o with him?" asked one of the priests.

"I have no quarrel with him," replied Mo-sar. "He came in peace and he
may depart in peace, for who knows but that he is indeed the
Dor-ul-Otho?"

"We know that he is not," replied Lu-don's emissary. "We have every
proof that he is only mortal, a strange creature from another country.
Already has Lu-don offered his life to Jad-ben-Otho if he is wrong in
his belief that this creature is not the son of god. If the high priest
of A-lur, who is the highest priest of all the high priests of
Pal-ul-don is thus so sure that the creature in an impostor as to stake
his life upon his judgment then who are we to give credence to the
claims of this stranger? No, Mo-sar, you need not fear him. He is only
a warrior who may be overcome with the same weapons that subdue your
own fighting men. Were it not for Lu-don's command that he be taken
alive I would urge you to set your warriors upon him and slay him, but
the commands of Lu-don are the commands of Jad-ben-Otho himself, and
those we may not disobey."

But still the remnant of a doubt stirred within the cowardly breast of
Mo-sar, urging him to let another take the initiative against the
stranger.

"He is yours then," he replied, "to do with as you will. I have no
quarrel with him. What you may command shall be the command of Lu-don,
the high priest, and further than that I shall have nothing to do in
the matter."

The priests turned to him who guided the destinies of the temple at
Tu-lur. "Have you no plan?" they asked. "High indeed will he stand in
the counsels of Lu-don and in the eyes of Jad-ben-Otho who finds the
means to capture this impostor alive."

"There is the lion pit," whispered the high priest. "It is now vacant
and what will hold ja and jato will hold this stranger if he is not the
Dor-ul-Otho."

"It will hold him," said Mo-sar; "doubtless too it would hold a gryf,
but first you would have to get the gryf into it."

The priests pondered this bit of wisdom thoughtfully and then one of
those from A-lur spoke. "It should not be difficult," he said, "if we
use the wits that Jad-ben-Otho gave us instead of the worldly muscles
which were handed down to us from our fathers and our mothers and which
have not even the power possessed by those of the beasts that run about
on four feet."

"Lu-don matched his wits with the stranger and lost," suggested Mo-sar.
"But this is your own affair. Carry it out as you see best."

"At A