me that she
is the greatest of all witches and that you will do well to guard your
spirit lest she should steal it away. If she were not a witch, should I
have seemed to behold the shape of Nada the Lily who was the wife of my
youth, beneath those white robes of hers, and though the tongue in which
she spoke was strange to me, to hear the murmur of Nada's voice between
her lips, of Nada who has gone further from me than those stars. It
is good that you wear the Great Medicine of Zikali upon your breast,
Macumazahn, for perhaps it will shield you from harm at those hands that
are shaped of ivory."

"Zikali is another of the tribe," I answered, laughing, "although less
beautiful to see. Also I am not afraid of any of them, and from this
one, if she be more than some white woman whom it pleases to veil
herself, I shall hope to gather wisdom."

"Yes, Macumazahn, such wisdom as Spirits and the dead have to give."

"Mayhap, Umslopogaas, but we came here to seek Spirits and the dead, did
we not?"

"Aye," answered Umslopogaas, "these and war, and I think that we shall
find enough of all three. Only I hope that war will come the first, lest
the Spirits and the dead should bewitch me and take away my skill and
courage."

Then we parted, and too tired even to wonder any more, I threw myself
down on my bed and slept.

I was awakened when the sun was already high, by the sound of Robertson,
who was on his knees, praying aloud as usual, a habit of his which I
confess got on my nerves. Prayer, in my opinion, is a private matter
between man and his Creator, that is, except in church; further, I did
not in the least wish to hear all about Robertson's sins, which seemed
to have been many and peculiar. It is bad enough to have to bear the
burden of one's own transgressions without learning of those of other
people, that is, unless one is a priest and must do so professionally.