and to her put up half articulate prayers for mercy cease said the high priest she is the minister who judges and the sword that strikes i am the ears and the voice speak and tell me � were you about to cast those men whom you were commanded to receive into yonder fire because they saved the victim of your and killed the you cherished nay i saw it all know that it was but a trap set to catch you who have been allowed to live too long but still the wretch before the draped form and howled for mercy messenger said the high priest with thee the power goes declare thy decree then our guide lifted her hand slowly and pointed to the fire at once the man turned ghastly white groaned and fell back as i quite dead slain by his own terror now many of the people had fled but some remained and to these the priest in cold tones bidding them approach they obeyed creeping towards him look he said pointing to the man look and tremble at the justice of the mother aye and be sure that as it is with him so shall it be with every one of you who dares to defy her and to practise and murder lift up that dead dog who was your chief some of them crept forward and did his bidding now cast him into the bed which he had made ready for his victims the messenger staggering forward to the edge of the flaming pit they obeyed and the great body fell with a crash amongst the burning boughs and vanished there listen you people said the priest and learn that this man deserved his dreadful doom know you why he to kill that woman whom the strangers saved because his familiar marked her as a witch you think i tell you it was not so it was because she being fair he would have taken her from her husband as he had taken many another and she refused him but the eye saw the voice spoke and the messenger did judgment he is caught in his own and so shall you be every one of you who dares to think evil in his heart or to do it with his hands such is the just decree of the spoken by her from her throne amidst the fires of the mountain chapter xiii k beneath the wings one by one the terrified crept away tiie last of them were gone the priest advanced to let and saluted him by placing his hand upon his forehead lord he said in the same corrupt which was used by the of i will ask if you are hurt since from the moment that you entered the sacred river and set foot within this land you and your companion were protected by a power invisible and could not be by man or spirit however great may have seemed your danger yet vile hands have been laid upon you and this is the command of the mother whom i serve that if you desire it every one of those men who touched you shall die before your eyes say is your will nay answered they were mad and blind let no blood be shed for us all we ask of you friend � but how are you called name me he answered friend a good title for one who dwells upon the mountain � all we ask is food and shelter and to bo led swiftly into the presence of her whom you name mother that whose wisdom we have travelled far to seek he bowed and answered the food and shelter are prepared and to morrow when you have rested i commanded to conduct you whither you desire to be follow me i pray you and he preceded us past the fiery pit to a building that stood about yards the rock wall of the beneath the wings i it would seem that it was a guest house or at least had been made ready to serve that purpose as in it lamps were lit and a fire for here the air was cold the house was divided into two rooms the second of a sleeping place to which he led us through the first enter he said for you will need to yourselves and you � here he addressed himself to me � to be treated for that hurt to your arm which you had from the jaws of the great hound how know you that i asked j it matters not if i do know and have made ready i answered gravely this second room was lighted and warmed like the first moreover heated water stood in of metal and on the beds were laid clean linen garments and dark coloured robes lined with rich fur also upon a little table were and a marvellous thing to see for it told me that the very nature of my hurt had been divined but i asked no more questions i was too weary moreover i knew that it would be use d less m now the priest helped me to remove my tattered robe and the rough upon my arm washed it gently with warm water in which he mixed some spirit and examined it with the skill of a trained doctor j the rent deep he said and the small bone broken but you will take no harm save for the which must remain then having treated the wounds with he the limb with such a delicate touch that it scarcely pained me saying that by the the swelling have gone down and he would set the bone this indeed happened after it was done he helped me to wash and to myself in die clean garments and put a about m h neck to serve as a rest for my arm meanwhile had also dressed 