Onrai was still pacing the floor, almost crazed with the thought that Enola was in fearful peril and he unable to help her. Frequently he would walk to the door and clasping his hands, cry in an agonized voice: “Will it never cease?” It was now three hours after midnight and the fierce winds had slackened, and the storm seemed broken. All were watching it now with an eager look, praying for its speedy death. The attendants went into the stables, and in a little while brought zebras to the terrace, and Onrai with his guests and twenty attendants started in search of Enola. But the night was still very dark and the torches helped them but little. Every foot of ground was gone over carefully. They did not keep in the avenue, but to the right, or in a direct line with that taken by Gip as he left the garden.
Several elephants were lying about the garden or in the surrounding fields, dead or too badly disabled to work. In the clear light of day Gip could have been easily distinguished from any of these, but in the darkness all looked alike, and each prostrate form was examined carefully, and in some cases ropes were thrown about the legs and the elephant turned over, the party thinking that Enola might possibly be lying crushed beneath it. But none of these proved to be Gip, and the party moved slowly on.
“I feel hopeful that the elephant with Enola has escaped,” said Mr. Bruce to Onrai, as they rode along.
“Oh, I hope so,” answered Onrai, “but it was fearful,” and he shuddered.
“But tell me, Onrai, when you have such storms as these, are many of your people killed?” asked Mr. Bruce.
“We have never before had such a storm, never during my life. We have some storms in this season, but never like this, and death has never resulted. The death and ruin which I have seen to-night appalls me. Never before have I, or any of my race, I believe, experienced such sensations as these fearful sights bring forth. I cannot understand why this should be. That it is a visitation of our God, I know; but why? That the punishment is just I cannot doubt; but for what is this punishment? I or my people have sinned, but I know not what this sin is, unless——” and Onrai’s face turned ghastly pale in the glare of the torches.
“Unless what, Onrai?” asked Mr. Bruce.
“Unless it be in a way of which I cannot tell you,” said Onrai, “or, unless my people have failed, in my absence, to carry out certain rites preparatory to the Day of Resis, which must not be neglected.”
Mr. Bruce looked at him for a moment with the intention of asking him something further regarding this strange day, but something kept him from doing so.
The dawn was breaking and it seemed that these hours had been spent in a fruitless search. But so careful had been the search, that all felt assured that Enola had not been passed. They had covered but few miles, but in this space the whole width of the storm’s track had been carefully looked over.