t harm her, and you brought her back with
you to Pellucidar and set her free to return to Phutra. This is your
reward."

Now I understood. The Mahar who had been my involuntary companion upon
my return to the outer world was Tu-al-sa. This was the first time
that I had learned the lady's name. I thanked fate that I had not left
her upon the sands of the Sahara--or put a bullet in her, as I had been
tempted to do. I was surprised to discover that gratitude was a
characteristic of the dominant race of Pellucidar. I could never think
of them as aught but cold-blooded, brainless reptiles, though Perry had
devoted much time in explaining to me that owing to a strange freak of
evolution among all the genera of the inner world, this species of the
reptilia had advanced to a position quite analogous to that which man
holds upon the outer crust.

He had often told me that there was every reason to believe from their
writings, which he had learned to read while we were incarcerated in
Phutra, that they were a just race, and that in certain branches of
science and arts they were quite well advanced, especially in genetics
and metaphysics, engineering and architecture.

While it had always been difficult for me to look upon these things as
other than slimy, winged crocodiles--which, by the way, they do not at
all resemble--I was now forced to a realization of the fact that I was
in the hands of enlightened creatures--for justice and gratitude are
certain hallmarks of rationality and culture.

But what they purposed for us further was of most imminent interest to
me. They might save us from the tarag and yet not free us. They
looked upon us yet, to some extent, I knew, as creatures of a lower
order, and so as we are unable to place ourselves in the position of
the brutes we enslave--thinking that they are happier in bondage than
in the free fulfilment of the purposes for which nature intended
them--the Mahars, too, might consider our welfare better conserved in
captivity than among the dangers of the savage freedom we craved.
Naturally, I was next impelled to inquire their further intent.

To my question, put through the Sagoth interpreter, I received the
reply that having spared my life they considered that Tu-al-sa's debt
of gratitude was canceled. They still had against me, however, the
crime of which I had been guilty--the unforgivable crime of stealing
the great secret. They, therefore, intended holding Dian and