streamed down to take us captive or to slay. High up in
the darkening heavens the lammergeiers, the winged scavengers
of the Himalayas, were gathering.

The woman lifted her hand, beckoned us once more.
Slowly we walked toward her, stood before her. The great
clear eyes searched us--but no more intently than our own
wondering eyes did her.





CHAPTER VI

NORHALA OF
THE LIGHTNINGS

We looked upon a vision of loveliness such, I think,
as none has beheld since Trojan Helen was a maid. At
first all I could note were the eyes, clear as rain-washed
April skies, crystal clear as some secret spring sacred to
crescented Diana. Their wide gray irises were flecked with
golden amber and sapphire--flecks that shone like clusters
of little aureate and azure stars.

Then with a strange thrill of wonder I saw that these
tiny constellations were not in the irises alone; that they
clustered even within the pupils--deep within them, like
far-flung stars in the depths of velvety, midnight heavens.