ocularly that it was "wizard's weather" and that there were
many spirits about. Upon my word I felt inclined to agree with him, for
my feelings were very uncomfortable, but I only replied that if so, I
should be obliged if he, as a professional, would be good enough to keep
them off me. Of course I knew that electrical charges were about, which
accounted for my sensations, and wished that I had never left the camp.

It was during one of these periods of dense gloom that Ayesha must have
arrived upon the review ground. At least, when it lifted, there she
was in her white garments, surrounded by women and guards, engaged
apparently in making an oration, for although I could not hear a word, I
could see by the motions of her arms that she was speaking.

Had she been the central figure in some stage scene, no limelights could
have set her off to better advantage, than did those of the heavens
above her. Suddenly, through the blanket of cloud, flowing from a hole
in it that looked like an eye, came a blood-red ray which fell full upon
her, so that she alone was fiercely visible whilst all around was gloom
in which shapes moved dimly. Certainly she looked strange and even
terrifying in that red ray which stained her robe till I who had but
just come out of battle with its "confused noise," began to think of
"the garments rolled in blood" of which I often read in my favourite Old
Testament. For crimson was she from head to foot; a tall shape of terror
and of wrath.

The eye in heaven shut and the ray went out. Then came one of the spaces
of grey light and in it I saw men being brought up, apparently from the
groups of prisoners, under guard, and, to the number of a dozen or more,
stood in a line before Ayesha.

Then I saw nothing more for a long while, because blackness seemed to
flow in from every quarter of the heavens and to block out the scene
beneath. At least after a pause of perhaps five minutes, during which
the stillness was intense, the storm broke.

It was a very curious storm; in all my experience of African tempests I
cannot recall one which it resembled. It began with the usual cold and
wailing wind. This died away, and suddenly the whole arch of heaven was
alive with little lightnings that seemed to strike horizontally, not
downwards to the earth, weaving a web of fire upon the surface of the
sky.

By the illumination of these lightnings which, but for the swiftness of
their flashing and greater intensity