But he did not believe that it was so; he believed that the Power above him would intervene to save--not him, indeed, but all this people.
"Let us make an end," said Hokosa, "the time is done." "Yes," said Owen, "the time is done--and _the king lives!_" Even as he spoke the pulses in the old man's forehead were seen to throb, and the veins in his neck to swell as they had swollen after he had swallowed the poison; then once more they shrank to their natural size.

Umsuka stirred a hand, groaned, sat up, and spoke:-- "What has chanced to me ?" he said.

"I have descended into deep darkness, now once again I see light." No one answered, for all were staring, terrified and amazed, at the Messenger--the white wizard to whom had been given power to bring men back from the gate of death.

At length Owen said:-- "This has chanced to you, King: that evil which I prophesied to you if you refused to listen to the voice of mercy has fallen upon you.

By now you would have been dead, had it not pleased Him Whom I serve, working through me, His messenger, to bring you back to look upon the sun.