d who are poor and should be compensated for his
loss?"

"Why, indeed?" ejaculated Maqueda. "Listen, now, my friends. In my
own name and in that of the Abati people I promised to you as many
camel-loads of this gold as you can carry away from Mur, and before the
day is done I will show it to you if you dare follow me to where it lies
hid."

"First the work, then the pay," said Oliver. "Now tell us, Child of
Kings, what is that work?"

"This, O Son of Orme. You must swear--if this is not against your
consciences as Christians--that for the space of one year from to-day
you will serve me and fight for me and be subject to my laws, striving
all the while to destroy the idol Harmac by your Western skill and
weapons, after which you shall be free to go whither you will with your
reward."

"And if we swear, Lady," asked Oliver after reflection, "tell us what
rank shall we hold in your service?"

"You shall be my chief captain for this enterprise, O Son of Orme,
and those with you shall serve under you in such positions as you may
please."

At these words a murmur of dissatisfaction arose from the mail-clad
generals in the Council.

"Are we then, to obey this stranger, O Child of Kings?" queried Joshua
as their spokesman.

"Aye, my uncle, so far as this great enterprise is concerned, as I have
said. Can you handle the firestuffs of which they alone have the secret?
Could any three of you have held the gate of Harmac against the armies
of the Fung and sent it flying skyward?"

She paused and waited in the midst of a sullen silence.

"You do not answer because you cannot," continued Maqueda. "Then for
this purpose be content to serve awhile under the command of those who
have the skill and power which you lack."

Still there was no answer.

"Lady," said Orme in this ominous quiet, "you are so good as to make me
a general among your soldiers, but will they obey me? And who are your
soldiers? Does every man of the Abati bear arms?"

"Alas! no," she replied, fixing upon this latter question perhaps
because she could not answer the first. "Alas! no. In the old days it
was otherwise, when my great ancestresses ruled, and then we did not
fear the Fung. But now the people will not serve as soldiers. They say
it takes them from their trades and the games they love; they say they
cannot give the time in youth; they say that it degrades a man to obey
the orders of those set over him; they say that war is barbarous and
s