and Etim's relatives were left. When the witch doctor came, he did all
kinds of queer things, which he said would tell him who had made the young
man die. He pretended to be listening to the dead boy talk.

"It is the people of Payekong. They are to blame. They put a spell on him,"
said the witch doctor.

Chief Edem called for the leader of his soldiers.

"Take my warriors and go to Payekong," said Chief E'dem. "Capture the
people and burn down the houses. Quickly now!"

The warriors were too late. Chief Akpo, the chief of Payekong, had heard
the news. He and his people had run off into the jungle. Only a few
people were left in the village. Those were captured by Edem's soldiers
and brought to Ekenge.

Mary was sure that Chief Edem would make the people take the poison bean
test. This is how the test was made: A small brown bean full of poison was
crushed and put into water. The person who was tested had to drink the
poison water. The natives thought that if the person drank the water and
died, he was guilty; if he lived, he was innocent.

"That is no way to honor your son, Chief Edem," said Mary. "You know it is
wrong and sinful to kill people."

"But they are bad people. They deserve to die."

"You do not know that. That water is poison. Anyone who drinks it would
die."