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Under the torchlight the dilated pupils of his pinkish eyes seemed to shine as phosphorescent as a cat's. Crying out something unintelligible to Stern, he blocked the way. Stern heard the name "Kamrou! Kamrou!" "Well, what do you want now?" shouted the engineer, a huge and sudden anger seizing him.
What's up? Who's this Kamrou they're talking about? For Heaven's sake, tell me!" "He's their chief. Allan their chief! He's been gone a long time, he and his men. And " "Well, what do we care for him? We're running this village now, aren't we?" "Listen. The old man says " "He's a hard nut, eh? And won't stand for us is that it?" He turned to the patriarch.
In his ears sounded a great roaring, louder than the roar of the huge flame. Quick questions flashed through his mind. Fight Kamrou? But how? A duel with revolvers? Spears? Maces? He knew not. Only he knew that in whatever way the ancient combats must be held he was ready! "You affirm the challenge I have given in your behalf?" demanded the patriarch. "If you accept it, nod."
The old man, consumed with terror lest the dreaded chief, Kamrou, return ere the stranger should have wholly recovered, spent himself in efforts to hasten the cure. And with deft skill he brewed his potions, made his salves, and concocted revivifying medicines from minerals which only he despite his blindness knew how to compound.
Out of all that multitude only two hearts' beat in sympathy and hope for him; only two human beings gave him their thoughts and their support a helpless girl; a feeble, blind old man. Kamrou stood taller, too, than Stern, and certainly bulked heavier.
"Going to take it right up to the village, now?" queried she, anxiously glancing at the crowd of white and silent faces, all eagerly staring staring like so many wraiths in a strange dream. He shrugged his shoulders. "That depends," he answered. He seemed already to have forgotten Kamrou and the threatening peril in the village, near the great flame.
And all at once a wild, harsh, swelling chorus of cries arose; every face turned toward Stern; the engineer, amazed, knew not what all this meant, but to the ultimate drop in the arteries he pledged his fighting-blood to one last, bitter struggle. Silence again. Kamrou had not stirred. Still his great hands rested on his knees; but a thin, venomous smile lengthened his lips.
The light, the fog and heat, the rising stream, the roaring of the flame, and over all the throb-throb-throb of those infernal copper drums worked powerfully on his senses. Already he seemed to feel the grip of Kamrou, the pangs of the hard struggle, the sudden plunge into the vat of scalding death.
And many terrible combats have been seen here among our people. "Kamrou has said that you must die, the girl must be his prize. Only one way remains to save her and yourself you must struggle with Kamrou. I have delivered to him your challenge already. Let fate decide the issue!" Everything seemed to whirl before Stern's eyes, and for a moment all grew black.
Stern, with a final thought of Beatrice, advanced. All the advantage lay with Kamrou. Familiar with the place was he, and with the rules of this incredible contest. Everywhere about him stood crowding hundreds of his Foll; owing him their allegiance, hostile to the newcomer, the man from another world.
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