Part 37 (2/2)
When he had finished, the priest answered with a cruel s of the matter ”Doubtless,” he said, ”the Gods had information as to the fate of their own servants--it was not for him to seek those who the subject, he went on to ask when it would please the Mother to intercede with the Snake that he , for the peoplea faive no satisfactory answer to the priest's questions, and after this the quarters of the Settleed, and for a few days the survivors slept in safety On the third night, however, two more of them were taken in the same mysterioussoreat arh the hole in it, which closed again instantly Leonard hurried to the spot and h examination of the stone blocks of the pavement, but could find no crack in them
And yet, if the man had dreamed, hoas the mystery to be explained?
After this, with the exception of Otter, who, sure of the fate that awaited theht fall, none of the party could even sleep because of their terror of the unseen foe who struck in silence and in darkness, dragging the victim to some unknoful end Leonard and Francisco took it in turns to watch each other's slu themselves to rest outside the curtain of Juanna's room As for the survivors of the Settlement men, their state can scarcely be described They followed Leonard about, upbraiding hi the hour when first they had seen his face It would have been better, they said, that he should have left theht them here to die thus; the Yellow Devil was at least a man, but these people were sorcerers and lost spirits in human shape
Nor did the horror stop here, for at last the headman Peter, a man whom they all liked and respected, went mad with fear and ran to and fro in the palace yard while the guards and women watched him with curious eyes as he shrieked out curses upon Juanna and Leonard This shocking scene continued for some hours, for his co that he was possessed by a spirit, till at length he put a period to it by suddenly co suicide In vain did Leonard caution the survivors to keep their heads and watch at night They flew to the beer which was supplied to them in plenty, and drank till they were insensible And still one by one they vanished ht Leonard forget his feelings when one day at dawn, in the fifth week of their incarceration, he hurried as usual to the chamber where the last two of the unfortunate men were accustomed to sleep, and found them not There were their blankets, there was the place where they had been, and on it, laid carefully in the fore sacrificial knives such as the priests wore at their girdles
Sick and faint with fear he staggered back to the throne-room
”Oh! what is it now?” said Juanna, who, early as it was, had risen already, looking at hi lips
”Only this,” he answered hoarsely; ”the last two have been taken, and here is as left in the place of them,” and he cast down the knives on to the paveave way ”Oh! Leonard, Leonard,” she said, weeping bitterly, ”they were my father's servants whoht the out of this place? If not, I shall die of fear I can sleep no h I cannot tell by who near the curtain where you and Francisco lie, though Soa declares that it is fancy”
”It is iuard Ah! here he comes”
As he spoke Francisco entered the rooasped, ”some one ht All the rifles have gone, ours and those of the Settlement men also”
”Great heavens!” said Leonard, ”but you atching”
”I suppose that I must have dozed for a few one and we are weaponless”
”Oh! can we not escape?” moaned Juanna
”There is no hope of it,” answered Leonard gloomily ”We are friendless here except for Olfan, and he has little real power, for the priests have tampered with the captains and the soldiers who fear theot out ould become of us, unarmed and alone? All that we can do is to keep heart and hope for the best Certainly they are right who declare that no good coh I believe that we shall live to win it yet,” he added
”What! Deliverer,” said a satirical voice behind him, ”do you still desire the red stones, hose heart's blood shall soon redden a certain stone yonder? Truly the greed of the white reat”
Leonard looked round It was Soa who spoke, Soa who had been listening to their talk, and she was glaring at him with an expression of intense hate in her sullen eyes A thought came into histo do with their misfortunes? How came it about that the others were taken while she was left?”
”Who gave you leave, Soa,” he said, looking her fixedly in the face, ”to hearken to our words and thrust yourself into our talk?”
”You have been glad enough of my counsels hitherto, White Man,” she answered furiously ”Who told you the tale of this people? And who led you to their land? Was it I or another?”
”You, I regret to say,” said Leonard coolly
”Yes, White Man, I led you here that you ht steal the treasure of my people like a thief I did it because the Shepherdess my mistress forced me to the deed, and in those days her as my law For her and you I came here to my death, and what has been my reward? I am put away from her, she has no kind word for me now; you are about her always, you hold her counsel, but to er open Ay! you have poisoned her against me, you and that black shom they call a God
”Moreover, because she has learned to love you, white thief, wanderer without a kraal as you are, at your bidding she has also learned to hate me Beware, White Man, I aentle; when they hate they find a e
Indeed, at that moment Soa would have made no bad y
Then Juanna attempted to interfere, but Leonard waved her back