“Whereas women--especially pretty ones--would be greatly concerned if they got any scars that might show at all. I understand, Aryenis.” He smiled at her. Servants brought us carved chairs, but Aryenis insisted on sitting on the couch by the old man. “Be seated, sir,” he said. “I would hear how you saved Aryenis, only I would hear it from her lips since I shall thus get somewhat more of the truth. I understand that you have been a soldier, and soldiers are notoriously bad at telling the real facts about themselves in such matters.” So she gave him a flowery version of her rescue, with italics in most places concerning the part I had played, and minor italics for Payindah now and then. After that she gave him a very accurate description of our camels and our camp. Very little misses Aryenis. “’Twas well done, Harilek,” he said at last. “I do not know whether Aryenis is the more fortunate in being rescued by you, or you the more fortunate in being able to rescue her. When I was a young man I dreamed of such things as that, but they did not come my way.” “_I_ have no doubt whatever, sir. The good fortune was entirely on my side.” “And Aryenis says that you slew the Shamans with new weapons, such as have not been heard of in our country. Have you them with you? I was a lover of weapons ere misfortune tied me to this couch.” I pulled out my pistol, unloaded it, and placed it in the old man’s hand, explaining roughly the way it worked as I showed him the cartridges. “Wonderful,” he said. “That little thing which you say is as the miniature of our fort catapults will send those tiny bolts right through a mail-coat and through the man inside. And your man who slew the others, was he armed with this?” “No. We have bigger ones that slay much farther; indeed, if you have eyes that are keen enough to point them straight, they will slay at over a mile. This is the dagger of which the other is the long spear.” “Wonderful! Wonderful! Man has yet much to discover.” He handed me back the pistol, watching me reload it, and put it back in its holster. “Stay you long in our country? If so you must come and see me again. Aryenis knows the way well enough. She has played here since she was a child.” “I know not. But we stay for the war, and until that finishes in your favour we shall not leave.” “Then I think you will stay some while. This will be a long and cruel war. Why do you stay for a war which is not your affair?” “We stay because it is the matter of Aryenis and of her people, and since she was our guest we consider it in some sort as our business, too. Besides, we like not such of the ways of the Shamans as we have seen.” I told him of the morning’s episode, and Kyrlos’s narrow escape. “The Shamans grow bold to practise open treachery like that. They must hold the other clans in thrall like dogs. Ten years ago, had such a thing been done, the whole of the clans would have turned on them.” He stopped; then continued: