"It was a maze, and in it we seemed to be going ever deeper.There was not the SLIGHTEST sign of human life.It was as though no human beings except ourselves had ever been there.Game was plentiful.We had no trouble in getting food.And sooner or later, of course, we were bound to find our way out.We didn't worry.
"It was five nights ago that we camped at the head of a lovely little valley.There was a mound that stood up like a tiny watch-tower, looking down it.The trees grew round like tall sentinels.
"We built our fire in that mound; and after we had eaten, Martin slept.I sat watching the beauty of the skies and of the shadowy vale.I heard no one approach--but something made me leap to my feet, look behind me.
"A man was standing just within the glow of firelight, watching me.""A Tibetan?" I asked.She shook her head, trouble in her eyes.
"Not at all." Ventnor turned his head."Ruth screamed and awakened me.I caught a glimpse of the fellow before he vanished.
"A short purple mantle hung from his shoulders.His chest was covered with fine chain mail.His legs were swathed and bound by the thongs of his high buskins.
He carried a small, round, hide-covered shield and a short two-edged sword.His head was helmeted.He belonged, in fact--oh, at least twenty centuries back."He laughed in plain enjoyment of our amazement.
"Go on, Ruth," he said, and took up his watch.
"But Martin did not see his face," she went on."And oh, but I wish I could forget it.It was as white as mine, Walter, and cruel, so cruel; the eyes glowed and they looked upon me like a--like a slave dealer.They shamed me--I wanted to hide myself.
"I cried out and Martin awakened.As he moved, the man stepped out of the light and was gone.I think he had not seen Martin; had believed that I was alone.
"We put out the fire, moved farther into the shadow of the trees.But I could not sleep--I sat hour after hour, my pistol in my hand," she patted the automatic in her belt, "my rifle close beside me.
"The hours went by--dreadfully.At last I dozed.When I awakened again it was dawn--and--and--" she covered her eyes, then: "TWO men were looking down on me.One was he who had stood in the firelight.""They were talking," interrupted Ventnor again, "in archaic Persian.""Persian," I repeated blankly; "archaic Persian?""Very much so," he nodded."I've a fair knowledge of the modern tongue, and a rather unusual command of Arabic.The modern Persian, as you know, comes straight through from the speech of Xerxes, of Cyrus, of Darius whom Alexander of Macedon conquered.It has been changed mainly by taking on a load of Arabic words.Well --there wasn't a trace of the Arabic in the tongue they were speaking.
"It sounded odd, of course--but I could understand quite easily.They were talking about Ruth.To be explicit, they were discussing her with exceeding frankness--""Martin!" she cried wrathfully.
"Well, all right," he went on, half repentantly."As a matter of fact, I had seen the pair steal up.My rifle was under my hand.So I lay there quietly, listening.
"You can realize, Walter, that when I caught sight of those two, looking as though they had materialized from Darius's ghostly hordes, my scientific curiosity was aroused--prodigiously.So in my interest I passed over the matter of their speech; not alone because I thought Ruth asleep but also because I took into consideration that the mode of polite expression changes with the centuries--and these gentlemen clearly belonged at least twenty centuries back--the real truth is I was consumed with curiosity.
"They had got to a point where they were detailing with what pleasure a certain mysterious person whom they seemed to regard with much fear and respect would contemplate her.I was wondering how long my desire to observe--for to the anthropologist they were most fascinating --could hold my hand back from my rifle when Ruth awakened.
"She jumped up like a little fury.Fired a pistol point blank at them.Their amazement was--well--ludicrous.Iknow it seems incredible, but they seemed to know nothing of firearms--they certainly acted as though they didn't.
"They simply flew into the timber.I took a pistol shot at one but missed.Ruth hadn't though; she had winged her man; he left a red trail behind him.
"We didn't follow the trail.We made for the opposite direction--and as fast as possible.
