Now, ’twas not my first experience of the kind.  Many women had looked like that at me before.  But I had always been a man’s man, and had ever heeded my father’s warning to have naught whatever to do with women.  “They are the worst trick of all,” he told me; and I had never forgot.  Belike I owe much of my power to just this.

But Ave had acted too quickly for me to get away.  I laughed again, and shook her off.

“I will have naught to do with ye,” I told her, civilly enough.  “When I am ready to take a woman, I shall take her; not before.”

At that the blood left her face; she stood very straight, and her eyes flashed dangerously.  Were she a man I should have stood on my guard.  But she made no move; only the softness in her eyes gave way to such a savage look that I was filled with amaze.  And thus I left them; the old man calling down the blessing of Jon upon me for having saved his life, and the chit glaring after me as though no curses would suffice.

A right queer matter, I thought at the time.  I guessed not what would come of it; not then.

II

THE VISION

’Twas a fortnight later, more or less, when next I saw Maka.  I was lumbering along in my chariot, feeling most uncomfortable under the eyes of my friends; for one foot of my machine had a loose link, and ’twas flapping absurdly.  And I liked it none too well when Maka stopped his own rattletrap in front of mine, and came running to my window.  Next moment I forgot his impertinence.

“Strokor,” he whispered, his face alive with excitement, “thou art a brave lad, and didst save my life.  Now, know you that a party of the men of Klow have secreted themselves under the stairway behind the emperor’s throne.  They have killed the guards, and will of a certainty kill the emperor, too!”

“’Twould serve the dolt right,” I replied, for I really cared but little.  “But why have ye come to me, old man?  I am but a lieutenant in the armory; I am not the captain of the palace guard.”

“Because,” he answered, gazing at me very pleasingly, “thou couldst dispose of the whole party single handed—­there are but four—­and gain much glory for thyself.”

“By Jon!” I swore, vastly delighted; and without stopping to ask Maka whence he had got his knowledge, I went at once to the spot.  However, when I got back, I sought the star-gazer—­I ought to mention that I had no trouble with the louts, and that the emperor himself saw me finishing off the last of them—­I sought the star-gazer and demanded how he had known.

“Hast ever heard of Edam?” he inquired in return.

“Edam?” I had not; the name was strange to me.  “Who is he?”

“A man as young as thyself, but a mere stripling,” quoth Maka.  “He was a pupil of mine when I taught in the House of Learning.  Of late he has turned to prophecy; and it is fair remarkable how well the lad doth guess.  At all events, ’twas he, Strokor, who told me of the plot.  He saw it in a dream.”