FICTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIX, Issue 2875, 18 July 1896, Page 1 (Supplement)

FICTION.

THE STORY OF A TUSK.

[Br H, A. Bbydkn, in the Pall\ Mall Matjnzine.] It was » fine spring morning in the City; even in the great rlinuy warehouse, where Cecil Kensley was engaged ia cataloguing a vast store of ivory in preparation for the periodical sales, the sun beamed pleasantly. It Jit up the dark corners of the building, and played everywhere upon hundreds of smooth, rounded elephants’ teeth, varying in colour from a rich creamy yellow to darkest brown — from the gleaming tu*k, fresh chopped within the last year from the head of a young bull, to the huge, dark, discoloured, almost blackskinned tooth, that for a hundred years had lain unnoticed in some mini swamp or for generations hud decorated tho grave or kraalfence of some native chief. There they lay, those precious pillars of ivroy—solid Egyptian soft teeth, Amhm hard irregulars, billiard and bagatelle scrivallors, bungle teeth, Hiarn, Niger, Abyssinian, Bombay, West Const, Cape and all the rest of them—upon which the world sets so groat a store, and for which mankind is so rapidly exterminating a species. Those wondeiful teeth, dumb memorials, so many of them, of d»rk tales of blood and suffering, of slave raids, plundered villages, murders, floggings, terrible journeys to the coast, unutterable scenes of horror woe—what histories could they not unfdd? But the tu u ks lay there, hugging their gilm secrets, silent and mute enough, Cecil Kensley, the person cataloguing these treasures of ivory in a purely matter-of-fact way, was a good-looking, fair-bearded man of thirty, partner in a wealthy firm, a bachelor, somewhat of a man of pleasure out of office hours, but in business «raart, shrewd arid hardworking. Tlie dialoguing of such an accumulation of Ivory as that great warehouse held was a lengthy business ; and nil day, until 4 o’clock, Kensley was engaged, with the help of the warehousemen, sorting, turning over and writing down. Before taking a short rest for luncheon, his ey«f-dl upon one magnificent tusk —long, perfectly shaped arid balanced, massive, highly polished and, in colour, of the richest chrome yellow. It lay somewhat apart, and appeared to have no fellow • a careful inspection of the rest of the warehouse, and a single glance at that peerless tooth, showed that even nut of *U that vast collection no possible match for It could be found.

Kensley had been working all the morning at the far end of the warehouse ; he now stood by the tusk which had so taken hi* eye.^ * Hallo, Thomas !’ he said. Interrogating the

man who stood by him, ‘ what have you got here? What u grand tooth! Where’s the

fellow to it? Is it an odd one?’ ‘Yes, sir,’ replied the man, ‘it’s an odd tooth, and a rare beauty. It’s years since I saw the like of it. It’s a grand tusk, _as you say : I ran the measure over it, and it went Uft Sin, and it weighs just on 1701 b. Ic'» an nigh perfect as can be. but there’s just one little bit of a flaw down there by jjie base—* an old wound, or something of the kind. There’s a sight of good ivory in that tooth, and it must he as old as the hills a’most.’

Kensley lio.fl seen in the fourteen years of his experience thousands of fine teeth ; yot, connoisseur though be was, he thought, as hfa eye ran lovingly over that magnificent nine feet of ivory, splendid in colour, curve and solidity, that he had never seen such another. He stooped to look at the Haw the man spoke of. Within a foot of the darker portion at the bane, just beyond where the ivory had manifestly emerged from the flesh of the gum, there appeared a curious fault in the graining of the tooth, elsewhere perfect. The growth had been disturbed by some foreign substance, and the graining, instead of being as regular and eveu as a pattern woven by machinery, swept in irregular curves round the centre of the flaw.

Kensley rose to his feet again. * It's not much of a fault,’ he said, * and the tooth’s a real beauty. I’ve been moaning this long time past to have such a tusk at my rooms, to decorate a corner or hang upon the wall. I think I’ll take that fellow, Thomas, and pay for it; it will be a long time before I come across a better. Sea that it goes up

to my flat to-morrow, will you ? and take care bow it’s carried. I don't want it spoiled/ ‘All right, sir/replied the man ; ‘l’ll see to it myself. I’il give it a bit of a clean up, and take it up for you to-morrow morning.’ Two evenings after this conversation, Cecil Kensley left the office and walked, as was often his custom, steadily westward. He made his way by the Embankment and Fall Mall, then up St. James’ street, and so to Mount street, where his dwelling was situated. Arrived at Mount street, he let himself into hi« flit. It was a pleasant set of rooms on the first floor, furnished in very excellent taste with most luxuries that the cultivated male mind can suggest. In one corner, leaning against the wall, stood the ivory tusk, which now, cleaned and polished, formed, if an unwonted, a very noble ornament lo the chamber, Kensley’* eye rested on it with pleasure ; he went to the corner and carefully examined his new possession.

it was now G o'clock ; the cold spring evening was closing in and the light fading. At 8 o’cb-ck three friends were dining with Kensley, preliminary to a night of cards. Having drunk some tea which his man brought in for him and lighted a cigarette, Kensley drew his comfortable armchair towards the pleasant firelight and smoked contentedly. He had been late for several nights past—he was never a very early man—and now, having oast away the end of his cigarette, he lay back in his chair and blinked drowsily at the red glow of the firelight. In ten minutes be was fast asleep and dreaming-. Now, although Cecil Kensley sometimes dozed

for half an hour or an hour before dinner in this way, it was seldom that he dreamed. His dreams this evening were fantastic and roost strange—so strange that they are worth recording. Here is what he saw.

In on open clearing among pleasant African hills, covered for the most part with bush and low forest, lies a collection of huts, circular and thatched, as are all native huts. Just above them, on rising ground, and surrounded by a strong stockade, stands a larger and more important dwelling, oblong in shape, its interior screened from the fierce sun by a low verandah, and thatched, as to its roof, with grass in the native fashion._ It is a hot morn-' Ing in the glowing tropical summer the season of tains; vegetation and flowers are everywhere in their freshest verdure and beauty. Fleecy clouds lie at this early hour of morning upon the face of the eastern sky and hung in a long line midway upon the aides of a high mountain some mWes distant. Seated just outside the stockaded enclosure is a European, clad in the broad-brimmed hat, doublet, loose breeches and buff riding boots

of a bygone time. Somehow, the face of this European, with its sallow cast, peaked beard and fierce moustaches, is strangely familiar to the eye and brain of the dreamer, though he cannot in his sleep exactly recall how. ■ Round about the Portuguese—for such he is —are half ft dozen soldiers of his country, in buff coats and steel caps, bearing in their hands antique pieces— snaphauncea. Squatting in front arc thirteen or fourteen naked African*. waiting the white man’s will. ‘Well/ speaks the commander, for such he is, Ms the gold all here? Stand forward, Kanyata/ . , A native steps out from # bis fellows and hands the commander a quill of gold—gold dust and tiny nuggets—the fruit of a. week’s hard toil and labour of himself and his family. Each native in turn stands forward with his precious store and tremblingly hands it to the fierce, sourdooking white man. In his turn a young man sullenly comes out iof the rank and hands in quill. There is a very dangerous look in the commanders eye as ho takes tho quill, holds it out and surveys it/ , . * do/ he interrogates, - thnj 13 your week a work, Zingesi?’ The young man answers in a hopeless, yet half-defiant way-r----‘My lord, I have toiled for seven days in the river sands, and all that J have gained I bring to you. You took from me my wife; if it had been otherwise, the mull might have been full, I have no one to help me. I can do no more/ 1 . * Thou dog I 4 snaps out the commander, with a look of black passion. ‘I told theo seven days agone that thou mightest take the walleyed maid to wife, to help thee. Why hast thou neglected my warning ?’ ‘Oh, my lord T replies the native, *1 like not Momma, the wall eyed maid, and I will not take her to wife/ Then, passionately : ‘ Where is roy own wife ? There, in thy vile hut, thoy Jhfef and robber f Do thy worst—l will find no apojre gold for thee.’ * Away with him/ roars the commander, now in a fury of passion, to pis soldiers. ‘Tie him up and give him two hundred

lashes.’ The soldiers seize the unfortunate, take him to a tree hard by and tie him up. But now, before a stroke is given, an old native, somewhat fantastically adorned, who has been standing among the villagers at a little distance, cornea forward and salutes the officer. 1 Great'chief of .the Bazunga (Portuguese),’ he says, ' spare, J pray thee, Zingcsi. He is ray nnly son, and tho punishment is great. Let him work for thee for another Week.; Perchance he has been bewitshsd. J will brew him strong medicine, and he shall bring thee more gold.’ • Out with thee, Mosuaa, thou evil-minded witch doctor!’ cries the commander. ‘ ’Tie too late. Thou shouldst have used thine arts with Zingesi before. Begone, or they shall serve thee as they serve Zingesi!’ With a hopeless yet terrible gesture Mosusa quits the crowd, and retires to his but on the village outskirts. Meanwhile, Zingesi being tied up, two Portuguese soldiers, casting off their buff coats and tucking up their sleeves, take each in hand a cruel whip of hipnopotamus hide, and begfe their task. They flog by strokes of fifty; each, it presence of’that'grim task-, master, laying on thji blows with all his strength. With' the first ten opts the blood spouts freely from .the unfortunate native, whose cries and groans might surely touch the ■ hardest heart. But there is no mercy. Zin- i gesi’s bock at ths hundredth stroke is a mass of raw and bleeding e«h ; his face has as-: snrned an ashy pallor. ' At aiutdred and fifty ; his head falls over upon his shouldst, he swoons and can fee I no more. The man] wielding tho whip halts for an instant, looks at the commander gnd says—- • Shall I go on, captain’. • Go' on, of course, and be damned to yon, till he bus had the full two hundred,’ answers the captofn, venomously, as he rises from bio j chair sqd gori iijtebia hut ag-jn, Tbetimfdiiy ta-jk l)i,pceeJß, and the soldiers, not daring id fl?%en ‘ tfieir blows, ,o .mplete the two hundred strokes, ffy that time, Z>ngesi, his frame already weakened by recent fever, is beyord tho reach of luttber His body, unloosed from the tree, falls hroply up m the hands of the soldiers and is laid upon

the shamed earth. Life has clean fled from that poor mangled piece of flesh and blood.

It irs night. The diort African twilight has vanished ; the moon has not yet arUen. Far away in the depths of the forest there crouches over a fire of wood Mosusa, the old witchdoctor, father of the dead Zingesi, His face, lit tip by the red flames, ha* lost the sullen mi-cry of the morning. His eyes glare with the intensity of a tierce passion, the sweat drips from his brow, every muscle of his body quivers. He rises, paces slowly round the fire, keeping always within the limit of a circle he has traced in the sand, uttering as ho passes a low monotonous chant. Now and again he casts into the fire the skins of snakes and lizards, bones, the dried livers and hearts of certain animals, poisonous bulbs and herbs,

and other paraphernalia of the native wizard. Anon he pauses in his chant, listens, and gazes intently into the gloom of the forest. On one side of the fire lies coiled up a huge serpent, a python, whoa© cold, glittering eye 1 watches intently Mosuaa’s every movement. Mosusa approaches the great snake and says—- * Will he come, think you, O my friend ? The forest is wide, and the great one wandered far this morning.* The serpent lifts its flit head, darts out its long forked tongue and rubs its nose caressintfly against Mosusa's leg; then, swiftly uncoiling, it glides to the other side of the fire ;incl lies with its head pointing to the forest, goes and stands by its aide. Presently a rumbling noise is heard ; nearer and louder it ccrnes, and then from the pall of the forest there looms within reach of the firelight a huge dark form—the form of an immense bull elephant. The great creature, bulking there dark and mysterious within the ring of firelight, bears but one tusk, long, thick and even ; its head moves very slowly up and down ; it* outstretched trunk gently quivers a* it tests every air of the night; and its small sunken eye, fixed keenly upon Mosusa, indicates expectation. ‘O great one/ says Mosusa, saluting with i upatretched right hand, ’lord of the forest, wisest of the creatures, thou hast come at my summons. Hear me ! Thou and I were born long ago upon the same night, in the same country. Long have wo known one another, long have been friends—since the day when thy mother was slain bv the spears of Monomotapft, and thou and I grew up together as children within the kraal of the king. But now I wax old and near my end, while thou art in thy prime, still young and lusty, and like to live «n old man’s lifetime and more. And before I leave this earth for the land of shadows one thing I have to ask of thee. Thou rem-iinherest, long years ago, how I whispered to thee, when thy tusk was budding and thy captivity grew dangerous to thyself, that now was the time to seek the forest and escape. And thou wilt remember how in thy first youth, when Monomotapa, king of the tribes, had his first hunt for ivory, and slew fifty of thy kindred within the ring of fire, I warned thee the night before by the great serpent, grandfather of Tari here, and thou fleddest away and aavedat thyself ! To-morrow, O great one, I want thine aid. The captain of the Bazunga goes forth to hunt ia the forest. This day he has slain my son. To-morrow be thou within the forest, and when he comes slay me this evil man, the cruel persecutor of thy race and mine. No harm shall come to thee. So shall we be quits, and in the land of shadows I shall remember thee and joyfully await thy coming.’ The elephant moves silently a pace or two forward, just touches Mosusa delicately upon the shoulder with its trunk-tip, then turns and disappears again into the darkness.

Again the scene shifts before the mind’s eye of the dreamer ; the witch-doctor and his firelight fade oat, and broad daylight once more streams upon the African forest. The Portuguese captain is marching through the wilderness in search of elephants. In front of him are two trackers, who walk swiftly upon the spoor of a troop of the great tusk-bearers. Not far in the rear, mingling with other hunters, ia Mosusa, whose dark countenance wears this morning a very singular expression.

Presently, after passing some low hills, the white man posts himself in some thick cover in a shallow gorge commanding a broad worn path. The bulk of the native hunters are sent fur in front in a wide semicircle, to drive in elephants towards the ambush. There is a long interval, and then, crashing through the bush, appear at a slow trot the forms of five cow elephants. At the nearest of these the commander discharges his piece. The great creature, sore stricken, charges this way and that; at length, bristling with fifty spears, spouting the red blood from her trunk and struck by other bullets from the white man’s snaphaunce, she falls heavily to earth. But while the party are gathered round the fallen beast, and the natives busy themselves in extricating their spears from the carcase, a sudden noise is heard behind. There, trumpet* ing hideously, comes a mighty single-tusked elephant—Mosusa’s elephant of last night. The black men, naked and disemcnrabeted, ftp, all of them save one, far down the gorge, and scatter into the forest beyond. The white man, truth to tell, is hold and brave enough. Trusting to his heavy piece and his own pluck, he stands his ground. It is lato, indeed, to fly, encumbered as he is with weapon and European clothing. As the grim monster charges down upon him, he steadily raises his maphaunce and fires. But. just ns he pulls the trigger, Mosusa, standing behind his shoulder, jerks his right arm, the bullet flies wide of its intended mark and strikes the elephant at the base of the great solitary tusk, just where the ivory is sheathed in the flesh, Mosusa leaps aside, thereof* a wild curse in Portuguese ; in the same Instant the savage scream of the enraged elephant thrills upon the hot morning air, the white man is flung to earth and the great gleaming tusk drives deep through his body. Zingeai is avenged. The elephant withdraws his tusk, kneels upon the yet living man and crushes the last remnants

humanity Into a hideous, shapeless moss. All this Mnsusa has witnessed with bright ;yes and the fiercest satisfaction. And now, raising his riyht hand, again ha salutes the ononstroua beast and speaks. * O thou one, mirhty chief, lord of the forest, X thank thee for what thou has done, My time grows short: I die quickly. But thou, O ray friend, live thou —live to slay the accursed -white men, who pursue thy kindred and bring death and worse than death into this land of thine and mine,* As he runs on, Mosusa’a voloa seems as the voice of one possessed ; his eyes are fixed and open, as though gazing far into futurity. ‘ And when thine appointed time comes,’ho goes on, still addressing the mighty beast before him, ‘let thy tusk carry with it yet more of death and evil to the white man. There is blood now upon it: let blood be with it incite passage through the years to come, until it shall once more mingle with the earth again. And now, great ore, one thing more !ms to be done. Let my blood mingle here with the white man’s —slay me, 0 my friend, and all shall be finished.’ , . , . But the elephant stands there in front or the frenzied African, its little eyes fixed upon his eyes, Us body swaying ever so slightly from side to side, its trunk held out as if enquiringly. ' *1 see what thou lequirest, 0 great one, cries Mosusa. ‘Thy blood, too, must flow,

and at ray hancla !* Suddenly he raised his spear, plunges it into the creature’s trunk, and as suddenly withdraws it. The beajt screams with pain, the blond gushes forth from the spear-thrust, and in a moment, with a blow of the wounded member, the elephant has beaten the old native to the ground. In the next moment the re-infuriated beast kneels quickly upon Momsa and crushes the life from his frame, as it had crushed the white man’s. The two bodies lie there together, misshapen, mangled, yet still warm. , A.nd now the elephant, having completed Ins work, turns slowly away and plunges into the ? ungl % * * The scene had again faded from the dreamer', eves ; yet its memory lingered clear as Cecil Kensley awoke cold and shivering from his sleep. Tha fire horned low, the room was in darkness. 'Gad | what a curious dream i’ he said to himself, as horpae stithy from his lounge chair. • I never felt so cold in my life.' By the dim low firelight he made his way to a corner of the room, torched a button and switched on the electric light. The room in an instant assumed its normally bright and cheerful aspect. First putting some coals upon the fire, Kensley went to the sideboard, poured himself out a lifjnenr glass of brandy,, and

drank it down. . ■ ‘That’s better,' he said to himself. J must have slept a deuce of a time. Can't think why I got so cold.’ He turned and looked at the clock. ‘Half-past 7, by Jove! I must dress sharp: these fellows will bo here directly.’ . First opening a door into an adjoining room, where he saw the dinner-table already prepared, he went to his bedroom and quickly dressed. He returned just in time to welcome his friends', whfj qrriyed almost simultaneonsly. , Ot the three guests, two were Englishmen—average types of their race; the other a dark, good-looking foreigner, of engaging manners. Barreto, as they called him, spoke excellent English, and seemed to have a perfect knowledge of all topics-mainly pertaining to racing, matters theatrical and cards—which came uppermost in the course of the evening. During the five minutes before dinner was qnhoqnce.d one’oji tfje visitors caught sight of the tusk standing in the corner of the room. •Hello, Hensley fl 'he 1 what.’a this? Something new, isn't it j' ‘Yes,’ returned his host) ‘it's a big tooth I came across in the warehouse lately. On the whole, it's about the finest bit of ivory I ever saw; and so, os such specimens grow scarcer every year, I collared it. Makes a nice ornament, doesn’tJt V

‘Magnificent!’ rejoined Barreto, who had meanwhile approached, and was intently examining the tusk. ‘l’ve seen a good many tusks in my time, but X have never seen the follow of this.’ ‘ Why, where did yon pick up your knowledge of ivorj/, Barreto?’ asked Kensley. ’I knew you were up to most things,'but I didn’t know that you were a judge "of elephants’ Well, you see,' returned Barreto, ‘my family have bad tp 4° Africa for between two’ add tfeee hundred'yeses, Several of them have left their bones there, t served as a lieutenant 1 with the Portuguese' .troops in Mozambique when I was a youngster. After that I oamc home what you call ihvalidish—no, invalided—with fever j and, as J didn’t intend Africa to have'my bones, J left the army and went into diplomacy,,’ ? X seel? replied Kensley. .‘Well, that tqsk,-’ patting the great tooth affectionately, ‘ must have been nnpe somethin!:' of a neighbour of yours, ceme from behind Mvzunbique or Sqfala. The elephant that carried it has, X take It, been dead many a long year. From the Jouk of the ivory','and the way it’s been preserved, I should imagine that tooth has' lain in some chiefs but for snores of years. Pcsjibly jt has been some gheyisbed

fetish, It coaid tell some tall stories, I*ll bet, If it could speak. But come along, you fellows— here's dinner at last ’ The four men strolled into the pleasant ruby-lighted dining room, sat theirnelvea at the sparkling table, and for an hour devoted themselves heartily to excellent viands and wine, and to the exchange of much merry conversation. Ac a quarter to 10, after some lingering over ctgain and coffee, the patty returned to the drawing-room, where card-tables were laid. Two other men came in and ’ poker * was started. The fortunes of the game waxed and waned, as they will do; but somehow, halfhonr after half-hour, the luck ran dead against Barreto. It was easy to see that the Portuguese was a skilful and smart player, yet, do what he would—bluff boldly or lie low —he steadily lost. ‘ Hullo, Barreto !’ said one of the men to him, in a short pause for brandiea-and-aoda, * what’s up with you ? You couldn’t go wrong last week. To-night your luck’s dead out.* ‘Yes,’ replied the Portuguese, who throughout the play had retained his equanimity and lost with a good grace ; ‘there’s something mysterious in the air to-night. I have felt sx i great dnoresJon ever since I came into this I room. I can’t tell you why. I felt better I at dinner, but back here again I’m wrapped I in a wet blanket. A change of weather coming, I suppose. A man who’s had African fever can generally foretell it.’ The play went on for another half-hour, by which time, as the clock chitntd the quarterpast 1, Barreto had lost between £3O and £4O. KenJey’a English guests now rose to go, laughingly promising Barreto and their host, who also had lost some £2O, their revenge on a future occasion. After tv parting libation, the men lighted cigars and cigarette*, and left the flat.

Kensley turned to Barreto. ‘Peel like an hour’s ecarttf?’ tie interrogated. ‘By all means,’ answered the Portuguese, with r» pleasant smile. Kenaley brought out fresh cards, and the two sat clown facing one another, the table between. It seemed at tcarti that Barreto could not lose. The stakes were heavy, and Kenaley’a deficit began to mount up ominously. lie was a practiced player, and well used to the ups and downs of card luck; yet, easy as was his manner, a looker-on might have noticed a grimmer and graver look deepening about the lines of his mouth.

Suddenly Kenaley sprang to his feet, hia face flushed with anger, ' You damned cheat 1’ he gasped, throwing down his cards. * For a long time I couldn’t believe my eye*, but there’s no word for it—you’re a common swindler. I paw you pa*s that card’—pointing to a king—' I’ve seen you doing the same thing before. Not one cent will you get out of me. Leave my rooms, and take care neither I nor my friends ever pee the fane of you again. If we do, there’ll be trouble,’ At first, as the Englishman blurted out his indignation—which, it may be said at once, was perfectly honest and deserved—Barreto attempted, with a gesture of courteous deprecation, to offer explanations. At last he obtained speech. ‘You are mistaken—utterly mistaken,’ he ssid, cJmly. ‘I think you must be mad. Anyhow, I have won this money fairly, and I demand it. If you don’t pay, I shall make the fact public.’ ‘You damned villain!’ gaaped Kenaley. ‘Get out of my rooms at once, before I put you out.’ The expression upon Barreto’s face changed now instantly from u plausible calm to one of wild and deadly hatred. He saw that Kensley was firm, and not to be played upon. Ho glanced round the room. As ill-luck would have is, there hung, among other trophies upon the wall near him, nn Indian knife in ils sheath. In an instant Barreto grasped the handle, drew the knife flashing from its cover, and turned upon Kenaley. 1 Now, Mr Kenaley,’ he said, with a very unpleasant look upon his face, ‘you will pay me that £55, and withdraw what you just now said, or take the alternative ’

Few Englishmen care for knife play: unlike the men of Southern Europe, they seem to have an instinctive horror of the weapon. Kenaley little liked the job: the adversary before him looked very evil—far more evil than he could ever have imagined him ; yet, being a man of courage and of action, he took the only course that seemed at the moment open to him. Ho flung himself in a flash upon Barreto, trying Co seize the man’s arm before he should strike. Ho was not quick enough to avoid the blow: the keen knife ripped through his smooch shirt-front and penetrated the upper part of his chest, just under the collar-bone. Kcnsley’s fighting blood was now up ; the wound, though a nasty one, was not disabling. He grappled with Barreto, forced his right arm and dagger behind his back, and then, twining his right leg round his opponent’s, put forth all ids strength and threw, him, falling upon him as ho did so. The room was thickly carpeted, and the fall, though a heavy one, made no great noise. The Portuguese gave a choking cry, and shuddered, as Ken-ley thought, very strangely, Barreto had ceased struggling from the instant he fell, and, in a strangely altered voice, gasped once in Portuguese—- ‘ I am a dead man.’

Kensley cautiously released his grip; he feared treachery—some tiick. But Barreto, moved no more. One , gUnca ho gave as Kensley rose; his eyes rolled, then he lay quite still. , A horrible fear dawned upon the Englishman, He gently lifted the man and looked at his back. The right arm lay listless now and had released its crip of the knife. Alas I that long knife, fashioned by some cunning artificer for wild lull men/so keen and deadly for the taking of life, had done its work. By some vhastly misfortune, it had penetrated the ribs and pierced Barreto’s heart. The man by there, flabby and inert—as Kensley soon convinced himself, dead beyond all hope of recovery.

As Kensley rose and, with a sickening feeling at his heart, surveyed the dead man’s face, something in its appearance touched a chord of memory. ‘Great God J’ he sail to himself, ‘is it reality, or am I still dreaming? This is the face of the Portuguese soldier I saw as I eat asleep before the fire this evening !’ His eye wandered from the dead man's face to the great yellow tusk gleaming there still and silent in the corner of tho chamber. As he looked, a new light seemed to leap into his mind. Again he saw, as in a flash, before the eye of memory, those strange scenes la the African forest.

Now, whether it was coincidence, fate, black magic—call it what you will—the ivory tusk standing there in the corner of that silent room, now a chamber of death and horror, was the tusk of the elephant seen by Kensley in his singular dream—vision it might rather be called—of that fateful evening. The name of the dead man upon the carpet there was Manoel Harreto. The name of the Portuguese captain whom Kensley had in his dream aeon slain by the single-tusked elephant more than two hundred years agone was Manoel Barreto, too. The one was a lineal descendant of the other. Zingesi’s death was again avenged. All this, ho sever, Cecil Kensley, as he stood there haggard and white-faced, knew not —he only surmised dimly some part of it. The clock chimed out 2 in soft, resonant tones. Kensley went to the spirit-stand, poured out some brandy in a tumbler and drank it down. Then he touched the electric bell.

His man came to the door, heavy eyed and sleepy. At sight of Barreto’s body, the scattered cards upon the floor, his master’s shirt-front soaked in blood, he turned ghastly pale and opened his month to make exclamation. •Thompson,’ said his master, ‘there has been terrible work. Go into the street and fetch a policeman and a doctor.’ Pressing a handkerchief to his wound, he sank into a chair as his mar) went forth upon the errand.

The great tusk, the key to that grim tragedy, still gleamed there behind bin), inscrutable, cold and majestic ; his history of blood not yet ended.