Nobody spoke. The newcomer glanced at Selden, smiled slightly, blushed, then caught a glimpse of Cleves where he lay in the brake, and a mischievous glimmer came into her slanting eyes. “Did I not tell my lord truths?” she inquired in a demure whisper. “As surely as the sun is a dragon, and the flaming pearl burns between his claws, so surely burns the soul of Heart of Flame between thy guarding hands. There are as many words as there are demons, my lord, but it is written that _Niaz_ is the greatest of all words save only the name of God.” She laughed without any sound, sweetly malicious where she sat among the ferns. “Heart of Flame,” she said to Tressa, “you called me and I _made the effort_.” “Darling,” said Tressa in her thrilling voice, “the Yezidees are making living things out of dust,—as Sanang Noïane made that thing in the Temple.... And slew it before our eyes.” “The Tchor-Dagh,” said Sansa calmly. “The Tchor-Dagh,” whispered Tressa. Sansa’s smooth little hands crept up to the collar of her odd, blue tunic; grasped it. “In the name of God the Merciful,” she said without a tremor, “listen to me, Heart of Flame, and may my soul be ransom for yours!” “I hear you, Sansa.” Sansa said, her fingers still grasping the embroidered collar of her tunic: “Yonder, behind walls, two Tower Chiefs meddle with the Tchor-Dagh, making living things out of the senseless dust they scrape from the garden.” Selden moistened his dry lips. Sansa said: “The Yezidees who have come into this wilderness are Arrak Sou-Sou, the Squirrel; and Tiyang Khan.... May God remember them in Hell!” “May God remember them,” said Tressa mechanically. “And these two Yezidee Sorcerers,” continued Sansa coolly, “have advanced thus far in the Tchor-Dagh; for they now roam these woods, digging like demons, for the roots of Ginseng; and thou knowest, O Heart of Flame, what that indicates.” “Does Ginseng grow in these woods!” exclaimed Tressa with a new terror in her widening eyes. “Ginseng grows here, little Rose-Heart, and the roots are as perfect as human bodies. And Tiyang Khan squats in the walled garden moulding the Ginseng roots in his unclean hands, while Sou-Sou the Squirrel scratches among the dead leaves of the woods for roots as perfect as a naked human body. “All day long the Sou-Sou rummages among the trees; all day long Tiyang pats and rubs and moulds the Ginseng roots in his skinny fingers. It is the Tchor-Dagh, Heart of Flame. And these Sorcerers must be destroyed.” “Are their bodies here?” “Arrak is in the body. And thus it shall be accomplished: listen attentively, Rose Heart Afire!—I shall remain here with——” she looked at Selden and flushed a trifle, “—with you, my lord. And when the Squirrel comes a-digging, so shall my lord slay him with a bullet.... And when I hear his soul bidding his body farewell, then I shall make prisoner his soul.... And send it to the Dark Star.... And the rest shall be in the hands of Allah.”