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The crew and the guard were forward of the saloon。 A gangway was fixed
from the side to the shore and over it a sentry stood； or was supposed
to stand。 During the night a Khamsin wind began to blow； though
lightly as was to be expected at this season of the year。 I did not
hear it for； as a matter of fact； I slept very soundly； as it appears
did everyone else upon the dahabeeyah； including the sentry as I
suspect。
〃The first thing I remember was the appearance of Lady Longden just at
daybreak at the doorway of my cabin and the frightened sound of her
voice asking if Luna； that is my wife； was with me。 Then it transpired
that she had left her cabin clad in a fur cloak； evidently some time
before； as the bed in which she had been lying was quite cold。
Quatermain； we searched everywhere； we searched for four days； but
from that hour to this no trace whatever of her has been found。〃
〃Have you any theory？〃 I asked。
〃Yes； or at least all the experts whom we consulted have a theory。 It
is that she slipped down the saloon in the dark； gained the deck and
thence fell or threw herself into the Nile； which of course would have
carried her body away。 As you may have heard； the Nile is full of
bodies。 I myself saw two of them during that journey。 The Egyptian
police and others were so convinced that this was what had happened
that； notwithstanding the reward of a thousand pounds which I offered
for any valuable information； they could scarcely be persuaded to
continue the search。〃
〃You said that a wind was blowing and I understand that the shores are
sandy； so I suppose that all footprints would have been filled in？〃
He nodded and I went on。 〃What is your own belief？ Do you think she
was drowned？〃
He countered my query with another of：
〃What do /you/ think？〃
〃I？ Oh！ although I have no right to say so； I don't think at all。 I am
quite sure that she was /not/ drowned； that she is living at this
moment。〃
〃Where？〃
〃As to that you had better inquire of our friends； Har？t and Mar？t；〃 I
answered dryly。
〃What have you to go on； Quatermain？ There is no clue。〃
〃On the contrary I hold that there are a good many clues。 The whole
English part of the story in which we were concerned； and the threats
those mysterious persons uttered are the first and greatest of these
clues。 The second is the fact that your hiring of the dahabeeyah
regardless of expense was known a long time before your arrival in
Egypt； for I suppose you did so in your own name； which is not exactly
that of Smith or Brown。 The third is your wife's sleep…walking
propensities； which would have made it quite easy for her to be drawn
ashore under some kind of mesmeric influence。 The fourth is that you
had seen Arabs mounted on camels upon the banks of the Nile。 The fifth
is the heavy sleep you say held everybody on board that particular
night； which suggests to me that your food may have been drugged。 The
sixth is the apathy displayed by those employed in the search； which
suggests to me that some person or persons in authority may have been
bribed； as is common in the East； or perhaps frightened with threats
of bewitchment。 The seventh is that a night was chosen when a wind
blew which would obliterate all spoor whether of men or of swiftly
travelling camels。 These are enough to begin with； though doubtless if
I had time to think I could find others。 You must remember too that
although the journey would be long； this country of the Kendah can
doubtless be reached from the Sudan by those who know the road； as
well as from southern or eastern Africa。〃
〃Then you think that my wife has been kidnapped by those villains；
Har？t and Mar？t？〃
〃Of course； though villains is a strong term to apply to them。 They
might be quite honest men according to their peculiar lights； as
indeed I expect they are。 Remember that they serve a god or a fetish；
or rather； as they believe； a god /in/ a fetish； who to them doubtless
is a very terrible master； especially when； as I understand； that god
is threatened by a rival god。〃
〃Why do you say that； Quatermain？〃
By way of answer I repeated to him the story which Hans said he had
heard from the old woman at Beza； the town of the Mazitu。 Lord Ragnall
listened with the deepest interest； then said in an agitated voice：
〃That is a very strange tale； but has it struck you； Quatermain； that
if your suppositions are correct； one of the most terrible
circumstances connected with my case is that our child should have
chanced to come to its dreadful death through the wickedness of an
elephant？〃
〃That curious coincidence has struck me most forcibly； Lord Ragnall。
At the same time I do not see how it can be set down as more than a
coincidence； since the elephant which slaughtered your child was
certainly not that called Jana。 To suppose because there is a war
between an elephant…god and a child…god somewhere in the heart of
Africa； that therefore another elephant can be so influenced that it
kills a child in England； is to my mind out of all reason。〃
That is what I said to him； as I did not wish to introduce a new
horror into an affair that was already horrible enough。 But；
recollecting that these priests； Har？t and Mar？t； believed the mother
of this murdered infant to be none other than the oracle of their
worship （though how this chanced passed my comprehension）； and
therefore the great enemy of the evil elephant…god； I confess that at
heart I felt afraid。 If any powers of magic； black or white or both；
were mixed up with the matter as my experiences in England seemed to
suggest； who could say what might be their exact limits？ As； however；
it has been demonstrated again and again by the learned that no such
thing as African magic exists； this line of thought appeared to be too
foolish to follow。 So passing it by I asked Lord Ragnall to continue。
〃For over a month；〃 he went on； 〃I stopped in Egypt waiting till
emissaries who had been sent to the chiefs of various tribes in the
Sudan and elsewhere； returned with the news that nothing whatsoever
had been seen of a white woman travelling in the company of natives；
nor had they heard of any such woman being sold as a slave。 Also
through the Khedive； on whom I was able to bring influence to bear by
help of the British Government； I caused many harems in Egypt to be
visited； entirely without result。 After this； leaving the inquiry in
the hands of the British Consul and a firm of French lawyers； although
in truth all hope had gone； I returned to England whither I had
already sent Lady Longden； broken…hearted； for it occurred to me as
possible that my wife might have drifted or been taken thither。 But
here； too； there was no trace of her or of anybody who could possibly
answer to her description。 So at last I came to the conclusion that
her bones must lie somewhere at the bottom of the Nile； and gave way
to despair。〃
〃Always a foo