eir brethren
were too young and--they talked--ah--ah--they talked. Hence I was able
to follow Atyisayo to where I guided you. The rest was easy."

"Well, Jan Boom," I said seeing he had finished his story. "You will
find you have done the very best day's work for yourself as well as for
others that you ever did in your life."

"_Nkose_ is my father," he answered with a smile. "I am in his hands."

Neither Kendrew nor I said much as we returned to the house. This
hideous tale of a deep and secret superstition, with its murderous
results, existent right in our midst, was too strange, too startling,
and yet, every word of it bore infinite evidence of truth. Well, it
proved what I have more than once stated, that no white man ever gets to
the bottom of a native's innermost ways, however much he may think he
does.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

THE LAST PENALTY.

Inspector Manvers was a shrewd as well as a smart officer, and it was
not long before he had obtained from the two frightened women who had
been made prisoners, sufficient information to warrant him in making
several additional arrests. These, which were effected cleverly and
quietly, included no less a personage than Ivuzamanzi, the son of
Tyingoza. This would have astonished me, I own, but for Jan Boom's
narrative; besides after the defection of Ivondwe I was prepared to be
astonished at nothing.

An exhaustive search was made of the gruesome den of death, and in the
result the identity of poor Hensley was established beyond a doubt, as
his nephew had said. The police spared no pains. They dragged the
bottom of the waterhole with grappling hooks, and brought up a quantity
of human bones, and old tatters of rotted clothing. It was obvious that
quite a number of persons had been done to death here.

"The _Abangan 'ema zolweni_ were strong in numbers but otherwise weak.
Their brethren were too young, and--they talked." Such had been Jan
Boom's dictum, and now events combined to bear it out. Two of the
younger prisoners, fearing for their lives, confessed. This example was
followed by others, and soon ample evidence was available to draw the
web tight round the witch doctor, Ivondwe, Ivuzamanzi and Atyisayo, as
prime movers in the whole diabolical cult. And then, that there could
be no further room for doubt, Ukozi himself confessed.

I own that I was somewhat astonished at this. But since his
incarceration the witch doctor's spirit seemed comple