"Never!" cried Pan-at-lee. "I hate you. Sooner would I mate with
a Ho-don than with you, beater of women, murderer of babes."

A frightful scowl distorted the features of the chief. "She-jato!"
he cried. "I will tame you! I will break you! Es-sat, the chief,
takes what he will and who dares question his right, or combat his
least purpose, will first serve that purpose and then be broken
as I break this," and he picked a stone platter from the table and
broke it in his powerful hands. "You might have been first and most
favored in the cave of the ancestors of Es-sat; but now shall you
be last and least and when I am done with you you shall belong to
all of the men of Es-sat's cave. Thus for those who spurn the love
of their chief!"

He advanced quickly to seize her and as he laid a rough hand upon
her she struck him heavily upon the side of his head with her
golden breastplates. Without a sound Es-sat, the chief, sank to
the floor of the apartment. For a moment Pan-at-lee bent over him,
her improvised weapon raised to strike again should he show signs
of returning consciousness, her glossy breasts rising and falling
with her quickened breathing. Suddenly she stooped and removed
Es-sat's knife with its scabbard and shoulder belt. Slipping it
over her own shoulder she quickly adjusted her breastplates and
keeping a watchful glance upon the figure of the fallen chief,
backed from the room.

In a niche in the outer room, just beside the doorway leading to the
balcony, were neatly piled a number of rounded pegs from eighteen
to twenty inches in length. Selecting five of these she made them