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horrible to hear that Mr。 Clifford nearly fainted； and even Jacob
Meyer staggered and turned white as the white face of Benita。
〃Wake her！ For God's sake； wake her！〃 said her father。 〃She is dying；
as that woman died hundreds of years ago。〃
〃Not till she has told us where the gold is。 Be quiet； you fool。 She
does not feel or suffer。 It is the spirit within her that lives
through the past again。〃
Once more there was silence。 It seemed as though the story were all
told and the teller had departed。
〃Benita da Ferreira；〃 said Meyer at length； 〃I command you； tell me；
are you dead？〃
〃Oh！ would that I were dead； as my body is dead！〃 wailed the lips of
Benita。 〃Alas！ I cannot die who suffer this purgatory； and must dwell
on here alone until the destined day。 Yes； yes； the spirit of her who
was Benita da Ferreira must haunt this place in solitude。 This is her
doom； to be the guardian of that accursed gold which was wrung from
the earth by cruelty and paid for with the lives of men。〃
〃Is it still safe？〃 whispered Jacob。
〃I will look；〃 then after a pause； 〃I have looked。 It is there； every
grain of it； in ox…hide bags； only one of them has fallen and burst；
that which is black and red。〃
〃Where is it？〃 he said again。
〃I may not tell you； never； never。〃
〃Is there anyone whom you may tell？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Whom？〃
〃Her in whose breast I lie。〃
〃Tell her then。〃
〃I have told her； she knows。〃
〃And may she tell me？〃
〃Let her guard the secret as she will。 O my Guardian； I thank thee。 My
burden is departed； my sin of self…murder is atoned。〃
〃Benita da Ferreira； are you gone？〃
No answer。
〃Benita Clifford； do you hear me？〃
〃I hear you；〃 said the voice of Benita； speaking in English； although
Jacob； forgetting； had addressed her in Portuguese。
〃Where is the gold？〃
〃In my keeping。〃
〃Tell me； I command you。〃
But no words came； though he questioned her many times no words came；
till at last her head sank forward upon her knees； and in a faint
voice she murmured：
〃Loose me； or I die。〃
XIX
THE AWAKING
Still Jacob Meyer hesitated。 The great secret was unlearned； and； if
this occasion passed； might never be learned。 But if he hesitated； Mr。
Clifford did not。 The knowledge of his child's danger； the sense that
her life was mysteriously slipping away from her under pressure of the
ghastly spell in which she lay enthralled； stirred him to madness。 His
strength and manhood came back to him。 He sprang straight at Meyer's
throat； gripped it with one hand； and with the other drew the knife he
wore。
〃You devil！〃 he gasped。 〃Wake her or you shall go with her！〃 and he
lifted the knife。
Then Jacob gave in。 Shaking off his assailant he stepped to Benita；
and while her father stood behind him with the lifted blade； began to
make strange upward passes over her； and to mutter words of command。
For a long while they took no effect； indeed； both of them were almost
sure that she was gone。 Despair gripped her father； and Meyer worked
at his black art so furiously that the sweat burst out upon his
forehead and fell in great drops to the floor。
Oh； at last； at last she stirred！ Her head lifted itself a little； her
breast heaved。
〃Lord in Heaven； I have saved her！〃 muttered Jacob in German； and
worked on。
Now the eyes of Benita opened； and now she stood up and sighed。 But
she said nothing； only like a person walking in her sleep； she began
to move towards the entrance of the cave； her father going before her
with the lamp。 On she went； and out of it straight to her tent； where
instantly she cast herself upon her bed and sank into deep slumber。 It
was as though the power of the drug…induced oblivion； which for a
while was over…mastered by that other stronger power invoked by Jacob；
had reasserted itself。
Meyer watched her for awhile； then said to Mr。 Clifford：
〃Don't be afraid and don't attempt to disturb her。 She will wake
naturally in the morning。〃
〃I hope so for both our sakes；〃 he answered； glaring at him； 〃for if
not； you or I； or the two of us； will never see another。〃
Meyer took no notice of his threats； indeed the man seemed so
exhausted that he could scarcely stand。
〃I am done；〃 he said。 〃Now； as she is safe； I don't care what happens
to me。 I must rest；〃 and he staggered from the tent； like a drunken
man。
Outside； at the place where they ate； Mr。 Clifford heard him gulping
down raw gin from the bottle。 Then he heard no more。
All the rest of the night； and for some hours of the early morning；
did her father watch by the bed of Benita； although； lightly clad as
he was； the cold of dawn struck to his bones。 At length； when the sun
was well up； she rose in her bed； and her eyes opened。
〃What are you doing here； father？〃 she said。
〃I have come to see where you were； dear。 You are generally out by
now。〃
〃I suppose that I must have overslept myself then；〃 she replied
wearily。 〃But it does not seem to have refreshed me much； and my head
aches。 Oh！ I remember；〃 she added with a start。 〃I have had such a
horrid dream。〃
〃What about？〃 he asked as carelessly as he could。
〃I can't recall it quite； but it had to do with Mr。 Meyer；〃 and she
shivered。 〃It seemed as though I had passed into his power； as though
he had taken possession of me； body and soul； and forced me to tell
him all the secret things。〃
〃What secret things； Benita？〃
She shook her head。
〃I don't know now； but we went away among dead people； and I told him
there。 Oh！ father； I am afraid of that manterribly afraid！ Protect
me from him；〃 and she began to cry a little。
〃Of course I will protect you； dear。 Something has upset your nerves。
Come； dress yourself and you'll soon forget it all。 I'll light the
fire。〃
A quarter of an hour later Benita joined him； looking pale and shaken；
but otherwise much as usual。 She was ravenously hungry； and ate of the
biscuits and dried meat with eagerness。
〃The coffee tastes quite different from that which I drank last
night；〃 she said。 〃I think there must have been something in it which
gave me those bad dreams。 Where is Mr。 Meyer？ Oh； I know！〃 and again
she put her hand to her head。 〃He is still asleep by the wall。〃
〃Who told you that？〃
〃I can't say； but it is so。 He will not come here till one o'clock。
There； I feel much better now。 What shall we do； father？〃
〃Sit in the sun and rest； I think； dear。〃
〃Yes； let us do that； on the top of the wall。 We can see the Makalanga
from there； and it will be a comfort to be sure that there are other
human beings left in the world besides ourselves and Jacob Meyer。〃
So presently they went； and from the spot whence Meyer used to shoot
at the Matabele camp； looked down upon the Makalanga moving about the
first enclosure far below。 By the aid of the glasses