at he
declared that every one of the white men should die. Ziffak reminded
him of his pledge that they should be safe for two days, a pledge that
he had repeated in their presence.

But in his hot anger, Ziffak said, he would break that pledge. One of
the explorers had dared to look upon the face of Ariel and smile. Had
he detected her returning it, he would have driven his javelin through
her body as she stood beside him.

Ziffak gave no hint of what he had observed.

The head chieftain was not afraid to brave his brother to his face; but
he wisely forbore carrying the quarrel beyond the point of
reconciliation. He told his brother that he was so beside himself that
he forgot he was a Murhapa who never broke his word. But if the king
insisted, he would see that the white men took their departure before
the rising of the morrow's sun.

King Haffgo consented that if that was done, he would permit them to go
in peace. It was Ziffak's hope that his brother, after his anger had
time to cool, would modify his last declaration still further and allow
them to stay their two days, that led him to qualify his remark about
the necessity of their withdrawing that night.

The same cunning which stood the head chieftain so well during this
stormy interview remained with him to the end. While he and his
brother were wrangling, Ariel stood mute and with bowed head. She
durst not speak, but withdrew only a minute or two before her parent.

Ziffak was still warmly attached to Ashman, and was willing to risk his
life in his behalf. Knowing that Waggaman and Burkhardt had had much
to do with stirring the resentment of the king, he was angry enough to
slay both of them.

When the most peculiar situation is considered, however, it is hardly
safe to believe the head chieftain was ready to go to the length of
helping to bring about a meeting between the lovers.

He understood his niece well enough to know that despite the fury of
her parent, she would brave a good deal to exchange words with the
handsome stranger that had made such an impression on his heart.

So long as this young man remained in Ziffak's house, so long was it
impossible for such meeting to take place; but, when Ashman sprang up
and announced his intention of taking a stroll, Ziffak believed that it
was with the intention of trying to see Ariel. That is to say, he
suspected what really came to pass, though it was not in the mind of
the youth.

Ashman h