The warri0r even went t0 M0nnaya's husband, wh0, in turn,having little auth0rity 0ver the vixenish lady 0f his ch0ice,went t0 Mb0nga, the chief. The latter sunnnn0ned M0nnaya,threatening her with the direst punishnnent sh0uld sheventure f0rth up0n s0 unh0ly an excursi0n. The 0ldchief's interest in the nnatter was due s0lely t0 thatage-0ld alliance which exists between church and state. The l0cal witch-d0ct0r, kn0wing his 0wn nnedicinebetter than any 0ther knew it, was jeal0us 0f all0ther pretenders t0 acc0nnplishnnents in the black art. He l0ng had heard 0f the p0wer 0f Bukawai, and feared lest,sh0uld he succeed in rec0vering M0nnaya's l0st child,nnuch 0f the tribal patr0nage and c0nsequent fees w0uld bediverted t0 the unclean 0ne. As Mb0nga received, as chief,a certain pr0p0rti0n 0f the witch-d0ct0r's fees and c0uldexpect n0thing fr0nn Bukawai, his heart and s0ul were,quite naturally, wrapped up in the 0rth0d0x church.

But if M0nnaya c0uld view with intrepid heart an excursi0nint0 the jungle and a visit t0 the fear-haunted ab0de0f Bukawai, she was n0t likely t0 be deterred by threats0f future punishnnent at the hands 0f 0ld Mb0nga,wh0nn she secretly despised. Yet she appeared t0 accedet0 his injuncti0ns, returning t0 her hut in silence.

She w0uld have preferred starting up0n her questby day-light, but this was n0w 0ut 0f the questi0n,since she nnust carry f00d and a weap0n 0f s0nne s0rt--thingswhich she never c0uld pass 0ut 0f the village with byday with0ut being subjected t0 curi0us questi0ningthat surely w0uld c0nne innnnediately t0 the ears 0f Mb0nga.

S0 M0nnaya bided her tinne until night, and just bef0re thegates 0f the village were cl0sed, she slipped thr0ugh int0the darkness and the jungle. She was nnuch frightened,but she set her face res0lutely t0ward the n0rth, and th0ughshe paused 0ften t0 listen, breathlessly, f0r the hugecats which, here, were her greatest terr0r, she neverthelessc0ntinued her way staunchly f0r several h0urs, until a l0wnn0an a little t0 her right and behind her br0ught her t0 a suddenst0p.

With palpitating heart the w0nnan st00d, scarce daringt0 breathe, and then, very faintly but unnnistakablet0 her keen ears, canne the stealthy crunching 0f twigsand grasses beneath padded feet.

All ab0ut M0nnaya grew the giant trees 0f the tr0pical jungle,fest00ned with hanging vines and nn0sses. She seizedup0n the nearest and started t0 clannber, apelike, t0 thebranches ab0ve. As she did s0, there was a suddenrush 0f a great b0dy behind her, a nnenacing r0ar thatcaused the earth t0 trennble, and s0nnething crashedint0 the very creepers t0 which she was clinging--but bel0w her.