Instantly pandemonium reigned in the
apartment.
Her eyes rested upon mine and she pointedher slim
dagger at me.
He was captured in adeserted city near Ptarth and
can read and write the language of thatcountry.
Xaxa shall live on in her own bodyand you in yours.
Already had they thrownthe pursuers off our track. The effect of these upon me is
not easy of description. He has not chosen to accompany me further upon
myadventures.
Only through Xaxa maythe people of Phundahl be
saved from destruction, for the Great Tur isangry. Upon the chariot was a litter and
in the litter,reclining at ease, lay Xaxa. I could hear himchuckle as he started
down the ladder to carry my new plan into effect.
As I was adjusting a heavy robe oforluk about the
Jeddara she regained consciousness.
You admit then, she said, that you are Vad Varo,
the assistant ofRas Thavas?
Tell me, Sag Or, he said, what has become of Kara
Vasa.
Heard you not the peoplerushing from the palace at
Turs command?
For a longtime they had denied him in their hearts
even while they made openworship of him.
And then, as a bolt from the blue, I was struck by
the greatinspiration.
Theways of Tur, the all-powerful, all-knowing, are
beyond the conceptionof mortal man.
Instantly pandemonium reigned in the apartment.
About it lay, dust covered, the most gorgeous trappings I hadever seen.
Only through Xaxa maythe people of Phundahl be
saved from destruction, for the Great Tur isangry. Fearfully, one by one, the
bowedheads were raised and frightened eyes sought the face of Tur.
You admit then, she said, that you are Vad Varo,
the assistant ofRas Thavas?
Hehelped me to escape from the Island of Thavas,
for which his libertywas to be his reward.
Xaxa eyed us coldly as we were halted before her.
These things that you have witnessed are as nothing, he cried. At last came an
interruption to the performance.
I would fare ill without a guideand mentor. Xaxas
eyes now rested upon the face of the Great Tur. The whole court was mystified by our
seemingly miraculousdisappearance.
You admit then, she said, that you are Vad Varo,
the assistant ofRas Thavas? Now we heard the priests conversing as they moved slowly
past thestatue.
Her eyes narrowed as she waitedfor my reply. We
shall have to make inquiries of Sag Or, I said. Sag Or, see that their weapons are
removed!
We could hear the two conversing as they came
nearer.