and they meant to have both. 

 As I ran forward toward Perry I fired four more shots, dropping three of our antagonists. Then at last the remaining seven wavered. It was too much for them, this roaring death that leaped, invisible, upon them from a great distance. 

 As they hesitated I reached Perry’s side. I have never seen such an expression upon any man’s face as that upon Perry’s when he recognized me. I have no words wherewith to describe it. There was not time to talk then—scarce for a greeting. I thrust the full, loaded revolver into his hand, fired the last shot in my own, and reloaded. There were but six Sagoths left then. 

 They started toward us once more, though I could see that they were terrified probably as much by the noise of the guns as by their effects. They never reached us. Half-way the three that remained turned and fled, and we let them go. 

 The last we saw of them they were disappearing into the tangled undergrowth of the forest. And then Perry turned and threw his arms about my neck and, burying his old face upon my shoulder, wept like a child. 

 

CHAPTER II TRAVELING WITH TERROR

 We made camp there beside the peaceful river. There Perry told me all that had befallen him since I had departed for the outer crust. 

 It seemed that Hooja had made it appear that I had intentionally left Dian behind, and that I did not purpose ever returning to Pellucidar. He told them that I was of another world and that I had tired of this and of its inhabitants. 

 To Dian he had explained that I had a mate in the world to which I was returning; that I had never intended taking Dian the Beautiful back with me; and that she had seen the last of me. 

 Shortly afterward Dian had disappeared from the camp, nor had Perry seen or heard aught of her since. 

 He had no conception of the time that had elapsed since I had departed, but guessed that many years had dragged their slow way into the past. 

 Hooja, too, had disappeared very soon after Dian had left. 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. 

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