Thou, Holly, speak, and let it be the truth." "It is this, O Hes," I answered.

"Yonder lady and her uncle the Shaman Simbri saved us from death in the waters of the river that bounds the precipices of Kaloon.

Afterwards we were ill, and they treated us kindly, but the Khania became enamoured of my foster-son." Here the figure of the Priestess stirred beneath its gauzy wrappings, and the Voice asked--"And did thy foster-son become enamoured of the Khania, as being a man he may well have done, for without doubt she is fair ?" "He can answer that question for himself, O Hes.

All I know is that he strove to escape from her, and that in the end she gave him a day to choose between death and marriage with her, when her lord should be dead.

So, helped by the Khan, her husband, who was jealous of him, we fled towards this Mountain, which we desired to reach.