What does that
woman mean when she talks about her spirit having been here from the
beginning."
"She mean, Major, that every time she die her soul go into someone else,
whom priests find out by marks. Also Asika always die young, they never
let her become old woman, but how she die and where they bury her, no
one know 'cept priests. Sometimes she have girl child who become Asika
after her, but if they have boy child, they kill him. I think this Asika
daughter of her who make love to your reverend uncle. 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."
"Quite so, Jeekie, I agree with you. But to come to the point, what is
her game with me?"
"Oh! Major," he answered with a grin, "_that_ simple enough. She tired
of black man, want change, mean to marry you according to law, that is
when Mungana dies, and he die jolly quick now.
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