"It isn't true!" she sobbed. "You would not sacrifice your friends?"
"Never!" said Carlyon sharply.
He paused. Then--"You must go, Averil," he said. "There are two sentries
on the Buddhist road, and the password is 'Empire.' After that-straight
to Akbar. The moon is rising, and no one will speak to you or attempt to
stop you. You will not be afraid?"
"I trust you," she said very earnestly.
Ten minutes later, as the moon shot the first silver streak above the
frowning mountains, a white horse flashed out on the road beyond the
camp--a white horse bearing a white-robed rider.
On the edge of the camp one sentry turned to another with wonder on his
face.
"That messenger's journey will be soon over," he remarked. "An easy
target for the black fiends!"
In the mountains a dusky-faced hillman turned glittering, awe-struck
eyes upon the flying white figure.
"Behold!" he said. "The Heaven-sent rides to the moonrise even as he
foretold. The time draws near."
And Carlyon, walking back in strange garb to join his own people,
muttered to himself as he went: "One woman, at least, is safe!"
IX
A FIGHT IN THE NIGHT
An hour before daybreak the gathering wave broke upon the camp.
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