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〃I come from Ko…tan； the king；〃 replied Ja…don； 〃to remove the beautiful stranger to the Forbidden Garden。〃
〃The king defies me； the high priest of Jad…ben…Otho？〃 cried Lu…don。
〃It is the king's commandI have spoken；〃 snapped Ja…don； in whose manner was no sign of either fear or respect for the priest。
Lu…don well knew why the king had chosen this messenger whose heresy was notorious； but whose power had as yet protected him from the machinations of the priest。 Lu…don cast a surreptitious glance at the thongs hanging from the ceiling。 Why not？ If he could but maneuver to entice Ja…don to the opposite side of the chamber！
〃Come；〃 he said in a conciliatory tone； 〃let us discuss the matter；〃 and moved toward the spot where he would have Ja…don follow him。
〃There is nothing to discuss；〃 replied Ja…don； yet he followed the priest； fearing treachery。
Jane watched them。 In the face and figure of the warrior she found reflected those admirable traits of courage and honor that the profession of arms best develops。 In the hypocritical priest there was no redeeming quality。 Of the two then she might best choose the warrior。 With him there was a chancewith Lu…don； none。 Even the very process of exchange from one prison to another might offer some possibility of escape。 She weighed all these things and decided； for Ludon's quick glance at the thongs had not gone unnoticed nor uninterpreted by her。
〃Warrior；〃 she said； addressing Ja…don； 〃if you would live enter not that portion of the room。〃
Lu…don cast an angry glance upon her。 〃Silence； slave！〃 he cried。
〃And where lies the danger？〃 Ja…don asked of Jane； ignoring Lu…don。
The woman pointed to the thongs。 〃Look；〃 she said； and before the high priest could prevent she had seized that which controlled the partition which shot downward separating Lu…don from the warrior and herself。
Ja…don looked inquiringly at her。 〃He would have tricked me neatly but for you；〃 he said； 〃kept me imprisoned there while he secreted you elsewhere in the mazes of his temple。〃
〃He would have done more than that；〃 replied Jane； as she pulled upon the other thong。 〃This releases the fastenings of a trapdoor in the floor beyond the partition。 When you stepped on that you would have been precipitated into a pit beneath the temple。 Lu…don has threatened me with this fate often。 I do not know that he speaks the truth； but he says that a demon of the temple is imprisoned therea huge gryf。〃
〃There is a gryf within the temple；〃 said Ja…don。 〃What with it and the sacrifices； the priests keep us busy supplying them with prisoners； though the victims are sometimes those for whom Lu…don has conceived hatred among our own people。 He has had his eyes upon me for a long time。 This would have been his chance but for you。 Tell me； woman； why you warned me。 Are we not all equally your jailers and your enemies？〃
〃None could be more horrible than Lu…don；〃 she replied； 〃and you have the appearance of a brave and honorable warrior。 I could not hope； for hope has died and yet there is the possibility that among so many fighting men； even though they be of another race than mine； there is one who would accord honorable treatment to a stranger within his gateseven though she be a woman。〃
Ja…don looked at her for a long minute。 〃Kg…tan would make you his queen；〃 he said。 〃That he told me himself and surely that were honorable treatment from one who might make you a slave。〃
〃Why； then； would he make me queen？〃 she asked。
Ja…don came closer as though in fear his words might be overheard。 〃He believes； although he did not tell me so in fact； that you are of the race of gods。 And why not？ Jad…ben…Otho is tailless； therefore it is not strange that Ko…tan should suspect that only the gods are thus。 His queen is dead leaving only a single daughter。 He craves a son and what more desirable than that he should found a line of rulers for Pal…ul…don descended from the gods？〃
〃But I am already wed；〃 cried Jane。 〃I cannot wed another。 I do not want him or his throne。〃
〃Ko…tan is king；〃 replied Ja…don simply as though that explained and simplified everything。
〃You will not save me then？〃 she asked。
〃If you were in Ja…lur；〃 he replied； 〃I might protect you； even against the king。〃
〃What and where is Ja…lur？〃 she asked； grasping at any straw。
〃It is the city where I rule；〃 he answered。 〃I am chief there and of all the valley beyond。〃
〃Where is it？〃 she insisted； and 〃is it far？〃
〃No；〃 he replied； smiling； 〃it is not far； but do not think of thatyou could never reach it。 There are too many to pursue and capture you。 If you wish to know； however； it lies up the river that empties into Jad…ben…lul whose waters kiss the walls of A…lurup the western fork it lies with water upon three sides。 Impregnable city of Pal…ul…donalone of all the cities it has never been entered by a foeman since it was built there while Jad…ben…Otho was a boy。〃
〃And there I would be safe？〃 she asked。
〃Perhaps；〃 he replied。
Ah； dead Hope； upon what slender provocation would you seek to glow again！ She sighed and shook her head； realizing the inutility of Hopeyet the tempting bait dangled before her mind's eyeJa…lur！
〃You are wise；〃 commented Ja…don interpreting her sigh。 〃Come now； we will go to the quarters of the princess beside the Forbidden Garden。 There you will remain with O…lo…a； the king's daughter。 It will be better than this prison you have occupied。〃
〃And Ko…tan？〃 she asked； a shudder passing through her slender frame。
〃There are ceremonies；〃 explained Ja…don； 〃that may occupy several days before you become queen； and one of them may be difficult of arrangement。〃 He laughed； then。
〃What？〃 she asked。
〃Only the high priest may perform the marriage ceremony for a king；〃 he explained。
〃Delay！〃 she murmured； 〃blessed delay！〃 Tenacious indeed of life is Hope even though it be reduced to cold and lifeless chara veritable phoenix。
15
〃The King Is Dead！〃
AS THEY conversed Ja…don had led her down the stone stairway that leads from the upper floors of the Temple of the Gryf to the chambers and the corridors that honeycomb the rocky hills from which the temple and the palace are hewn and now they passed from one to the other through a doorway upon one side of which two priests stood guard and upon the other two warriors。 The former would have halted Ja…don when they saw who it was that accompanied him for well known throughout the temple was the quarrel between king and high priest for possession of this beautiful stranger。
〃Only by order of Lu…don may she pass；〃 said one； placing himself directly in front of Jane Clayton； barring her progress。 Through the hollow eyes of the hideous mask the woman could see those of the priest beneath gleaming with the fires of fanaticism。 Ja…don placed an arm about her shoulders and laid his hand upon his knife。
〃She passes by order of Ko…tan； the king；〃 he said； 〃and by virtue of the fact that Ja…don； the chief； is her guide。 Stand aside！〃
The two warriors upon the palace side pressed forward。 〃We are here； gund of Ja…lur；〃 said one； addressing Ja…don； 〃to receive and obey your commands。〃
The second priest now interposed。 〃Let them pass；〃 he admonished his companion。 〃We have received no direct commands from Lu…don to the contrary and it is a law of the temple and the palace that chiefs and priests may come and go without interference。〃
〃But I know Lu…don's wishes；〃 insisted the other。
〃He told you then that Ja…don must not pass with the stranger？〃
〃Nobut〃
〃Then let them pass； for they are three to two and will pass anywaywe have done our best。〃
Grumbling； the priest stepped aside。 〃Lu…don will exact an accounting；〃 he cried angrily。
Ja…don turned upon him。 〃And get it when and where he will；〃 he snapped。
They came at last to the quarters of the Princess O…lo…a where； in the main entrance…way； loitered a small guard of palace warriors and several stalwart black eunuchs belonging to the princess； or her women。 To one of the latter Ja…don relinquished his charge。
〃Take her to the princess；〃 he commanded； 〃and see that she does not escape。〃
Through a number of corridors and apartments lighted by stone cressets the eunuch led Lady Greystoke halting at last before a doorway concealed by hangings of jato skin； where the guide beat with his staff upon the wall beside the door。
〃O…lo…a； Princess of Pal…ul…don；〃 he called； 〃here is the stranger woman； the prisoner from the temple。〃
〃Bid her enter；〃 Jane heard a sweet voice from within command。
The eunuch drew aside the hangings and Lady Greystoke stepped within。 Before her was a low…ceiled room of moderate size。 In each of the four corners a kneeling figure of stone seemed to be bearing its portion of the weight of the ceiling upon its shoulders。 These figures were evidently intended to represent Waz…don slaves and were not without bold artistic beauty。 The ceiling itself was slightly arched to a central dome which was pierced to admit light by day； and air。 Upon one side of the room were many windows； the other three walls being blank except for a doorway in each。 The princess lay upon a pile of furs which were arranged over a low stone dais in one corner of th