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Updated: June 27, 2025
He bowed and took the chair to which she pointed, while her husband placed himself in the other chair upon her right, and Jeekie stood behind, his great shape towering above them all. "This is a festival of my people, Vernoon," she went on, "such a festival as has not been seen for years, celebrated because Little Bonsa has come back to them." "What is to happen?" he asked uneasily.
But I got other reasons why I willing go. Jeekie want see his ma." "Your ma? I never heard you had a ma. Besides she must be dead long ago." "No, Major, 'cause she turn up in dream too, very much alive, swear at me 'cause I bag her blanket. Also she tough old woman, take lot kill her." "Perhaps you have a pa too," suggested Alan. "Think not, Major, my ma always say she forget him.
But I swear that she shall never marry him while I live," he ended in a kind of shout and the domed and painted ceiling echoed back his words "while I live" after which the room was silent, save for the heavy thumping of his heart. When Alan reached home that night after his ten-mile drive he sent Jeekie to tell the housekeeper to find him some food.
"Do, Major?" he replied with affected cheerfulness. "Oh! that quite simple. Jeekie arrange everything. You marry Asika and by and by, when you master here and tired of her, you give her slip. Very interesting experience; no white man ever have such luck before. Asika not half bad, if she fond of you; she like little girl in song, when she good, she very, very good. At any rate, nothing else to do.
"I am hungry, please give me some food." Next instant there was a tumult near by, and when Alan looked up again it was to see Jeekie, very lightly clad, flying through the door. "It will be here presently," she said. "Oh! if you knew what I have suffered, if you only knew.
All that story 'bout her mother not being married, lies, and all her story lies too, she often marry." "But how about the spirit coming back, Jeekie?" "'Spect that lie too, Major, though she think it solemn fact. Priests teach her all those old things. Still," he added doubtfully, "Asika great medicine-woman and know a lot we don't know, can't say how. Very awkward customer, Major."
"My god," he went on presently, "I mean, gentlemen, the god I used to pray to, for I am a good Christian now, has so much gold that she does not care for any more," and he paused. "Then what does she care for?" asked someone. "Blood," answered Jeekie. "She is god of Death. Her name is Little Bonsa or Small Swimming Head; she is wife of Big Bonsa or Great Swimming Head."
Jeekie, following, gave him a kick to intimate that he was taking a liberty, but at the same time stooped down and asked the man his name. It occurred to him that these rescued priests might some day be useful. Alan followed her through a kind of swing door which opened into another of the endless halls, but when he looked for her there she was nowhere to be seen.
A pause and a confused murmuring, and now again the wild song rose and again Jeekie answered. "What the deuce are you doing? Where are we?" asked Alan faintly. Jeekie turned and beamed upon him; although his teeth were chattering and his face was hollow, still he beamed. "You awake, Major?" he said. "Thought good old sun do trick. Feel your heart now and find it beat.
They say they names of those who died for Little Bonsa, and when they all done, Little Bonsa begin again, for Little Bonsa never die. But p'raps priests lie." "I daresay," said Barbara, "but take Little Bonsa away, for however lucky she may be, she makes me feel sick." "Where I put her, Major?" asked Jeekie of Alan. "In box in library where she used to live, or in plate-safe with spoons?
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