Part 6 (1/2)

”You will stay here, Milini,” he co that ht”

”What will happen, master?”

”Who knows!” said Sanders, philosophically

The streets were in pitch darkness, but Abiboo, carrying a lantern, led the way Only occasionally did the party pass a tenanted hut Generally they saw by the dull glow of the log that smouldered in every habitation that it was e It was near her time, she said, and there was none to help her in the supreony

”God help you, sister!” said Sanders, ever in awe of the mysteries of birth ”I will send women to you What is your name?”

”They will not coo out to war, and the woht, hosts of brass decree”

Sandersnoise with his mouth

”That we shall see,” he said, and went on

The party reached the outskirts of the city Before theainst a bronze sky, was the dark bulk of a little hill, and this they skirted

The bronze becaave it colour leapt or fell Turning the shoulder of the hill, Sanders had a full view of the scene

Between the edge of the forest and slope of the hill was a broad strip of level land On the left was the river, on the right aain

In the very centre of the plain a huge fire burnt Before it, supported by its poles, on two high trestles, a square box

But the people!

A huge circle, squatting on its haunches, motionless, silent; men, women, children, tiny babies, at their mothers' hips they stretched; a solid wheel of humanity, with the box and the fire as a hub

There was a lane through which awhich passed a procession of nakedThese were they who replenished the fire, and Sanders saw thee of the crowd, he worked his way to the opening Then he looked round at his men

”It is written,” he said, in the curious Arabic of the Kano people, ”that we shall carry away this false God As to which of us shall live or die through this adventure, that is with Allah, who knows all things”

Then he stepped boldly along the lane He had changed his white ducks for a dark blue uniform suit, and he was not observed by the majority until he came with his Houssas to the box The heat fro Close at hand he saw that the fierceness of the blaze had warped the rough-hewn boards of the box, and through the opening he saw in the light a slab of stone

”Take up the box quickly,” he commanded, and the Houssas lifted the poles to their shoulders Until then the great assembly had sat in silent wonder, but as the soldiers lifted their burden, a yell of rage burst from five thousand throats, and men leapt to their feet

Sanders stood before the fire, one hand raised, and silence fell, curiosity do resentment

”People of the Isisi,” said Sanders, ”let no man move until the God-stone has passed, for death comes quickly to those who cross the path of Gods”

He had an automatic pistol in each hand, and the particular deity he was thinking of at the moment was not the one in the box

The people hesitated, surging and swaying, as a mob will sway in its uncertainty