Did you have good sport?"
Instantly he became wide awake, and answered, rubbing his
hands--"Excellent. He gave us a fine run, but my little dogs caught him
at last, and then----" and he snapped his powerful jaws together.
"Cease your brutal talk," broke in his wife fiercely, and he slunk away
from her and in so doing stumbled against Leo, who was waiting to be
presented to him.
The sight of this great, golden-bearded man seemed to astonish him, for
he stared at him, then asked--"Are you the Khania's other friend
whom she went to see in the mountains of the Gate? Then I could not
understand why she took so much trouble, but now I do. Well, be careful,
or I shall have to hunt you also."
Now Leo grew angry and was about to reply, but I laid my hand upon his
arm and said in English--"Don't answer; the man is mad."
"Bad, you mean," grumbled Leo; "and if he tries to set his cursed dogs
on me, I will break his neck."
Then the Khania motioned to Leo to take a seat beside her, placing me
upon her other hand, between herself and her uncle, the Guardian, while
the Khan shuffled to a chair a little way down the table, where he
called two of the prettiest ladies to keep him company.
Such was our introduction to the court of Kaloon. As for the meal that
followed, it was very plentiful, but coarse, consisting for the most
part of fish, mutton, and sweetmeats, all of them presented upon huge
silver platters.
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