we escaped the palisade last night we ran away from the others, for we thought that we should be safer alone than with Luvini, who is even crueller than the Arabs."
"Did you see the white women that he brought to the camp last night?" demanded Usula.
"He brought but one white woman," replied the other.
"What did he do with her? Where is she now?" asked Usula.
"I do not know. When he brought her he bound her hand and foot and put her in the hut which he occupied near the village gate. We have not seen her since."
Usula turned and looked at his companions. A great fear was in his eyes, a fear that was reflected in the countenances of the others.
"Come!" he said, "we shall return to the village. And you will go with us," he added, addressing the west coast blacks, "and if you have lied to us—" he made a significant movement with his forefinger across his throat.
"We have not lied to you," replied the others. Quickly they retraced their steps toward the ruins of the Arab village, nothing of which was left save a few piles of smoldering embers.
"Where was the hut in which the white woman was confined?" demanded Usula, as they entered the smoking ruins.
"Here," said one of the blacks, and walked quickly a few paces beyond what had been the vil-
