the litters from where they had hidden them under the wall.

The men fell back and they walked on. At the gate of the palace a
welcome sight met their eyes, for here stood Olfan, and with him at
least a hundred captains and soldiers, who lifted their spears in salute
as they advanced.

"Olfan, hear our bidding," said Juanna. "Suffer no priest of the Snake
to enter the palace gates. We give you command over them, even to death.
Set guards at every doorway and come with us."

The ex-king bowed and issued some orders, in obedience to which the
sullen priests fell back murmuring. Then they all passed the gates,
crossed the courtyard, and presently stood in the torch-lit throne-room,
where Juanna had slept on the previous night. Here food had been
prepared for them by Soa, who looked at them curiously, especially at
Leonard and Francisco, as though, indeed, she had never expected to see
them again.

"Hearken, Olfan," said Juanna, "we have saved your life to-night and you
have sworn fealty to us; is it not so?"

"It is so, Queen," the warrior answered. "And I will be faithful to
my oath. This heart, that but for you had now been cold, beats for you
alone. The life you gave back to me is yours, and for you I live and
die."

As he spoke he glanced at her with an expression in which, as it
seemed to Juanna, human feeling was mixed with supernatural awe. Was it
possible, she wondered with a thrill of fear, that this savage king was