Page:Harold Lamb--The House of the Falcon.djvu/261

 Rand, could not be so severed from the reality of that other life of home and Louisville and servants.

Was it possible that two men could have talked as Monsey and Donovan had about her—accepting the inevitability of this other world? Could not her father come to help her, as he had always done?

With this, she understood finally that Arthur Rand could not reach her in time, Monsey's guards would see to it The American and the English cavalry were scouring the hills without knowing the location of Yakka Arik, not realizing that the Sayaks were in a way her friends, nor aware of the events that were shaping about the Kurgan that night.

Edith laughed uncertainly, with a twinge of self-pity.

"Daddy," she murmured, "if you could only know!"

The sentry lifted his head. This movement brought the reality of her situation sharply home to the girl. She heard the steps of the guard below once more. John Donovan had need of her!

At this thought Edith Rand entered into the conflict that was being waged in the old tower of this world that was so new to her. She smiled and her pulse quickened.

Donovan loved her! She would be his wife. What else in her existence was so momentous, so wonderful as this? He was not powerless. He—a trained soldier—had taken the one step that would make it possible for him to fight for her. It was not true that he had been outwitted by Monsey. And Donovan trusted her. He had staked everything on her courage. Well, she would not fail him.

Iskander had said that in this American girl was a weapon of tested steel. And he had judged truly.