ith a--a--the
word stuck in my throat; yet by my own American standards Ajor could be
nothing else; at home, for all her beauty, for all her delicately
tinted skin, little Ajor by her apparel, by the habits and customs and
manners of her people, by her life, would have been classed a squaw.
Tom Billings in love with a squaw! I shuddered at the thought.

And then there came to my mind, in a sudden, brilliant flash upon the
screen of recollection the picture of Ajor as I had last seen her, and
I lived again the delicious moment in which we had clung to one
another, lips smothering lips, as I left her to go to the council hall
of Al-tan; and I could have kicked myself for the snob and the cad that
my thoughts had proven me--me, who had always prided myself that I was
neither the one nor the other!

These things ran through my mind as Nobs and I made our way through the
dark village, the voices and footsteps of those who sought us still in
our ears. These and many other things, nor could I escape the
incontrovertible fact that the little figure round which my
recollections and my hopes entwined themselves was that of
Ajor--beloved barbarian! My reveries were broken in upon by a hoarse
whisper from the black interior of a hut past which we were making our
way. My name was called in a low voice, and a man stepped out beside
me as I halted with raised knife. It was Chal-az.

"Quick!" he warned. "In here! It is my hut, and they will not search
it."

I hesitated, recalled his attitude of a few minutes before; and as
though he had read my thoughts, he said quickly: "I could not speak to
you in the plaza without danger of arousing suspicions which would
prevent me aiding you later, for word had gone out that Al-tan had
turned against you and would destroy you--this was after Du-seen the
Galu arrived."

I followed him into the hut, and with Nobs at our heels we passed
through several chambers into a remote and windowless apartment where a
small lamp sputtered in its unequal battle with the inky darkness. A
hole in the roof permitted the smoke from burning oil egress; yet the
atmosphere was far from lucid. Here Chal-az motioned me to a seat upon
a furry hide spread upon the earthen floor.

"I am your friend," he said. "You saved my life; and I am no ingrate
as is the batu Al-tan. I will serve you, and there are others here who
will serve you against Al-tan and this renegade Galu, Du-seen."

"But where is Ajor?" I