name."

After she had prayed Mary got up and went to Chief Edem and his brother
Ekponyong.

"You must forbid the poison bean test," said Mary. "It is wrong and
sinful. God is watching what you do. Do not do that sinful thing."

"That is my business," said Chief Edem. "I am the chief of this tribe. I
will do what seems good to me."

Mary argued with the chief, but he would not listen. Ekponyong, his
brother, encouraged Edem to make the prisoners take the poison bean
test. Mary then went to the yard where the prisoners were kept. She sat
down in the gateway. She was not going to let anyone get the
prisoners. This made the chiefs very angry. The crowd of village people
howled and yelled. Chief Edem's warriors shook their swords and guns at her
and stamped the ground angrily.

"Raise our master from the dead," shouted the people, "and we will free the
prisoners!"

Mary kept her place. She wrote a note to Duke Town asking for help and sent
it off secretly by one of her orphan boys. Still she watched over the
prisoners. She would not leave her place in the gate. The people were angry
with her, but still many of them loved and respected their white Ma and
would not hurt her. Suddenly a man pushed his way through the crowd. He
shoved Mary aside. He grabbed one of the women prisoners. He dragged her
in front of the body of Etim. He handed her the cup of poison.