“This is my brother Stephnos, Harilek,” she said. He held out his sword to me as the elder man had done, and I placed my hand upon the hilt. Then he thrust it back into its sheath and took both my hands. “Harilek, as my sister calls you, we owe you my sister’s life. All we have is yours.” Then the other men with them came up and shook our hands. One and all were fair-skinned men of European type, straight features, grey, blue, and hazel eyes, with hair varying from yellow to dark brown. They were for the most part sun-tanned, but with the unmistakably transparent skin that marks the true white races. Aryenis was holding her father’s arm, her face radiant with joy at the reunion, and talking fast while he stroked her red-gold hair. Then at last she ceased and turned to us. “My father came here yesterday to see the forts. There is real war now, which he will tell you about. After we have eaten, we will take men with ropes and bring the others up the cliff. Now I go to find--skirts!” she said, laughing. She led the way, still holding her father tightly by the hand, and the rest of us followed. As we reached the house, the men standing by the horses rushed over to us, all trying to grasp Aryenis’s hands. She spoke to them by name, so I gathered that they were men of her own house. There was no mistaking their delight at seeing her, nor her unfeigned joy at being among them again. Kyrlos, as her father was called, spoke to them for a minute or two in their own language, and, though I could not understand what was being said, I guessed that he was talking about Aryenis’s escape. I could see them looking at us with interest. We entered the house, where news of our coming had evidently preceded us, for there were more servants waiting, and among them some women. Then, after more greetings, Aryenis disappeared with the women. Kyrlos turned to us and said: “You must be weary after your climb. If you will follow me, I will show you to the guest-room, where you may wash off the dust of the caves before the midday meal. There are but rough quarters here now since, as perhaps you have heard, there is war in the land. Later on, we shall be able to entertain you better.” He led us into a side room giving off the main hall, and a minute later two men entered carrying bowls of water and towels. “If you will put off your heavy clothes here, and leave your gear, presently Stephnos will fetch you to the dining-chamber.” He looked at our rifles, and then said, pointing: “These are your weapons, I suppose, though unfamiliar to me. If you wish to leave them here, they will be safe. No man will touch anything.” I took the opportunity of asking him to have grain and forage brought with us when we went to the caves in the afternoon, and also to let us have a guard of men to stay with the camels. They were rather to help Sadiq and keep him company than for protection, for it was clear now that the Shamans would not follow us.