Onlyonceinafterdayswhenshehappenedtocomeacrossitstuffedawayinthecornerofadespatch-box，sheblushedallover，andsaidthatshehadnoideathatanymancouldbesofoolishoutofabook。
“Nowthat/you/arereallyclearofit，Iamgoingforthem，“shesaidpresentlywhenthewipingprocesswasfinished。“Ihaveonlyrestrainedmyselfforyoursake，“andleaningbackinherchairshestaredattheceiling，lostinmeditation。
Presentlytherecameoneofthosesilenceswhichwillfallupondinner-partiesattimes，howeverexcellentandplentifulthechampagne。
“SirRobertAylward，“saidBarbarainthatclear，carryingvoiceofhers，“willyou，asanexpert，instructaveryignorantperson？Iwantalittleinformation。“
“MissChampers，“heanswered，“amInotalwaysatyourservice？“andalllistenedtohearuponwhatpointtheirhostessdesiredtobeenlightened。
“SirRobert，“shewentoncalmly，“everyonehereis，Ibelieve，whatiscalledafinancier，thatisexceptmyselfandMajorVernon，whoonlytriestobeandwill，Iamsure，fail，sinceNaturemadehimsomethingelse，asoldierand——whatelsedidNaturemakeyou，Alan？“
Ashevouchsafednoanswertoquestion，althoughSirRobertmutteredanuncomplimentaryonebetweenhislipswhichBarbaraheard，orread，shecontinued:
“Andyouareallveryrichandsuccessful，areyounot，andaregoingtobemuchricherandmuchmoresuccessful——nextweek。NowwhatIwanttoaskyouis——howisitdone？“
“Acceptingthepremisesforthesakeofargument，MissChampers，“
repliedSirRobert，whofeltthathecouldnotrefusethechallenge，“theansweristhatitisdonebyfinance。“
“Iamstillinthedark，“shesaid。“Finance，asIhaveheardofit，meansfloatingcompanies，andcompaniesarefloatedtoearnmoneyforthosewhoinvestinthem。NowthisafternoonasIwasdull，IgotholdofabookcalledtheDirectoryofDirectors，andlookedupallyournamesinit，exceptthoseofthegentlemenfromParis，andthecompaniesthatyoudirect——Ifoundoutaboutthoseinanotherbook。
Well，Icouldnotmakeoutthatanyofthesecompanieshaveeverearnedanymoney，adividend，don’tyoucallit？Thereforehowdoyouallgrowsorich，andwhydopeopleinvestinthem？“
NowSirRobertfrowned，Alancoloured，twoorthreeofthecompanylaughedoutright，andoneoftheFrenchgentlemenwhounderstoodEnglishandhadalreadydrunkasmuchaswasgoodforhim，remarkedloudlytohisneighbour，“Ah！sheischarming。Shedotouchthespot，likethatointmentyougivemeto-day。Howdowegrowrichandwhydothepeopleinvest？/MonDieu！/whydotheyinvest？Thatisthegreatmystery。Isaythat/cettebelledemoiselle，votrenièce，estravissante。Ellead’esprit，monamiHaswell。/“
Apparentlyheruncledidnotsharethesesentiments，forheturnedasredasanyturkey-cock，andsaidacrossthegreatroundtable:
“MydearBarbara，Iwishthatyouwouldleavematterswhichyoudonotunderstandalone。Weareheretodine，nottotalkaboutfinance。“
“Certainly，Uncle，“sheansweredsweetly。“Istand，orrathersit，reproved。IsupposethatIhaveputmyfootintoitasusual，andtheworstofitis，“sheadded，turningtoSirRobert，“thatIamjustasignorantasIwasbefore。“
“Ifyouwanttomasterthesematters，MissChampers，“saidAylwardwitharatherforcedlaugh，“youmustgointotrainingandworshipattheshrineof“——hemeanttosayMammon，thenthinkingthatthewordsoundedunpleasant，substituted——“theYellowGodaswedo。“
AtthesewordsAlan，whohadbeenstudyinghisplate，lookedupquickly，andheruncle’sfaceturnedfromredtowhite。ButtheirrepressibleBarbaraseizeduponthem。
“TheYellowGod，“sherepeated。“DoyoumeanmoneyorthatfetishthingofMajorVernon’swiththeterriblewoman’sfacethatIsawattheofficeintheCity。Well，tochangethesubject，tellus，Alan，whatisthatyellowgodofyoursandwherediditcomefrom？“
“MyuncleAustin，whowasmymother’sbrotherandamissionary，broughtitfromWestAfricaagreatmanyyearsago。Hewasthefirsttovisitthetribewhoworshipit；infactIdonotthinkthatanyonehasevervisitedthemsince。ButreallyIdonotknowallthestory。
Jeekiecantellyouaboutitifyouwanttoknow，forheisoneofthatpeopleandescapedwithmyuncle。“
NowJeekiehavinglefttheroom，someoftheguestswishedtosendforhim，butMr。Champers-Haswellobjected。Theendofitwasthatacompromisewaseffected，Alanundertakingtoproducehisretainerafterwardswhentheywenttoplaybilliardsorcards。
Dinnerwasoveratlengthandthediners，whohaddinedwell，weregatheredinthebilliardroomtosmokeandamusethemselvesastheywished。Itwasaverylargeroom，sixtyfeetlongindeed，withawidespaceinthecentrebetweenthetwotables，whichwasfurnishedasalounge。WhenthegentlemenenteredittheyfoundBarbarastandingbythegreatfireplaceinthiscentralspace，alittleshapeofwhiteandsilverinitsemptiness。
“Forgivemeforintrudingonyou，“shesaid，“andpleasedonotstopsmoking，forIlikethesmell。IhavesatupexpresslytohearJeekie’sstoryoftheYellowGod。Alan，produceJeekie，orIshallgotobedatonce。“
Herunclemadeamovementasthoughtointerfere，butSirRobertsaidsomethingtohimwhichappearedtocausehimtochangehismind，whiletherestinsomewayoranothersignifiedanenthusiasticassent。AllofthemwereanxioustoseethisJeekieandhearhistale，ifhehadonetotell。SoJeekiewassentforandpresentlyarrivedcladinthedressclotheswhicharecommontoallclassesinEnglandandAmerica。
Therehestoodbeforethemwhite-headed，ebony-faced，gigantic，imperturbable。Thereisnodoubtthathisappearanceproducedaneffect，foritwasunusualandindeedstriking。
“Yousentforme，Major？“hesaid，addressinghismaster，towhomhegaveamilitarysalute，forhehadbeenAlan’sservantwhenhewasintheArmy。
“Yes，Jeekie。MissBarbarahereandthesegentlemen，wishyoutotellthemallthatyouknowabouttheYellowGod。“
Thenegrostartedandrolledhisroundeyesupwardstillthewhitesofthemshowed，thenbeganinhisschool-bookEnglish:
“Thatisaprivatesubject，Major，uponwhichIshouldprefernottodiscoursebeforethisverypubliccompany。“
AchorusofremonstrancearoseandoneoftheJewishgentlemenapproachingJeekie，slippedacoupleofsovereignsintohisgreathand，whichhepromptlytransferredtohispocketwithoutseemingtonoticethem。
“Jeekie，“saidBarbara，“don’tdisappointme。“
“Verywell，miss，Ifallinwithyourwishes。TheYellowGodthatallthesegentlemenworship，quiteanothergodtothatofwhichyoudesirethatIshouldtellyou。Youknowallabouthim。Mygodisoffemalesex。“
AtthisstatementhisaudienceburstintolaughterwhileJeekierolledhiseyesagainandwaitedtilltheyhadfinished。“Mygod，“hewentonpresently，“Imean，gentlemen，thegodIusedtoprayto，forIamagoodChristiannow，hassomuchgoldthatshedoesnotcareforanymore，“andhepaused。
“Thenwhatdoesshecarefor？“askedsomeone。
“Blood，“answeredJeekie。“SheisgodofDeath。HernameisLittleBonsaorSmallSwimmingHead；sheiswifeofBigBonsaorGreatSwimmingHead。“
Againtherewaslaughter，thoughlessgeneral——forinstance，neitherSirRobertnorMr。Champers-Haswelllaughed。ThismerrimentseemedtoexciteJeekie。Atanyrateitcausedhimtoceasehisstiltedtalkandrelapseintothestrangevernacularthatiscommontoallnegroes，tincturedwitharacyslangthatwasallhisown。
“YouwanttohearYellowGodpalaver？“hesaidrapidly。“Verywell，I
tellyou，youcocksurewhitemenwhothinkyouknoweverything，butknownothingatall。Mypeople，peopleoftheAsiki，thatmeanpeopleofSpirits，whatyoucallghostsandsayyounobelievein，butalwayslookforbehinddoor，theyworshipYellowGod，BonsaBigandBonsaLittle，worshipbothandcallthemone；onlyLittleBonsaontriptothiscountryjustnowandsitandthinkinCityoffice。YellowGodlivelongwayupagreatriver，thenturntotheleftandwalksixdaysthroughbigforestwheredwarfpeopleshootyouwithpoisonedarrow。Thenturntotheright，walkupstreamwheremanywildbeasts。
Thenturntotheleftagainandgoincanoethroughswampwhereyoudieoffever，andacrosslake。Thenwalkovergrasslandandmountains。
Theninkloofofthemountainswherebigblacktreesmakearoofandriverfalllikethunder，findAsikiandgoldhouseoftheYellowGod。
Allthatmountaingold，fullofgoldandbeneathgoldhouseYellowGodafloatinwater。ShewhatyoucallQueen，priestess，livetherealso，alwaysthere，verybeautifulwomancalledAsikawithfacelikeYellowGod，cruel，cruel。Shetakeahusbandeveryyear，andeveryyearhediebecauseshealwayshuntforrightmanbutneverfindhim。“
“Doesshekillhimthen？“askedBarbara。
“Oh！no，shenokillhim，Miss，hekillhimselfatendofyear，gladtogetawayfromAsikaandgotospirits。Whilehelivehehaveaverygoodtime，plentytoeat，plentywives，finehouse，muchgoldashelike，onlynothingtospenditon，prettynecklace，nicepaintforface。ButAsika，littlebitbylittlebitsheeatuphisspirit。Heseetoomanyghosts。Thehousewherehesleepwithdeadmenwhooncehavehisbillet，fullofghostsandeverynighttherecomemoreandsitwithhim，sitallroundhim，lookathimwithgreateyes，justlikeyoulookatme，tillatlastwhenAsikafinisheatinguphisspirit，hegocrazy，hehowllikemaninhell，hethrowawayallthegoldtheygivehim，andthen，sometimesafteroneweek，sometimesafteronemonth，sometimesafteroneyearifhebestrongbutnevermore，herunoutatnightandjumpintocanalwhereYellowGodfloatandgodgethim，whileAsikasitonthebankandlaugh，’causeshehungryfornewmantoeatuphisspirittoo。“
