As they saw us a
fiendish shout of triumph rose from their ranks.
Several miles in advance lay a range of hills--the farther shore
of the dead sea we had been crossing. Could we but reach these
hills our chances of escape would be greatly enhanced, but Thuvia's
mount, although carrying the lightest burden, already was showing
signs of exhaustion. I was riding beside her when suddenly her
animal staggered and lurched against mine. I saw that he was going
down, but ere he fell I snatched the girl from his back and swung
her to a place upon my own thoat, behind me, where she clung with
her arms about me.
This double burden soon proved too much for my already overtaxed
beast, and thus our speed was terribly diminished, for the others
would proceed no faster than the slowest of us could go. In that
little party there was not one who would desert another; yet we
were of different countries, different colours, different races,
different religions--and one of us was of a different world.
We were quite close to the hills, but the Warhoons were gaining
so rapidly that we had given up all hope of reaching them in time.
Thuvia and I were in the rear, for our beast was lagging more and
more. Suddenly I felt the girl's warm lips press a kiss upon my
shoulder. "For thy sake, O my Prince," she murmured. Then her
arms slipped from about my waist and she was gone.
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