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Only a few people were left in the village. Those were captured by Edem's soldiers and brought to Ekenge. Mary was sure that Chief Edem would make the people take the poison bean test. This is how the test was made: A small brown bean full of poison was crushed and put into water. The person who was tested had to drink the poison water.
As no powerful chief submitted to Egbo sent out by another House, Edem's village also ran amok, and for over a week the population haunted the forest, shooting down indiscriminately every man and woman who passed. It was not until much blood had been shed that the various bands became tired of the struggle and returned to their dwellings.
When Edem's son was killed by the falling of a log it will be remembered that Ekpenyong was blamed for the event and retired to the bush. Not long afterwards a young chief there fell sick, and the witch- doctor on consulting his oracle declared that he saw Akom and her son dancing the whole night long, and gaily piercing the sick man with knives and spears.
Chief Edem turned around and went back to the village. He sent all the chiefs home. Nothing more was said about the poison bean test. Now Mary began to plead for Akpo, the chief of the village which the witch doctor had said had caused Etim to be killed. "Chief Edem, let him come home. Forgive him. He has done you no wrong." God softened Edem's heathen heart.
The crowd of village people howled and yelled. Chief Edem's warriors shook their swords and guns at her and stamped the ground angrily. "Raise our master from the dead," shouted the people, "and we will free the prisoners!" Mary kept her place. She wrote a note to Duke Town asking for help and sent it off secretly by one of her orphan boys. Still she watched over the prisoners.
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