The remainder of the day dragged slowly for us. Late in the afternoon, we saw the herds returning up the valley; but we decided to wait until darkness had fallen before we ventured down from our hiding place. During the day, the spell of Morgas appeared to have been entirely dissipated from Vanaia's mind. She became a normal and exceedingly likable girl, keenly interested in all that went on and quite courageous-a far cry from the fear ridden creature I had first met in the garden of Morgas. She continued to speculate with growing enthusiasm and excitement upon the reactions of her family when they realized that she was actually restored to them safe and unharmed. I, too, speculated upon this. I wondered what the reaction of the mad Noola would be. We had not long to wait.
Immediately darkness had fallen, we set out again for the castle of the Pandars. Within an hour we were pounding upon the massive gates. Presently a voice from within demanded to know who we were and what we wanted.
"Galahad returns with the beauteous princess," Ero Shan whispered to me.
"Together with Sir Gawain, from the grim castle of the mad wizard of Amtor," I added; and then, aloud:
"Ero Shan and Carson of Venus have brought Vanaia home."
A head was protruding from an embrasure in one of the towers and a voice demanded: "What's that you say? Vanaja is there?" It was Tovar.
Then another voice and another head. "They lie! It is the wizards! Kill them!" That was Noola.
"It is I, mother," called Vanaia. "These two have brought me back safely from the castle of Morgas."
Noola's mad laughter rang out above us. "You think that you can deceive Noola, do you? Well, you can't. I know where Vanaia is - she's safe in her apartments behind the castle. I have talked with her within the hour. Get out, all of you, before I have you killed."
"But, mother, I am Vanaia," insisted the girl. "Let some one you trust come down and see me."
"I trust no one," screamed the old woman. "Everyone is against me."
"Then come down yourself and talk with me."
Again that mad laughter. "You think to lure me into the clutches of those two wizards, but I am too smart for all of you. Now get out of here!"
We could now hear Tovar, Endar, and Yonda arguing and pleading with the woman; but she evidently remained adamantine. Vanaia appealed to her father, but he replied that he must abide by the counsel of his wife.
It was commencing to look hopeless.
"How about Chand Kabi?" asked Ero Shan in a low voice. "He worked perfectly on Morgas; why not on the old woman?"
"I can try," I said. I concentrated upon the mad mind of Noola, and presently an amazing thing happened.
That which I had willed Noola alone to hear, I heard myself. Every one there heard it. A thin, squeaky voice from the ballium beyond the wall called, "Noola! Noola!"
Those in the tower turned away from the embrasure.
I knew that they had heard that voice and had crossed to the opposite side of the tower to look down into the ballium. Then I heard Noola's voice: "Why, Vanaja!
How did you get out of your apartments, you naughty girl?"
In a squeaky grunt the answer came faintly to us: "I am not Vanaja, you old fool. I am only a zaldar that Morgas sent here in order to deceive you. Vanaja is outside, waiting to get in."
"Marvellous!" whispered Ero Shan. "I am beginning to be afraid of you, myself."
The "old fool" got Noola. She was furious. "How dare you, you dirty little runt!" she screamed. "I have known all along that you were only a zaldar." I had been certain that Noola would not relish being called an old fool.
It was only a matter of seconds before the gates were swung open and Vanaja was in the arms of her mother.
With recognition and the return of her daughter, Noola's madness seemed to have passed. She was even quite cordial to Ero Shan and me. Tovar, Endar, and Yonda were delighted with the turn of events: two of their loved ones had been returned to them whole and unharmed.
The greetings over, Noola spoke to one of the servants, all of whom had gathered in the ballium by this time.
"Find that zaldar," she said, "and return the thing to its pen." Then we all went into the great hall, we to recount, they to listen to, our adventures.
In a few minutes a servant entered. "I could find the zaldar nowhere in the ballium," he said; "so I looked in its pen, and there it was, fast asleep. The gate was still locked and the pen was nowhere broken down."
"That is very strange," said Noola. "We all distinctly saw her standing in the ballium and heard her speak to me, the impudent creature."
"It is very strange," I said.
"If she is going to act like that, I shall be afraid to have her around," said Noola.
"Then why not have her butchered and eat her?" I suggested.
"That is an excellent idea," said Tovar.
"Tomorrow we shall have zaldar steaks once more," exclaimed Noola. The spell of Morgas had been broken-at least so far as the Pandar family was concerned. But there were those hundreds of other poor souls locked in his prison fortress, constantly filled with terror as they awaited death. There were the deserted castles and the stolen herds. There were these and other wrongs that cried out for vengeance. And above all was the horrid fear that lay upon this entire beautiful valley, which should have been a scene of peace and happiness.
Once again Ero Shan and I were escorted to the room in which we had spent a night of danger. Now we anticipated sleep in this same room without a single thought of apprehension. As we were preparing for bed, Ero Shan said, "I have been thinking, Carson."
"Yes?" I inquired, sleepily courteous.
"Yes," he said. "I have been thinking that in rescuing one girl and uniting one family we have made but a beginning. Would Sir Galahad and Sir Gawain have stopped there? Didn't you tell me that the Knights of the Round Table dedicated their lives to the righting of the wrongs of the oppressed?"
"Well, something like that, I guess. But if I recall my reading correctly, a victim of oppression usually had to have considerable pulchritude to arouse the chivalry of the noble knights."
"Joking aside," insisted Ero Shan, "don't you think we should do something to rid the people of this valley of the terror that hangs over them?"
"I suppose you're right," I agreed, stifling a yawn.
"This is the first time that I ever knew you to be callous to the suffering of others," said Ero Shana little curtly.
"I'm not," I assured him; "I'm just plan fagged out.
Tomorrow morning, Sir Gawain and Sir Galahad will sally forth to right the wrongs of the whole world. Good night!"
Ero Shan mumbled something that sounded very much like words that might have been translated into English: Go to hell!
EARLY THE FOLLOWING MORNING I was up and out going over the anotar. There was no indication that it had been touched during our absence. Evidently my warning had been sufficient to protect it. I removed the compass and disassembled it, and much to my relief discovered that only a slight adjustment was necessary to correct the fault that had already cost us so dearly and might yet cost us infinitely more.
While I was replacing it, Ero Shan joined me. "I suppose that we shall be off for Sanara immediately after breakfast," he said.
"What?" I exclaimed, "and leave this valley in the clutches of a madman? Ero Shan! I am surprised."
He looked at me a moment, questioningly; then he shook his head. "I suppose that is an example of Earthly humor," he said. "You took not the slightest interest in the valley last night."
"On the contrary, I lay awake for fully an hour trying to plan how best to free those people whom Morgas has imprisoned."
"And you have a plan?"
"It would be simple to fly over and shoot up the place,"
I said, "but that wouldn't be sporting. It would come pretty close to being plain murder, as they have no fire-arms.