Page:The further side of silence (IA furthersideofsil00clifiala).pdf/205

 gether to satisfy. Then, when the darkness had shut down over the land, he crept softly to Chêp's house, and bade her come forth and join him. She came at once, and without a word; for your Sâkai woman holds herself to be the chattel of whatever man chances at the moment to have possessed him- self of her, forcibly or otherwise. She wept furtively when Ku-ish told her, in a few passionless sentences, of how he had killed Sentul and his child; and she bewailed herself at the top of her voice when, at the first convenient halting-place, she received the hand- some trouncing which Sentul dealt out to her, with no grudging hand, as her share in the general chastise- ment. But when the welting was over she followed him meekly enough, with the tears still wet upon her cheeks, and made no effort to escape. Thus Ku-ish, the Porcupine, and Chêp, the Bird, made their way back through the strange forests, until they had once more regained the familiar Sakai country, and were safe among their own people.

Pursuit in such a place is hopeless; for a Sâkai comes and goes like a shadow, and can efface himself utterly if he desire so to do. Thus, though Sentul's relatives clamoured for vengeance, little could be done. I was at that time in charge of the district where these things occurred, and it was only with the greatest difficulty, and after pledging myself to guarantee their personal immunity, that I was able to induce the various Sakai headmen to meet me near the confines of their country. My request that Ku-ish should be handed over to me for trial was