y danger upon yourself? It
was wrong, Amuba; and I have suffered horribly. Even though we are as
brothers, why should you sacrifice yourself for me, especially when it
is my life and not yours that is forfeited? I told myself a thousand
times last night that I was base and cowardly in allowing you and
Jethro to risk your lives for me, when by giving myself up the rage of
the people will be satisfied, and you could make your way out of this
land without great danger. It was bad enough that you should share my
risk, but when it comes to your taking it all upon your shoulders that
I should escape free, I can accept such sacrifice no longer; and
to-morrow I will go down and surrender myself."

Amuba was about to burst into remonstrance, when Jethro touched him as
a sign to be silent. The Rebu knew how acutely Chebron had suffered
and how he had spent the night in tears and self-reproaches, and felt
that it was better to allow his present agitation to pass before
arguing with him.

"Are you hungry, Amuba?" he asked.

"That I am, Jethro. I had nothing save a mouthful of bread since our
meal here yesterday; and you will get no news out of me until I have
eaten and drunk." A meal of cakes and cool fish and a draught of wine
was soon taken; and Amuba said, "Now I will tell you all about it."

"We know the first part," Jethro said. "When I returned here yesterday
evening I found Chebron almost beside himself with anxiety. He told me
how he had been discovered by one of the slaves of Ptylus who knew him
by sight; how you had attacked the slave, rescued him from his hands,
and then joined him in his flight; how you insisted that you should
separate; and how the pursuers had all followed on your track, leaving
him to return here unmolested. He had been here upward of two hours
when I arrived, and as the time had passed on without your return he
had become more and more anxious. Of course I at once started out to
gather news, and had the greatest difficulty in persuading him to
remain here, for he scorned the idea of danger to himself from the
search which would be sure to be again actively set on foot. However,
as I pointed out it was necessary that if you returned you should find
somebody here, he at last agreed to remain.

"When I got into the town I found the whole city in the streets. The
news had come that the slayers of the cat had been discovered; that
one had escaped, but that the other had been overtaken after a long