as for
mating or marriage, why, there is a woman at home waiting for me."

"Woman!" Dolores cried with scorn. "Woman! I am Dolores!" She swayed
toward him, her arms went about his neck, and slowly, slowly her
glorious eyes fastened on his, her moist, warm lips sought his in a kiss
that dragged at his soul's foundations.

"Canst refuse me?" she laughed softly, drawing back her head and peering
at him from under lowered lids. "See, I trust thee utterly!" Snatching
her dagger from the sheath she placed it in his right hand; then, with a
key from her girdle, she unfastened his chains and swayed back, still
kneeling. She clutched the single shoulder-strap of her tunic, tore it
from her bosom, and flung both arms wide apart. "See!" she whispered,
and Rupert Venner flung away the dagger, stumbled to his feet, and swept
her into his crushing embrace while she abandoned herself to him with a
long, quivering sigh.

"By the gods!" he swore hoarsely, "show me what I have to do. Wonderful,
wonderful Dolores!"

"Patience," she smiled, resting her head on his breast. "First tell me
thy name. What shall thy Dolores call thee?"

"I am Rupert. Call me slave!"

"Rupert. It is a name to love. Slave? Nay, it is I who shall be slave to
thee. But patience again, Rupert. When we two go from here, there can be
no other to share our secret; none save the slaves that I shall place in
thy ship to replace thy dead crew. Thy friends may not go. They must not
live to see thee go!"

Venner shivered, and drew back, holding her at arms' length and staring
at her in horror.

"What are you saying, Dolores?" he gasped. "My friends are to die?"

"Yes, and by thy hand, my Rupert. For how else may I know thou are
worthy to be mate to a queen?"

"Now, by Heaven! Witch, siren, whatever you are, my madness has passed!"
he cried. "Not for the key to a paradise peopled with such as you would
I do this!" He stepped aside, picked up her dagger, and glared at her
with steely eyes.

Dolores laughed at him: a low, throaty little laugh that went clear to
his brain and set it on fire again. Yet, nerving himself against her, he
stood erect, dagger in hand, and met the blaze of her dusky eyes
bravely. He shivered violently when her rich voice thrilled his tingling
ears.

"Hah, my Rupert, thou'rt not yet tamed. Let me show thee thy master!"

With the words she reached him with her subtle, tigerish glide, swiftly,
startlingly, and with the dart of a cobra h