midnight
Gankoma , executioner to the Great White Queen , was , I afterwards learnt , continually busy obeying the royal commands , and the rapidly increasing number of victims whose heads fell beneath his terrible knife was causing most serious discontent . AN hour after sundown I was seated with Omar and Kona on a mat in the courtyard of a house not far from the gates of the palace , where hospitality had been secretly offered us . We were discussing the situation . Our black followers , on leaving the presence of the irate queen , had gone out in small groups to wander through the wonderful city , having arranged to meet again at midnight . The man in whose house we had found shelter was named Goliba , a staunch friend of Omar 's , although one of the royal councillors . As we sat together this old man with long flowing white beard , keen aquiline features and black eyes that age had not dimmed , explained facts that amazed us . He told us that Kouaga , a favourite of the Naya , had been approached secretly by her as to the advisability of Omar 's assassination .