the idea of it, but perhaps you had better go away. While you are here
they will harass the life out of you."

Meanwhile with the aid of a big jack-knife and the dining-room poker,
Jeekie had prized off the lid of the box. Chancing to look round Barbara
saw him on his knees muttering something in a strange tongue, and bowing
his white head until it touched an object that lay within the box.

"What are you doing, Jeekie?" she asked.

"Make bow to Little Bonsa, Miss Barbara, tell her how glad I am see her
come back from town. She like feel welcome. Now you come bow too, Little
Bonsa take that as compliment."

"I won't bow, but I will look, Jeekie, for although I have heard so much
about it I have never really examined this Yellow God."

"Very good, you come look, miss," and Jeekie propped up the case upon
the end of the dining-room table. As from its height and position she
could not see its contents very well whilst standing above it, Barbara
knelt down to get a better view of it.

"My goodness!" she exclaimed, "what a terrible face, beautiful too in
its way."

Hardly had the words left her lips when for some reason unexplained that
probably had to do with the shifting of the centre of gravity, Little
Bonsa appeared to glide or fall out of her box with a startling
suddenness, and project herself straight at Barbara, who, with a faint
scream, fearing lest the precious thing should be injured, caught it in