was now washing out the coffee kettle at a little distance, looked up
and said:

"Here come the spook-men, Baas, the whole regiment of them." We ran and
looked. It was true. Marshalled in orderly squadrons, the camels with
their riders were sweeping towards us, and a fine sight the beasts made
with their swaying necks and long, lurching gait. About fifty yards away
they halted just where the stream from our spring entered the desert,
and there proceeded to water the camels, twenty of them at a time. Two
men, however, in whom I recognized Harût and Marût, walked forward and
presently were standing before us, bowing obsequiously.

"Good morning, Lord," said Harût to Ragnall in his broken English. "So
you come with Macumazana to call at our poor house, as we call at your
fine one in England. You think we got the beautiful lady you marry, she
we give old necklace. That is not so. No white lady ever in Kendahland.
We hear story from Macumazana and believe that lady drowned in Nile, for
you 'member she walk much in her sleep. We very sorry for you, but gods
know their business. They leave when they will leave, and take when they
will take. You find her again some day more beautiful still and with her
soul come back."

Here I looked at him sharply. I had told him nothing about Lady Ragnall
having lost her wits. How then did he know of the matter? Still I
thought it best to hold my peace. I think that Harût saw he had made
some mistake, for leaving the subject of Lady Ragnall, he went on:

"You very welcome, O Lord, but it right tell you this most dangerous
journey, since elephant Jana not like strangers, and," he continued
slowly, "think no elephant like your blood, and all elephants brothers.