al her rightful honor. Her face softened; she
considered him from eyes far less hostile.

A wholesome respect for this gross tyrant's mentality came to me; it
did not temper, it heightened, the hatred I felt for him. But now I
recognized the subtlety of his attack; realized that unerringly he
had taken the only means by which he could have gained a hearing; have
temporized. Could he win her with his guile?

"Is it not true?" There was a leonine purring in the question.

"It IS true!" she answered proudly. "Though why YOU should dwell upon
this, Cherkis, whose word is steadfast as the running stream and whose
promises are as lasting as its bubbles--why YOU should dwell on this I
do not know."

"I have changed greatly, Princess, in the years since my great
wickedness; I have learned much. He who speaks to you now is not he you
were taught--and taught justly then--to hate."

"You may speak truth! Certainly you are not as I have pictured you." It
was as though she were more than half convinced. "In this at least you
do speak truth--that IF I promise I will go and molest you no more."

"Why go at all, Princess?" Quietly he asked the amazing question--then
drew himself to his full height, threw wide his arms.

"Princess?" the great voice rumbled forth. "Nay--Queen! Why leave us
again--Norhala the Queen? Are we not of your people? Am I not of your
kin? Join your power with ours. What that war engine you ride may be,
how built, I know not. But this I do know--that with our strengths
joined we two can go forth from where I have dwelt so long, go forth
into the forgotten world, eat its cities and rule.

"You shall teach our people to make these engines, Norhala, and we will
make many of them. Queen Norhala--you shall wed my son Kulun, he who
stands beside me. And while I live you shall rule with me, rule equally.
And when I die you and Kulun shall rule.

"Thus shall our two royal lines be made one, the old feud wiped out, the
long score be settled. Queen--wherever it is you dwell it comes to
me that you have few men. Queen--you need men, many men and strong to
follow you, men to gather the harvests of your power, men to bring to
you the fruit of your smallest wish--young men and vigorous to amuse
you.

"Let the past be forgotten--I too have wrongs to forget, O Queen. Come
to us, Great One, with your power and your beauty. Teach us. Lead us.
Return, and throned above your people rule the world!"

He ceased. Over the b