CHAPTER XXXII
AT THE FATAL MOMENT
With great ceremony Umkomasi made obeisance to the amulet, his example being followed by each of the subordinate chieftains in turn. Then, while every warrior in the amphitheatre knelt and touched the ground with his forehead, Umkomasi paid reverence to the gigantic golden idol.
The amulet, the mystic symbol of the Makoh'lenga, had been found in the profane possession of strangers. It had been recovered, and atonement had to be made to the Golden Lion, in order to quell its wrath. More than that, the two white men from whom it had been recovered had to pay the penalty for their transgressions—and the penalty was death by being torn by the descending paw of the huge metallic beast.
All this was explained by Umkomasi to the two bound captives. They did not understand what he said, and Umkomasi knew that they didn't. It was part of the ritual, and had to be carried out; but both Colin and Tiny realised that they were in imminent peril of death in a most cruel and prolonged form.
Colin remembered the words of his cabin-mate in the Cape-bound liner; how he deprecated any suggestion on the lad's part to probe the secret of the mysterious Makoh'lenga.
Sinclair had wanted to, it was true, but the present trouble was not of his seeking. If he had blundered into the Makoh'lenga country in spite of warnings, it was his look-out. But he had not; the Makoh'lenga had captured Tiny and him while they were engaged in a shooting expedition some miles from the boundaries of the Makoh'lenga territory.
Again, if Van der Wyck spoke the truth, how came it that he ventured his life amongst these disciples of refined cruelty, and contrived to escape unharmed? Had he really assisted the Chief Umkomasi and been given the amulet as a mark of gratitude? Or had the Afrikander stolen the mysterious symbol?
That was likely. It rather coincided with the supposition that Van der Wyck was a desperate adventurer who made his living by robbery. But, on the other hand, how could he penetrate into the closely-guarded fastnesses of Makoh'lenga and get away with the amulet unless with the consent of the guardians of the precious bauble?