Nor can I
wonder, knowing this type as I did, for had I not made him ridiculous
in the eyes of his warriors, beating him at his own game? What
king, savage or civilized, could condone such impudence? Seeing his
black scowls, I deemed it expedient, especially on Ajor's account,
to terminate the interview and continue upon our way; but when
I would have done so, Al-tan detained us with a gesture, and his
warriors pressed around us.
"What is the meaning of this?" I demanded, and before Al-tan could
reply, Chal-az raised his voice in our behalf.
"Is this the gratitude of a Kro-lu chieftain, Al-tan," he asked,
"to one who has served you by saving one of your warriors from the
enemy--saving him from the death dance of the Band-lu?"
Al-tan was silent for a moment, and then his brow cleared, and the
faint imitation of a pleasant expression struggled for existence
as he said: "The stranger will not be harmed. I wished only to
detain him that he may be feasted tonight in the village of Al-tan
the Kro-lu. In the morning he may go his way. Al-tan will not
hinder him."
I was not entirely reassured; but I wanted to see the interior
of the Kro-lu village, and anyway I knew that if Al-tan intended
treachery I would be no more in his power in the morning than I now
was--in fact, during the night I might find opportunity to escape
with Ajor, while at the instant neither of us could hope to escape
unscathed from the encircling warriors.
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