But at last the allotted moment arrived--the momentfor which I had been trying to prepare myself, for howlong I could not even guess. A great Sagoth came andspoke some words of command to those who watchedover me. I was jerked roughly to my feet and with littleconsideration hustled upward toward the higher levels.

Out into the broad avenue they conducted me, where,amid huge throngs of Mahars, Sagoths, and heavilyguarded slaves, I was led, or, rather, pushed and shovedroughly, along in the same direction that the mobmoved. I had seen such a concourse of people once before in the buried city of Phutra; I guessed, and rightly,that we were bound for the great arena where slaveswho are condemned to death meet their end.

Into the vast amphitheater they took me, stationingme at the extreme end of the arena. The queen came,with her slimy, sickening retinue. The seats were filled. The show was about to commence.

Then, from a little doorway in the opposite end of thestructure, a girl was led into the arena. She was at aconsiderable distance from me. I could not see herfeatures.

I wondered what fate awaited this other poor victimand myself, and why they had chosen to have us dietogether. My own fate, or rather, my thought of it, wassubmerged in the natural pity I felt for this lone girl,doomed to die horribly beneath the cold, cruel eyes ofher awful captors. Of what crime could she be guiltythat she must expiate it in the dreaded arena?

As I stood thus thinking, another door, this time at oneof the long sides of the arena, was thrown open, and intothe theater of death slunk a mighty tarag, the hugecave tiger of the Stone Age. At my sides were my revolvers. My captors had not taken them from me, because they did not yet realize their nature. Doubtlessthey thought them some strange manner of war-club,and as those who are condemned to the arena are permitted weapons of defense, they let me keep them.

The girl they had armed with a javelin. A brass pinwould have been almost as effective against the ferociousmonster they had loosed upon her.

The tarag stood for a moment looking about him--firstup at the vast audience and then about the arena. Hedid not seem to see me at all, but his eyes fell presentlyupon the girl. A hideous roar broke from his titanic lungs--a roar which ended in a long-drawn scream that ismore human than the death-cry of a tortured woman--more human but more awesome. I could scarce restraina shudder.

Slowly the beast turned and moved toward the girl. Then it was that I came to myself and to a realization ofmy duty. Quickly and as noiselessly as possible I randown the arena in pursuit of the grim creature. As Iran I drew one of my pitifully futile weapons. Ah! CouldI but have had my lost express-gun in my hands at thatmoment! A single well-placed shot would have crumbledeven this great monster. The best I could hope to accomplish was to divert the thing from the girl to myselfand then to place as many bullets as possible in it beforeit reached and mauled me into insensibility and death.

There is a certain unwritten law of the arena thatvouchsafes freedom and immunity to the victor, be hebeast or human being--both of whom, by the way, areall the same to the Mahar. That is, they were accustomed to look upon man as a lower animal before Perryand I broke through the Pellucidarian crust, but Iimagine that they were beginning to alter their views atrifle and to realize that in the gilak--their word forhuman being--they had a highly organized, reasoningbeing to contend with.

Be that as it may, the chances were that the taragalone would profit by the law of the arena. A few moreof his long strides, a prodigious leap, and he would beupon the girl. I raised a revolver and fired. The bulletstruck him in the left hind leg. It couldn't have damagedhim much; but the report of the shot brought himaround, facing me.

I think the snarling visage of a huge, enraged, saber-toothed tiger is one of the most terrible sights in theworld. Especially if he be snarling at you and there benothing between the two of you but bare sand.

Even as he faced me a little cry from the girl carriedmy eyes beyond the brute to her face. Hers was fastenedupon me with an expression of incredulity that bafflesdescription. There was both hope and horror in them,too.

"Dian!" I cried. "My Heavens, Dian!"

I saw her lips form the name David, as with raisedjavelin she rushed forward upon the tarag. She was atigress then--a primitive savage female defending herloved one. Before she could reach the beast with herpuny weapon, I fired again at the point where the tarag'sneck met his left shoulder. If I could get a bullet throughthere it might reach his heart. The bullet didn't reachhis heart, but it stopped him for an instant.

It was then that a strange thing happened. I heard agreat hissing from the stands occupied by the Mahars,and as I glanced toward them I saw three mightythipdars--the winged dragons that guard the queen, or,as Perry calls them, pterodactyls--rise swiftly from theirrocks and dart lightning-like, toward the center of thearena. They are huge, powerful reptiles. One of them,with the advantage which his wings might give him,would easily be a match for a cave bear or a tarag.

These three, to my consternation, swooped down uponthe tarag as he was gathering himself for a final chargeupon me. They buried their talons in his back and liftedhim bodily from the arena as if he had been a chickenin the clutches of a hawk.

What could it mean?

I was baffled for an explanation; but with the taraggone I lost no time in hastening to Dian's side. With alittle cry of delight she threw herself into my arms. Solost were we in the ecstasy of reunion that neither ofus--to this day--can tell what became of the tarag.

The first thing we were aware of was the presence ofa body of Sagoths about us. Gruffly they commanded usto follow them. They led us from the arena and backthrough the streets of Phutra to the audience chamberin which I had been tried and sentenced. Here wefound ourselves facing the same cold, cruel tribunal.

Again a Sagoth acted as interpreter. He explainedthat our lives bad been spared because at the lastmoment Tu-al-sa had returned to Phutra, and seeing mein the arena had prevailed upon the queen to spare mylife.

"Who is Tu-al-sa?" I asked.

"A Mahar whose last male ancestor was--ages ago--the last of the male rulers among the Mahars," hereplied.

"Why should she wish to have my life spared?"

He shrugged his shoulders and then repeated myquestion to the Mahar spokesman. When the latter hadexplained in the strange sign-language that passes forspeech between the Mahars and their fighting men theSagoth turned again to me:

"For a long time you had Tu-al-sa in your power," heexplained. "You might easily have killed her or abandoned her in a strange world--but you did neither. Youdid not harm her, and you brought her back with you toPellucidar and set her free to return to Phutra. This isyour reward."

Now I understood. The Mahar who had been my involuntary companion upon my return to the outer worldwas Tu-al-sa. This was the first time that I had learnedthe lady's name. I thanked fate that I had not left herupon the sands of the Sahara--or put a bullet in her, asI had been tempted to do. I was surprised to discoverthat gratitude was a characteristic of the dominant raceof Pellucidar. I could never think of them as aught butcold-blooded, brainless reptiles, though Perry had devoted much time in explaining to me that owing to astrange freak of evolution among all the genera of theinner world, this species of the reptilia had advanced toa position quite analogous to that which man holds uponthe outer crust.

He had often told me that there was every reason tobelieve from their writings, which he had learned toread while we were incarcerated in Phutra, that theywere a just race, and that in certain branches of scienceand arts they were quite well advanced, especially ingenetics and metaphysics, engineering and architecture.

While it had always been difficult for me to look uponthese things as other than slimy, winged crocodiles--which, by the way, they do not at all resemble--I wasnow forced to a realization of the fact that I was in thehands of enlightened creatures--for justice and gratitude are certain hallmarks of rationality and culture.

But what they purposed for us further was of mostimminent interest to me. They might save us from thetarag and yet not free us. They looked upon us yet, tosome extent, I knew, as creatures of a lower order, andso as we are unable to place ourselves in the positionof the brutes we enslave--thinking that they are happierin bondage than in the free fulfilment of the purposesfor which nature intended them--the Mahars, too, mightconsider our welfare better conserved in captivity thanamong the dangers of the savage freedom we craved. Naturally, I was next impelled to inquire their furtherintent.

To my question, put through the Sagoth interpreter, Ireceived the reply that having spared my life they considered that Tu-al-sa's debt of gratitude was canceled. They still had against me, however, the crime of whichI had been guilty--the unforgivable crime of stealingthe great secret. They, therefore, intended holding Dianand me prisoners until the manuscript was returned tothem.

They would, they said, send an escort of Sagoths withme to fetch the precious document from its hiding-place,keeping Dian at Phutra as a hostage and releasing usboth the moment that the document was safely restoredto their queen.

There was no doubt but that they had the upperhand. However, there was so much more at stake thanthe liberty or even the lives of Dian and myself, that Idid not deem it expedient to accept their offer withoutgiving the matter careful thought.

Without the great secret this maleless race must eventually become extinct. For ages they had fertilized theireggs by an artificial process, the secret of which layhidden in the little cave of a far-off valley where Dianand I had spent our honeymoon. I was none too sure thatI could find the valley again, nor that I cared to. So longas the powerful reptilian race of Pellucidar continued topropagate, just so long would the position of man withinthe inner world be jeopardized. There could not be twodominant races.

I said as much to Dian.

"You used to tell me," she replied, "of the wonderfulthings you could accomplish with the inventions of yourown world. Now you have returned with all that isnecessary to place this great power in the hands of themen of Pellucidar.

"You told me of great engines of destruction whichwould cast a bursting ball of metal among our enemies,killing hundreds of them at one time.

"You told me of mighty fortresses of stone which athousand men armed with big and little engines such asthese could hold forever against a million Sagoths.

"You told me of great canoes which moved across thewater without paddles, and which spat death from holesin their sides.

"All these may now belong to the men of Pellucidar. Why should we fear the Mahars?

"Let them breed! Let their numbers increase by thousands. They will be helpless before the power of theEmperor of Pellucidar.

"But if you remain a prisoner in Phutra, what may weaccomplish?

"What could the men of Pellucidar do without you tolead them?

"They would fight among themselves, and while theyfought the Mahars would fall upon them, and eventhough the Mahar race should die out, of what valuewould the emancipation of the human race be to themwithout the knowledge, which you alone may wield, toguide them toward the wonderful civilization of whichyou have told me so much that I long for its comfortsand luxuries as I never before longed for anything.

"No, David; the Mahars cannot harm us if you are atliberty. Let them have their secret that you and I mayreturn to our people, and lead them to the conquest ofall Pellucidar."

It was plain that Dian was ambitious, and that herambition had not dulled her reasoning faculties. She wasright. Nothing could be gained by remaining bottled upin Phutra for the rest of our lives.

It was true that Perry might do much with the contents of the prospector, or iron mole, in which I hadbrought down the implements of outer-world civilization; but Perry was a man of peace. He could never weldthe warring factions of the disrupted federation. Hecould never win new tribes to the empire. He wouldfiddle around manufacturing gun-powder and trying toimprove upon it until some one blew him up with hisown invention. He wasn't practical. He never would getanywhere without a balance-wheel--without some oneto direct his energies.

Perry needed me and I needed him. If we were goingto do anything for Pellucidar we must be free to do ittogether.

The outcome of it all was that I agreed to the Mahars'proposition. They promised that Dian would be welltreated and protected from every indignity during myabsence. So I set out with a hundred Sagoths in searchof the little valley which I had stumbled upon by accident, and which I might and might not find again.

We traveled directly toward Sari. Stopping at thecamp where I had been captured I recovered my expressrifle, for which I was very thankful. I found it lyingwhere I had left it when I had been overpowered in mysleep by the Sagoths who bad captured me and slain myMezop companions.

On the way I added materially to my map, an occupation which did not elicit from the Sagoths even ashadow of interest. I felt that the human race of Pellucidar had little to fear from these gorilla-men. They werefighters--that was all. We might even use them laterourselves in this same capacity. They had not sufficientbrain power to constitute a menace to the advancementof the human race.

As we neared the spot where I hoped to find the littlevalley I became more and more confident of success. Every landmark was familiar to me, and I was sure nowthat I knew the exact location of the cave.

It was at about this time that I sighted a number ofthe half-naked warriors of the human race of Pellucidar. They were marching across our front. At sight of us theyhalted; that there would be a fight I could not doubt. These Sagoths would never permit an opportunity forthe capture of slaves for their Mahar masters to escapethem.

I saw that the men were armed with bows and arrows,long lances and swords, so I guessed that they must havebeen members of the federation, for only my people hadbeen thus equipped. Before Perry and I came the menof Pellucidar had only the crudest weapons wherewith toslay one another.

The Sagoths, too, were evidently expecting battle. With savage shouts they rushed forward toward thehuman warriors.

Then a strange thing happened. The leader of thehuman beings stepped forward with upraised hands. The Sagoths ceased their war-cries and advanced slowlyto meet him. There was a long parley during which Icould see that I was often the subject of their discourse. The Sagoths' leader pointed in the direction in which Ihad told him the valley lay. Evidently he was explainingthe nature of our expedition to the leader of the warriors. It was all a puzzle to me.

What human being could be upon such excellentterms with the gorilla-men?

I couldn't imagine. I tried to get a good look at thefellow, but the Sagoths had left me in the rear with aguard when they had advanced to battle, and the distance was too great for me to recognize the features ofany of the human beings.

Finally the parley was concluded and the men continued on their way while the Sagoths returned to whereI stood with my guard. It was time for eating, so westopped where we were and made our meal. The Sagoths didn't tell me who it was they had met, and Idid not ask, though I must confess that I was quitecurious.

They permitted me to sleep at this halt. Afterward wetook up the last leg of our journey. I found the valleywithout difficulty and led my guard directly to the cave. At its mouth the Sagoths halted and I entered alone.

I noticed as I felt about the floor in the dim light thatthere was a pile of fresh-turned rubble there. Presentlymy hands came to the spot where the great secret hadbeen buried. There was a cavity where I had carefullysmoothed the earth over the hiding-place of the document--the manuscript was gone!

Frantically I searched the whole interior of the caveseveral times over, but without other result than a complete confirmation of my worst fears. Someone had beenhere ahead of me and stolen the great secret.

The one thing within Pellucidar which might freeDian and me was gone, nor was it likely that I shouldever learn its whereabouts. If a Mahar had found it,which was quite improbable, the chances were that thedominant race would never divulge the fact that theyhad recovered the precious document. If a cave manhad happened upon it he would have no conception ofits meaning or value, and as a consequence it would belost or destroyed in short order.

With bowed head and broken hopes I came out of thecave and told the Sagoth chieftain what I had discovered. It didn't mean much to the fellow, who doubtless had but little better idea of the contents of thedocument I had been sent to fetch to his masters thanwould the cave man who in all probability had discovered it.

The Sagoth knew only that I had failed in my mission,so he took advantage of the fact to make the returnjourney to Phutra as disagreeable as possible. I did notrebel, though I had with me the means to destroy themall. I did not dare rebel because of the consequences toDian. I intended demanding her release on the groundsthat she was in no way guilty of the theft, and thatmy failure to recover the document had not lessened thevalue of the good faith I had had in offering to do so. The Mahars might keep me in slavery if they chose, butDian should be returned safely to her people.

I was full of my scheme when we entered Phutra andI was conducted directly to the great audience-chamber. The Mahars listened to the report of the Sagoth chieftain, and so difficult is it to judge their emotions fromtheir almost expressionless countenance, that I was at aloss to know how terrible might be their wrath as theylearned that their great secret, upon which rested thefate of their race, might now be irretrievably lost.

Presently I could see that she who presided was communicating something to the Sagoth interpreter--doubtless something to be transmitted to me which mightgive me a forewarning of the fate which lay in store forme. One thing I had decided definitely: If they wouldnot free Dian I should turn loose upon Phutra with mylittle arsenal. Alone I might even win to freedom, and ifI could learn where Dian was imprisoned it would beworth the attempt to free her. My thoughts were interrupted by the interpreter.

"The mighty Mahars," he said, "are unable to reconcileyour statement that the document is lost with youraction in sending it to them by a special messenger. They wish to know if you have so soon forgotten thetruth or if you are merely ignoring it."

"I sent them no document," I cried. "Ask them whatthey mean."

"They say," he went on after conversing with theMahar for a moment, "that just before your return toPhutra, Hooja the Sly One came, bringing the greatsecret with him. He said that you had sent him aheadwith it, asking him to deliver it and return to Sari whereyou would await him, bringing the girl with him."

"Dian?" I gasped. "The Mahars have given over Dianinto the keeping of Hooja."

"Surely," he replied. "What of it? She is only a gilak,"as you or I would say, "She is only a cow."