woman dressed as she was to-night, bend her head in the magic smoke
before she had uttered the prophecy of the passing of the Kendah god.

"So you brought these away too," I said.

"Yes," she replied with solemnity, "that they might be ready at the
appointed hour when we needed them."

Then she spoke no more for a while, but busied herself with certain
rather eerie preparations. First she set the tripod and its bowl in an
open space which I was glad to note was at some distance from the
fire, since if either of us fell into that who would there be to take
us off before cremation ensued? Then she drew up a curved settee with
a back and arms, a comfortable-looking article having a seat that
sloped backwards like those in clubs, and motioned to me to sit down.
This I did with much the same sensations that are evoked by taking
one's place upon an operation-table.

Next she brought that accursed /Taduki/ box, I mean the inner silver
one, the contents of which I heartily wished I had thrown upon the
fire, and set it down, open, near the tripod. Lastly she lifted some
glowing embers of wood from the grate with tongs, and dropped them
into the stone bowl.

"I think that's all. Now for the great adventure," she said in a voice
that was at once rapt and dreamy.

"What am I to do?" I asked feebly.

"That is quite simple," she replied, as she sat herself down beside me