The cave they entered was of small dimensions. It was illuminated by four large candles, which stood at each of the four corners of a baby’s cradle. This misplaced article occupied the center of the space walled in by the rocky sides of the apartment. The place otherwise was bare. Sybella as soon as the curtain fell behind her began a monotonous chant. Moving slowly with shuffling side-long steps around the cradle, sang: “Awake, my Tu Konk, awake and listen; Hear my story; My blood long gone to white dogs; Daughter, granddaughter, all gone to white dogs; One drop left to me now gone to white cow; Tu Konk, Tu Konk, awake and avenge me.” Manuel saw something move beneath the covering in the cradle. “Awake, Oh! my Tu Konk; Awake and avenge me!” Manuel saw a black head thrust itself from below the cover, and rest upon the dainty pillow in the cradle. The head was covered by an infant’s lacy cap. Sybella saw the head appear. Dashing under the curtain and seizing one of the skull-cups she returned and filled a nursing bottle that lay in the cradle. The head covered with its cap of lace rose from the pillow. Sybella, on her knees, with bowed head and adoring gestures, crept to the side of the cradle and extended the bottle. King of terrors! By all that is Horrible! The nipple disappeared in the scarlet flaming mouth of an immense, fiery eyed, hissing black-snake. It was Tu Konk! “Drink, my Tu Konk.” “Bring back my black blood.” “Leave me not childless.” “Curse then the white cow.” “Send her the black goat.” “Give her black kids.” “Black kids and white teats.” “Serve thus the white cow.” Chanting these words, the Voo Doo priestess struck her head repeatedly upon the hard surface of the floor of the cave. Blood ran down her face to mingle with the froth that dropped from her shriveled and distorted lips. The mulatto with bursting, straining eye-balls and chattering teeth gasped for breath. The hideous grotesqueness of the scene had frozen the very life-blood in his veins. The vestments of an angel adorning a fiend! Paralyzed by fear, with bulging eyes nearly popping from their sockets, the man stared at the horrible head surrounded by those trappings most closely associated with innocence. Human nature could stand no more! With one frenzied shriek Manuel broke the spell that held him helpless. Tearing aside the curtain he leaped out of this Temple of Terrors; heedless of the danger of plunging over the precipice he raced along the treacherous path nor paused for breath until miles intervened between Tu Konk, Sybella and himself. VI. No social event of the season equalled the Burton-Dunlap wedding. For weeks prior to the date of the ceremony it had been the one all-engrossing theme of conversation with everybody; that is, everybody who was anybody, in the metropolis of the Old Bay State.