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Updated: May 15, 2025
Now we were outside the palace wall, and our road ran past the kennels. As we went by these, the great, sleepless death-hounds, that wandered to and fro like prowling lions, caught our wind and burst into a sudden chorus of terrific bays. I shivered at the sound, for it was fearful in that silence, also I thought that it would arouse the keepers.
As the sun set we sped beneath its gateway. Silence in the courtyard, silence everywhere, save for the distant roar of fire and the scared howlings of the death-hounds in their kennel. Ayesha sprang from her horse, and waving back all save Oros and myself, swept through the open doors into the halls beyond. They were empty, every one all were fled or dead.
But doubtless the death-hounds were fresh also, for, meaning to run us down at night when he thought that he might catch us sleeping, Rassen would have brought them along easily, following us by inquiry among the peasants and only laying them on our spoor after the last village had been left behind.
There remained, therefore, only our rides in the country with the Khania, but after three or four of them, these came to an end owing to the jealousy of the Khan, who vowed that if we went out together any more he would follow with the death-hounds.
The trot grew to a canter, and the canter to a gallop, as we rushed forward across that endless plain, till at midday, or a little after for this route was far shorter than that taken by Leo and myself in our devious flight from Rassen and his death-hounds we dimly saw the city of Kaloon set upon its hill.
He turned pale. "Do you mean those hounds?" I nodded. Then wasting no more time in words, we saddled up in frantic haste. Just as I fastened the last strap of my saddle I thought that a faint sound reached my ear. "Listen," I said. Again it came, and now there was no doubt about it. It was the sound of baying dogs. "By heaven! the death-hounds," said Leo.
"Happy is that prince who has so virtuous a wife!" I could not help saying unctuously, but with meaning, and the old wretch of a Shaman turned his head at my words and began to stroke his white beard. It was but a little while afterwards that once more we heard the baying of the death-hounds. Yes, they were heading straight for us, this time across country.
But amidst those blackened ruins over which Atene's palace still frowned unharmed, I would not enter, for to me it was, and always must remain, a home of death. So I camped outside the walls by the river just where Leo and I had landed after that poor mad Khan set us free, or rather loosed us to be hunted by his death-hounds.
"Then abandon that study, friend Holly, for the road to it runs through the paws of the death-hounds, and the spears of savages. Nor indeed is there anything to learn." "And what, Physician, are the death-hounds?" "Certain dogs to which, according to our ancient custom, all offenders against the law or the will of the Khan, are cast to be torn to pieces." "The will of the Khan!
Look! a dog appeared, a huge, red dog, that dropped its foaming muzzle to the ground as it galloped, then lifted it and uttered a deep-throated, bell-like bay. Others followed, and yet others: in all there must have been a hundred of them, every one baying as it took the scent. "The death-hounds!" I muttered, clasping Leo by the arm. "Yes," he answered, "they are running that poor devil.
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