“Oh！“shesaid，“Ineverheardofwriting。Youshallteachitme。Itwillservetopassthetimetillwearemarried，thoughitwillnotbeofmuchuseafterwards，asweshallneverbeseparatedanymoreandwordsarebetterthanmarksuponaboard。But，“sheaddedcheerfully，“Icansendawaythisblackdogofyours，“andshelookedatJeekie，“andhecanwritetous。No，Icannot，foranaccidentmighthappentohim，andtheytellmeyousaythatifhedies，youdiealso，sohemuststopherealways。Whathaveyouinthoselittleboxes？“
“Thegoldyougaveme，Asika，packedinloads。“
“Asmallgiftenough，“sheansweredcontemptuously；“wouldyounotlikemore，sinceyouvaluethatstuff？Well，anothertimeyoushallsendallyouwant。Meanwhiletheportersarewaiting，fiftymenandthree，asyousentmeword，andtenspareonestotaketheplaceofanywhodie。Buthowtheywillfindtheirway，Iknownot，sincenoneofthemhaveeverbeentothecoast。“
AnideaoccurredtoAlan，whohadsmallfaithinJeekie’s“ma“asamessenger。
“TheOgulaprisonerscouldshowthem，“hesaid；“atanyrateasfarastheforest，andafterthattheycouldfindout。Maytheynotgo，Asika？“
“Ifyouwill，“sheansweredcarelessly。“Letthembereadytostartto-morrowatthedawn，allexcepttheirchief，Fahni，whomuststophereasahostage。IdonottrustthoseOgula，whomorethanoncehavethreatenedtomakewaruponus，“sheadded，thenturnedandbadethepriestsbringinthebearerstoreceivetheirinstructions。
Presentlytheycame，pickedmenallofthem，underthecommandofanAsikicaptain，andwiththemtheOgula，whomshesummonedalso。
“Gowherethewhitelordsendsyou，“shesaidinanindifferentvoice，“carryingwithyouthesepackages。Idonotknowwhereitis，buttheseman-eaterswillshowyousomeoftheway，andifyoufailinthebusinessbutlivetocomebackagain，youshallbesacrificedtoBonsaatthenextfeast；ifyourunawaythenyourwivesandchildrenwillbesacrificed。Foodshallbegivenyouforyourjourney，andgoldtobuymorewhenitisgone。Now，Vernoon，tellthemwhattheyhavetodo。“
SoAlan，orratherJeekie，toldthem，andthesedirectionsweresolongandminute，thatbeforetheywerefinishedtheAsikagrewtiredoflisteningandwentaway，sayingasshepassedthecaptainofthecompany:
“Remembermywords，man，succeedordie，butofyourlandanditssecretssaynothing。“
“Ihear，“answeredthecaptain，prostratinghimself。
ThatnightAlansummonedtheOgulaandspoketothemthroughJeekieintheirownlanguage。Atfirsttheydeclaredthattheywouldnotleavetheirchief，preferringtostayanddiewithhim。
“Notso，“saidFahni；“go，mychildren，thatImaylive。Goandgatherthetribe，allthethousandsofthemwhoaremenandcanfight，andbringthemuptoattackAsiki-land，torescuemeifIstilllive，ortoavengemeifIamdead。Asforthesebearers，dothemnoharm，butsendthemontothecoastwiththewhiteman’sgoods。“
SointheendtheOgulasaidthattheywouldgo，andwhenAlanwokeuponthefollowingmorning，hewasinformedthattheyandtheAsikiportershadalreadydepartedupontheirjourney。Thenhedismissedthematterfromhismind，fortotellthetruthheneverexpectedtohearofthemanymore。
AfterthedepartureofthemessengersadeepmelancholyfelluponAlan，whowassurethathehadnownofurtherhopeofcommunicatingwiththeoutsideworld。Bitterlydidhereproachhimselfforhisfollyinhavingeverjourneyedtothishatefulplaceinordertosecure——
what？About￡100，000worthofgoldwhichofcoursehenevercouldsecure，asitwouldcertainlyvanishorbestolenonitswaytothecoast。Forthisgoldhehadbecomeinvolvedinadreadfulcomplicationwhichmustcosthimmuchmisery，andsoonerorlaterlifeitself，sincehecouldnotmarrythatbeautifulsavageAsika，andifherefusedhershewouldcertainlykillhiminheroutragedprideandfury。
Daybydayshesentforhim，andwhenhecame，assumedanewcharacter，thatofawomanhumbledbyasenseofherownignorance，whichshewasanxioustoamend。Sohemustplaytheroleoftutortoher，tellingherofcivilizedpeoples，theirlaws，customsandreligions，andinstructingherhowtowriteandread。Shelistenedandlearnedsubmissivelyenough，butallthewhileAlanfeltasonemightwhoiscalledupontoteachtrickstoadruggedpanther。Thedruginthiscasewasherpassionforhim，whichappearedtobeverygenuine。
Butwhenitpassedoff，orwhenhewasobligedtorefuseher，what，hewondered，wouldhappenthen？
Anxietyandconfinementtoldonhimfarmorethanallthehardshipsofhisjourney。Hishealthrandown，hebegantofallill。Thenasbadluckwouldhaveit，walkinginthatdamp，unwholesomecedargarden，outofwhichhemightnotstray，hecontractedthegermofsomekindoffeverwhichinautumnwasverycommoninthispoisonousclimate。
Threedayslaterhebecamedelirious，andforaweekafterthathungbetweenlifeanddeath。Wellwasitforhimthathismedicine-cheststillremainedintact，andthatrecognizinghisownsymptomsbeforehisheadgaveway，hewasabletoinstructJeekiewhatdrugstogivehimatthedifferentstagesofthedisease。
Fortheresthismemoriesofthatdreadfulillnessalwaysremainedveryvague。HehadvisionsofJeekieandofarobedwomanwhomheknewtobetheAsika，bendingoverhimcontinually。AlsoitseemedtohimthatfromtimetotimehewastalkingwithBarbara，whicheventhenheknewmustbeabsurd，forhowcouldtheytalkacrossthousandsofmilesoflandandsea。
Atlengthhismindclearedsuddenly，andheawokeasfromanightmaretofindhimselflyinginthehallorroomwherehehadalwaysbeen，feelingquitecoolandwithoutpain，butsoweakthatitwasanefforttohimtolifthishand。HestaredabouthimandwasastonishedtoseethewhiteheadofJeekierollinguneasilytoandfrouponthecushionsofanotherbednearby。
“Jeekie，“hesaid，“areyouilltoo，Jeekie？“
Atthesoundofthatvoicehisretainerstartedupviolently。
“What，Major，youawake？“hesaid。“Thanksbetoallgods，whiteandblack，yes，andyellowtoo，forIthoughtyourgoosecooked。No，no，Major，Inotill，onlyAsikasayso。Yougotobed，soshemakemegotobed。Yougetworse，shetreatmecruel；youseembetter，shestuffmewithfoodtillIburst。AllbecauseyoutellherthatyouandIdiesameday。Oh，Lord！poorJeekiethinkhisendverynearjustnow，forheknowquitewellthatshenotlethimbreathetenminutesafteryoupegout。Jeekieneverpraysohardforanyonebeforeashepraythisweekforyou，andbyJingo！Ithinkhedothetrick，heandthatmedicinestuffwhichmakehimfeelverybadinstomach，“andhegroanedundertheweightofhismanymiseries。
WeakashewasAlanbegantolaugh，andthatlaughseemedtodohimmoregoodthananythingthathecouldremember，forafterithewassurethathewouldrecover。
JustthenanagonizedwhisperreachedhimfromJeekie。
“Lookout！“itsaid，“herecomeAsika。Gosleepandseembetter，Major，please，orIcatchithot。“
SoAlanalmostshuthiseyesandlaystill。Inanothermomentshewasstandingoverhimandhenoticedthatherhairwasdishevelledandhereyeswereredasthoughwithweeping。Shescannedhimintentlyforalittlewhile，thenpassedroundtowhereJeekielayandappearedtopinchhisearsohardthathewriggledandutteredastifledgroan。
“Howisyourlord，dog？“shewhispered。
“Better，OAsika，Ithinkthatlastmedicinedousgood，thoughitmakemeverysickinside。Justnowhespoketomeandsaidthathehopedthatyourheartwasnotsadbecauseofhimandthatallthistimeinhisdreamshehadseenandthoughtofnobodybutyou，O
Asika。“
“Didhe？“askedthatlady，becomingintenselyinterested。“Thentellme，dog，whyisheevercallingupononeBar-bar-a？Surelythatisawoman’sname？“
“Yes，OAsika，thatisthenameofhismother，alsoofoneofhissisters，whom，afteryou，helovesbestofanyoneinthewholeworld。
Whenyouareherehetalksofthem，butwhenyouarenotherehetalksofnoonebutyou。Althoughheissosickherememberswhiteman’scustom，whichtellshimthatitisverywrongtosaysweetthingstolady’sfacetillheisquitemarriedtoher。Afterthattheysaythemalways。“
Shelookedathimsuspiciouslyandmuttering，“Hereitisotherwise。
Foryourownsake，man，Itrustthatyoudonotlie，“lefthim，anddrawingastoolupbesideAlan’sbed，satherselfdownandexaminedhimcarefully，touchinghisfaceandhandswithherlongthinfingers。
Thennotinghowwhiteandwastedhewas，ofasuddenshebegantoweep，sayingbetweenhersobs:
“Oh！ifyoushoulddie，Vernoon，IwilldiealsoandbebornagainnotasAsika，asIhavebeenforsomanygenerations，butasawhitewomanthatImaybewithyou。Onlyfirst，“sheadded，settingherteeth，“I
willsacrificeeverywizardinthisland，fortheyhavebroughtthesicknessonyoubytheirmagic，andIwillburnBonsa-townandcastitsgodstomeltintheflames，andtheMunganawiththem。AndthenamidtheirashesIwillletoutmylife，“andagainshebegantoweepverypiteouslyandtocallhimbyendearingnamesandprayhimthathewouldnotdie。
NowAlanthoughtittimetowakeup。Heopenedhiseyes，staredathervacantly，andaskedifitwereraining，whichindeeditmighthavebeen，forherbigtearswerefallingonhisface。Sheutteredagaspofjoy。
“No，no，“sheanswered，“theweatherisveryfine。ItisI——IwhohaverainedbecauseIthoughtyoudie。“Shewipedhisforeheadwiththesoftlinenofherrobe，thenwenton，“Butyouwillnotdie；saythatyouwilllive，saythatyouwillliveforme，Vernoon。“
Helookedather，andfeeblethoughhewas，theawfulnessofthesituationsankintohissoul。
