s nothing of our customs?"

"That is true."

"She will be of no use, then," observed Urim, "until she has learned
them. I think it would be best to keep her apart from the other slaves
until then.

"You, Nada, shall teach her our ways; you are excused from other duties.
See that she is taught to give service as a hand-maiden--she is far too
beautiful for harder tasks. When she has learned all that you can teach
her, let me know and I shall see to it that she has a kind mistress."

Nada could not hide her gratitude. It was clear that Urim had taken an
interest in the new slave-girl, and it gladdened the older woman's heart
to know Dylara's lot was to be an easy one.

Their interview ended, the two women were about to leave when the door
opened to admit Jotan, Tamar and Javan.

Jotan, slightly in the lead, halted directly in front of Dylara.
Indifferent to all else, he gazed deeply into the startled eyes of the
cave-girl.

Dylara felt her cheeks grow warm under the unmistakable message in the
man's eyes. She was conscious, in a peculiar detached way, of a strange,
disturbing fascination. Somehow she knew this declaration was coming
from deep within the heart of the square-faced young warrior; that the
love he professed so silently was honest and complete.

Tamar nudged Javan sharply with an indignant elbow. "Look at him!" he
growled under his breath. "There stands our friend--staring at a
barbarian wench as though she were a nobleman's daughter! We've got to
do something about this, Javan."

There was a dreamy expression in Javan's eyes. "She _is_ beautiful, at
that," he whispered. "Maybe we--"

* * * * *

His voice trailed off as one of the escorting guards, impatient at the
delay, took Dylara by one arm and urged her on.

The movement brought realization of their surroundings to both the man
and the woman. Jotan stepped aside to let them pass, his face
expressionless.

Dylara and Nada walked slowly along the corridor between the two guards.
The girl seemed subdued, deep in thought. Nada, watching her covertly,
said:

"He loves you, Dylara."

The cave-girl nodded. "I know.... Who is he, Nada? I'm certain he's
never seen me before. Do men fall in love so quickly?"

Her companion smiled. "They have been known to," she observed drily. "He
is Jotan, the son of a nobleman of Ammad. He has been in Sephar only a
day or two."

"I like him," Dylara said. "You must tell me more