But my ambassadors have had no great schooling in diplomacy; they have brought Princess Heru here, and how can I hand her over to one I know nothing of?
How do I know you are a ghost, after all?
How do I know you have anything but a rusty sword and much impertinence to back your astounding claim ?" "Oh, let it be just as you like," I said, calmly shelling and eating a nut I had picked up.

"Only if you do not give the maid back, why, then--" And I stopped as though the sequel were too painful to put into words.
Again that superstitious monarch of a land thronged with malicious spirits called up his magician, and, after they had consulted a moment, turned more cheerfully to me.
"Look here, Mister-from-Nowhere, if you are really a spirit, and have the power to hurt as you say, you will have the power also to go and come between the living and the dead, between the present and the past.
Now I will set you an errand, and give you five minutes to do it in." "Five minutes!" I exclaimed in incautious alarm.
"Five minutes," said the monarch savagely.

"And if in that time the errand is not done, I shall hold you to be an impostor, an impudent thief from some scoundrel tribe of this world of mine, and will make of you an example which shall keep men's ears tingling for a century or two." Poor Heru dropped in a limp and lovely heap at that dire threat, while I am bound to say I felt somewhat uncomfortable, not unnaturally when all the circumstances are considered, but contented myself with remarking, with as much bravado as could be managed, "And now to the errand, Ar-hap.

What can I do for your majesty ?" The king consulted with the rogue at his elbow, and then nodding and chuckling in expectancy of his triumph, addressed me.
"Listen," he cried, smiting a huge hairy hand upon his knee, "listen, and do or die.

My magician tells me it is recorded in his books that once, some five thousand years ago, when this land belonged to the Hither people, there lived here a king.