emained in
my high seat beneath the golden canopy alone.

The people fled past me without fighting; they fled into the cave city,
they fled to the rocks; they hid themselves among the precipices, and
after them came the Fung, slaying and burning, till all Mur went up in
flames. And I, I sat and watched, waiting till it was time for me to die
also.

At last, I know not how long afterwards, appeared before me Barung, a
red sword in his hand, which he lifted to me in salute.

"Greeting, Child of Kings," he said. "You see Harmac is come to sleep at
Mur."

"Yes," I answered, "Harmac is come to sleep at Mur, and many of those
who dwelt there sleep with him. What of it? Say, Barung, will you kill
me, or shall I kill myself?"

"Neither, Child of Kings," he answered in his high fashion. "Did I not
make you a promise yonder in the Pass of Mur, when I spoke with you and
the Western men, and does a Fung Sultan break his word? I have taken
back the city that was ours, as I swore to do, and purified it with
fire," and he pointed to the raging flames. "Now I will rebuild it, and
you shall rule under me."

"Not so," I answered; "but in place of that promise I ask of you three
things."

"Name them," said Barung.

"They are these: First, that you give me a good horse and five days'
food, and let me go where I will. Secondly, that if he still lives you
advance one Japhet, a certain Mountaineer who befriended me and brought
others to do likewise, to a place of honour under you. Thirdly, that you
spare the rest of the Abati people."

"You shall go whither you desire, and I think I know where you will go,"
answered Barung. "Certain spies of mine last night saw four white men
riding on fine camels towards Egypt, and reported it to me as I led my
army to the secret pass that Harmac showed me, which you Abati could
never find. But I said, 'Let them go; it is right that brave men who
have been the mock of the Abati should be allowed their freedom.' Yes,
I said this, although one of them was my daughter's husband, or near to
it. But she will have no more of him who fled to his father rather than
with her, so it was best that he should go also, since, if I brought him
back it must be to his death."

"Yes," I answered boldly, "I go after the Western men; I who have done
with these Abati. I wish to see new lands."

"And find an old love who thinks ill of you just now," he said, stroking
his beard. "Well, no wonder, for here has been a