“Then he turned his hand over--so--and the guard, who’d been standing handy with ropes, ran the prisoners up to the nearest trees without any talkee, talkee. Good quick work. As we rode away, I saw all seven dangling limp against the background of burnt-out houses, with the kites wheeling round them already. I understood then why Stephnos had brought them back. He told me that in this country justice is always carried out on the scene of the crime, if possible, or somewhere near it. “I asked him if they killed all prisoners. He said no; but this was murder, not war, since they had killed the women and the children. I quite agreed with him. After finding that wretched girl on the road, I’d have stood by and watched even if he’d wanted to boil ’em alive in oil. “We dropped the fort detachment and one of our men, who was rather bad, at the village--the rest of the badly wounded belonged to the fort people--and came on here as fast as we could go. The horses were a bit done by that time, and we had an hour’s halt on the way. “It was quite a bright little show one way and another, and young Stephnos has the makings of a very useful soldier. He handled the ambush business a treat, and brought his men in pretty nippy when we rushed them. And that’s our story. What have you been doing? You’ve got no end of a rig-out. And where’s Alec?” I told him of our adventures, the little matter of the Shaman envoy, and the various things I heard since we parted the previous morning. “By the way,” I finished, “I’ve met Ziné--the lady of the picture. She’s here now.” “Is she as nice-looking as the picture?” asked Wrexham. “Yes, quite, I should say, although I’ve not seen it of late.” Milos turned to us, speaking slowly in Greek: “Your friend was fortunate this morning, it seems, getting off with only a scratch. It was good work catching the whole party of raiders. In one way the raid is fortunate, since, if there be any of our people doubtful about the wisdom of making war, this will show them its necessity. It is the first time the Shamans have entered our borders on such a scale.” “When is the council to be held?” I asked. “To-morrow before midday in the great hall. Perhaps you and your friends would like to come, although you will not be able to understand the talk, since it will be in our own language. But Stephnos will be able to tell you what we are saying.” “We should like to come very much if we may,” I said. Just at that moment horses clattered up in the dusk outside, and we heard shouting and trample of feet. Then horses being led away and voices, and Kyrlos and Forsyth came in. The former, who had heard something of the raid on his way in, was anxious for details, and Stephnos had to tell the story all over again as Kyrlos sat warming his feet at the fire. He was very pleased at the account, and congratulated Stephnos, and also Wrexham for his share in the day’s work.