“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。