Mary Hastings pushed past him and stood gazing at the two Wusun. "Timur!" she cried. "Where is the One-Who-Kills-Swiftly?" The councilor of Sungan glanced at her wonderingly. She was flushed, and breathing quickly. Her bronze hair had fallen to her slim shoulders. Tall and proud and imperious, she faced him--a lovely picture in the dim chamber. "He said that he would return to me," she repeated. "And he has not come. Well do I know that this could only be because of something evil that has happened. Where is he?" The two were stoically silent. She approached them fearlessly. To the guard's amazement, she stamped an angry foot, her eyes wide with anxiety. This, to the guard, was something that should not be permitted in the high presence of the Gur-Khan. He laid a warning hand on her shoulder. Startled, the girl drew back and struck down his arm. Abashed by her flaming displeasure, the warrior glanced at Bassalor Danek. The Gur-Khan frowned. "Touch not the Kha Rakcha, dog!" he growled "Soon the woman is to be allied to me by blood." Then to Mary: "It is not fitting, maiden, the even one such as you should come to this place in anger. Cover then the flame of spirit with the ashes of respect." Timur interpreted his stately speech. But the girl was wrought up by fear for Gray. Not until he had failed to rejoin her did she realize how much his coming had meant. So she was not minded to respect the dignity of the two aged men. Mary Hastings had been mistress of native servants. She knew how to exact obedience. "Tell the chieftain," she cried, "to answer when I speak. Am I one to hide the fire of spirit under the cloak of humiliation? Speak! What has become of the white man?" Timur rendered the Gur-Khan's reply in Turki. "The tall warrior has offered his body to cool the anger of Wu Fang Chien, who demands him." The girl paled. "How? When?" "He will take a sword that we will give him this night and go to seek the ruler of the Buddhists. Even so shall it be. We have decided, in council. In this way Wu Fang Chien will be appeased, and the Wusun will drink of the solace of peace in their trouble. Furthermore----" "Stay!" The girl drew a quick breath. She guessed why Gray had not come to her. The knowledge of his danger steadied her tumultuous thoughts. The danger was worse than she feared. But--such was the woman's strength of soul when the man she loved was menaced--she became strangely calm. She had not admitted to herself until now that she loved the American. With the understanding of the fresh sacrifice he was prepared to make for her, she could no more deny the truth of her love than she could question the fact of her own life. "Will you give me up as well?" she asked scornfully. "Nay. You will have a place by the side of the Gur-Khan, because of your beauty which--so said the One-Who-Kills-Swiftly--is like to the sun. The Wusun will safeguard the Kha Rakcha, even as he demanded."