o it would seem that it had
also protected him against the fire, for which he was duly thankful. His
escape from injury was a puzzle to the tribesman, who, failing to find
any trace of burn on him, left Ross alone and went to sit well away from
his prisoner as if he feared him.

They did not have long to wait. One by one, those who had ridden in
Foscar's company gathered at the grove. The very last to come were Ennar
and Tulka, carrying the body of their chief. The faces of both men were
smeared with dust and when the others sighted the body they, too, rubbed
dust into their cheeks, reciting a string of words and going one by one
to touch the dead chieftain's right hand.

Ennar, resigning his burden to the others, slid from his tired horse
and stood for a long moment, his head bowed. Then he gazed straight at
Ross and came across the tiny clearing to stand over the man of a later
time. The boyishness which had been a part of him when he had fought at
Foscar's command was gone. His eyes were merciless as he leaned down to
speak, shaping each word with slow care so that Ross could understand
the promise--that frightful promise:

"Woods rat, Foscar goes to his burial fire. And he shall take a slave
with him to serve him beyond the sky--a slave to run at his voice, to
shake when he thunders. Slave-dog, you shall run for Foscar beyond the
sky, and he shall have you forever to walk upon as a man walks upon the
earth. I, Ennar, swear that Foscar shall be sent to the chiefs in the
sky in all honor. And that you, dog-one, shall lie at his feet in that
going!"

He did not touch Ross, but there was no doubt in Ross's mind that he
meant every word he spoke.

CHAPTER 17

The preparations for Foscar's funeral went on through the night. A
wooden structure, made up of tied fagots dragged in from the woodland,
grew taller beyond the big tribal camp. The constant crooning wail of
the women in the tents produced a minor murmur of sound, enough to drive
a man to the edge of madness. Ross had been left under guard where he
could watch it all, a refinement of torture which he would earlier have
believed too subtle for Ennar. Though the older men carried minor
commands among the horsemen, because Ennar was the closest of blood kin
among the adult males, he was in charge of the coming ceremony.

The pick of the horse herd, a roan stallion, was brought in to be
picketed near Ross as sacrifice number two, and two of the hounds we