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Nobs stuck close to Bowen; but Ace and Ajor and I went out upon many long
rides through the beautiful north Galu country. Chal-az had brought my arms
and ammunition up from Kro-lu with him; but my clothes were gone; nor did I
miss them once I became accustomed to the free attire of the Galu.
At last came the time for our departure; upon the following morning we were to
set out toward the south and the Toreador and dear old California. I had asked
Ajor to go with us; but Jor her father had refused to listen to the suggestion. No
pleas could swerve him from his decision: Ajor, the cos-ata-lo, from whom might
spring a new and greater Caspakian race, could not be spared. I might have any
other she among the Galus; but Ajor--no!
The poor child was heartbroken; and as for me, I was slowly realizing the hold
that Ajor had upon my heart and wondered how I should get along without her.
As I held her in my arms that last night, I tried to imagine what life would be like
without her, for at last there had come to me the realization that I loved her--
loved my little barbarian; and as I finally tore myself away and went to my own
hut to snatch a few hours' sleep before we set off upon our long journey on the
morrow, I consoled myself with the thought that time would heal the wound and
that back in my native land I should find a mate who would be all and more to
me than little Ajor could ever be--a woman of my own race and my own culture.
Morning came more quickly than I could have wished. I rose and breakfasted,
but saw nothing of Ajor. It was best, I thought, that I go thus without the
harrowing pangs of a last farewell. The party formed for the march, an escort of
Galu warriors ready to accompany us. I could not even bear to go to Ace's corral
and bid him farewell. The night before, I had given him to Ajor, and now in my
mind the two seemed inseparable.
And so we marched away, down the street flanked with its stone houses and out
through the wide gateway in the stone wall which surrounds the city and on
across the clearing toward the forest through which we must pass to reach the
northern boundary of Galu, beyond which we would turn south. At the edge of
the forest I cast a backward glance at the city which held my heart, and beside
the massive gateway I saw that which brought me to a sudden halt. It was a little
figure leaning against one of the great upright posts upon which the gates swing--
a crumpled little figure; and even at this distance I could see its shoulders heave
to the sobs that racked it. It was the last straw.
Bowen was near me. "Good-bye old man," I said. "I'm going back."
He looked at me in surprise. "Good-bye, old man," he said, and grasped my
hand. "I thought you'd do it in the end."
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