to terminate the interview and continue upon our way; but when

I would have done so, Al-tan detained us with a gesture, and his

warriors pressed around us.

"What is the meaning of this?" I demanded, and before Al-tan could

reply, Chal-az raised his voice in our behalf.

"Is this the gratitude of a Kro-lu chieftain, Al-tan," he asked,

"to one who has served you by saving one of your warriors from the

enemy--saving him from the death dance of the Band-lu?"

Al-tan was silent for a moment, and then his brow cleared, and the

faint imitation of a pleasant expression struggled for existence

as he said: "The stranger will not be harmed. I wished only to

detain him that he may be feasted tonight in the village of Al-tan

the Kro-lu. In the morning he may go his way. Al-tan will not

hinder him."

I was not entirely reassured; but I wanted to see the interior

of the Kro-lu village, and anyway I knew that if Al-tan intended

treachery I would be no more in his power in the morning than I now

was--in fact, during the night I might find opportunity to escape

with Ajor, while at the instant neither of us could hope to escape

unscathed from the encircling warriors. Therefore, in order to

disarm him of any thought that I might entertain suspicion as to

his sincerity, I promptly and courteously accepted his invitation.

His satisfaction was evident, and as we set off toward his village,

he walked beside me, asking many questions as to the country

from which I came, its peoples and their customs. He seemed much

mystified by the fact that we could walk abroad by day or night

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