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Updated: June 24, 2025
Ghak, Perry, and I often talked together of possible escape, but the Sarian was so steeped in his lifelong belief that no one could escape from the Mahars except by a miracle, that he was not much aid to us his attitude was of one who waits for the miracle to come to him.
I had not thought of her except as a welcome friend in a strange, cruel world. Even now I did not think that I loved her. I believe Ghak must have read the truth more in my expression than in my words, for presently he laid his hand upon my shoulder. "Man of another world," he said, "I believe you. Lips may lie, but when the heart speaks through the eyes it tells only the truth.
"Hooja the Sly One," murmured Ghak, who was now next to me in line. "He has taken the girl that you would not have," he continued, glancing at me. "That I would not have!" I cried. "What do you mean?" He looked at me closely for a moment.
I was for making the attempted escape at once, but both Perry and Ghak counseled waiting for some propitious accident which would insure us some small degree of success. I didn't see what accident could befall a whole community in a land of perpetual day-light where the inhabitants had no fixed habits of sleep.
The Sarians, under Ghak the Hairy One, and the Amozites under Dacor the Strong One, Dian's brother, had fallen out over my supposed defection, for Ghak would not believe that I had thus treacherously deceived and deserted them. The result had been that these two powerful tribes had fallen upon one another with the new weapons that Perry and I had taught them to make and to use.
"But how," persisted Perry, "could you travel to strange country without heavenly bodies or a compass to guide you?" Ghak didn't know what Perry meant by heavenly bodies or a compass, but he assured us that you might blindfold any man of Pellucidar and carry him to the farthermost corner of the world, yet he would be able to come directly to his own home again by the shortest route.
"Is there no escape?" I asked. "Hooja the Sly One escaped and took the others with him," replied Ghak. "But there are no more dark places on the way to Phutra, and once there it is not so easy the Mahars are very wise. Even if one escaped from Phutra there are the thipdars they would find you, and then " the Hairy One shuddered. "No, you will never escape the Mahars." It was a cheerful prospect.
Ghak and Dacor were both with us, having come primarily to view the prospector. I placed Ghak with some of his Sarians on the right of our battle line. Dacor took the left, while I commanded the center. Behind us I stationed a sufficient reserve under one of Ghak's head men.
"Ghak," I said, "we are determined to escape from this bondage. Will you accompany us?" "They will set the thipdars upon us," he said, "and then we shall be killed; but " he hesitated "I would take the chance if I thought that I might possibly escape and return to my own people." "Could you find your way back to your own land?" asked Perry. "And could you aid David in his search for Dian?" "Yes."
If you and Ghak should manage to escape I want you to promise me that you will find Dian the Beautiful and tell her that with my last words I asked her forgiveness for the unintentional affront I put upon her, and that my one wish was to be spared long enough to right the wrong that I had done her." Tears came to Perry's eyes. "I cannot believe but that you will return, David," he said.
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