"It would please my father," said Tarzan, "if you were to cause Pan-at-lee to be returned in safety to the village of her people." "What cares Jad-ben-Otho for such as she?" asked O-lo-a, a slight trace of hauteur in her tone. "There is but one god," replied Tarzan, "and he is the god of the Waz-don as well as of the Ho-don; of the birds and the beasts and the flowers and of everything that grows upon the earth or beneath the waters. If Pan-at-lee does right she is greater in the eyes of Jad-ben-Otho than would be the daughter of Ko-tan should she do wrong." It was evident that O-lo-a did not quite understand this interpretation of divine favor, so contrary was it to the teachings of the priesthood of her people. In one respect only did Tarzan's teachings coincide with her belief--that there was but one god. For the rest she had always been taught that he was solely the god of the Ho-don in every sense, other than that other creatures were created by Jad-ben-Otho to serve some useful purpose for the benefit of the Ho-don race. And now to be told by the son of god that she stood no higher in divine esteem than the black handmaiden at her side was indeed a shock to her pride, her vanity, and her faith. But who could question the word of Dor-ul-Otho, especially when she had with her own eyes seen him in actual communion with god in heaven? "The will of Jad-ben-Otho be done," said O-lo-a meekly, "if it lies within my power. But it would be best, O Dor-ul-Otho, to communicate your father's wish directly to the king." "Then keep her with you," said Tarzan, "and see that no harm befalls her." O-lo-a looked ruefully at Pan-at-lee. "She was brought to me but yesterday," she said, "and never have I had slave woman who pleased me better. I shall hate to part with her." "But there are others," said Tarzan. "Yes," replied O-lo-a, "there are others, but there is only one Pan-at-lee." "Many slaves are brought to the city?" asked Tarzan. "Yes," she replied. "And many strangers come from other lands?" he asked. She shook her head negatively. "Only the Ho-don from the other side of the Valley of Jad-ben-Otho," she replied, "and they are not strangers." "Am I then the first stranger to enter the gates of A-lur?" he asked. "Can it be," she parried, "that the son of Jad-ben-Otho need question a poor ignorant mortal like O-lo-a?" "As I told you before," replied Tarzan, "Jad-ben-Otho alone is all-knowing." "Then if he wished you to know this thing," retorted O-lo-a quickly, "you would know it." Inwardly the ape-man smiled that this little heathen's astuteness should beat him at his own game, yet in a measure her evasion of the question might be an answer to it. "There have been other strangers here then recently?" he persisted. "I cannot tell you what I do not know," she replied. "Always is the palace of Ko-tan filled with rumors, but how much fact and how much fancy how may a woman of the palace know?"