w, had just grievances against him. He would not even
spare a boatload of his warriors from his own protection to return in
quest of the fugitive but hastened onward with as little delay as
possible across the portage and out upon the waters of Jad-in-lul.

The morning sun was just touching the white domes of Tu-lur when
Mo-sar's paddlers brought their canoes against the shore at the city's
edge. Safe once more behind his own walls and protected by many
warriors, the courage of the chief returned sufficiently at least to
permit him to dispatch three canoes in search of Jane Clayton, and also
to go as far as A-lur if possible to learn what had delayed Bu-lot,
whose failure to reach the canoes with the balance of the party at the
time of the flight from the northern city had in no way delayed
Mo-sar's departure, his own safety being of far greater moment than
that of his son.

As the three canoes reached the portage on their return journey the
warriors who were dragging them from the water were suddenly startled
by the appearance of two priests, carrying a light canoe in the
direction of Jad-in-lul. At first they thought them the advance guard
of a larger force of Lu-don's followers, although the correctness of
such a theory was belied by their knowledge that priests never accepted
the risks or perils of a warrior's vocation, nor even fought until
driven into a corner and forced to do so. Secretly the warriors of
Pal-ul-don held the emasculated priesthood in contempt and so instead
of immediately taking up the offensive as they would have had the two
men been warriors from A-lur instead of priests, they waited to
question them.

At sight of the warriors the priests made the sign of peace and upon
being asked if they were alone they answered in the affirmative.

The leader of Mo-sar's warriors permitted them to approach. "What do
you here," he asked, "in the country of Mo-sar, so far from your own
city?"

"We carry a message from Lu-don, the high priest, to Mo-sar," explained
one.

"Is it a message of peace or of war?" asked the warrior.

"It is an offer of peace," replied the priest.

"And Lu-don is sending no warriors behind you?" queried the fighting
man.

"We are alone," the priest assured him. "None in A-lur save Lu-don
knows that we have come upon this errand."

"Then go your way," said the warrior.

"Who is that?" asked one of the priests suddenly, pointing toward the
upper end of the lake at the po