flee the fire? Khan, they said that I
should kill you, but I do not seek your blood. You think that I would
rob you of your wife, yet I have no such thought towards her. We desire
to escape this town of yours, but cannot, because its gates are locked,
and we are prisoners, guarded night and day. Hear me, then. You have the
power to set us free and to be rid of us."

The Khan looked at him cunningly. "And if I set you free, whither would
you go? You could tumble down yonder gorge, but only the birds can climb
its heights."

"To the Fire-mountain, where we have business."

Rassen stared at him.

"Is it I who am mad, or are you, who wish to visit the Fire-mountain?
Yet that is nothing to me, save that I do not believe you. But if so
you might return again and bring others with you. Perchance, having
its lady, you wish this land also by right of conquest. It has foes up
yonder."

"It is not so," answered Leo earnestly. "As one man to another, I tell
you it is not so. _I_ ask no smile of your wife and no acre of your
soil. Be wise and help us to be gone, and live on undisturbed in such
fashion as may please you."

The Khan stood still awhile, swinging his long arms vacantly, till
something seemed to come into his mind that moved him to merriment, for
he burst into one of his hideous laughs.

"I am thinking," he said, "what Atene would say if she woke up to find
her sweet bird flown. She would search for you and be angry with me."

"It seems that she cannot be angrier than she is," I answered. "Give us
a night's start and let her search never so closely, she shall not find
us."

"You forget, Wanderer, that she and her old Rat have arts. Those who
knew where to meet you might know where to seek you. And yet, and yet,
it would be rare to see her rage. 'Oh, Yellow-beard, where are you,
Yellow-beard?' he went on, mimicking his wife's voice. 'Come back and
let me melt your ice, Yellow-beard.'"

Again he laughed; then said suddenly--"When can you be ready?"

"In half an hour," I answered.

"Good. Go to your chambers and prepare. I will join you there
presently."

So we went.

CHAPTER XI

THE HUNT AND THE KILL

We reached our rooms, meeting no one in the passages, and there made
our preparations. First we changed our festal robes for those warmer
garments in which we had travelled to the city of Kaloon. Then we ate
and drank what we could of the victuals which stood in the antechamber,
not knowing when we