He was too egotistical to note the flavor of sarcasm in Fal Sivas’s voice.

“And I may consider myself employed?” I asked.

“You understand that you may be called upon to use a dagger more often than a sword,” he asked, “and that poisons are sometimes preferred to pistols?”

“I understand.”

He looked at me intently.

“There may come a time,” he continued, “when you may have to draw your long-sword or your short-sword in my defense. Are you a capable swordsman?”

“I am a panthan,” I replied; “and as panthans live by the sword, the very fact that I am here answers your question.”

“Not entirely. I must have a master swordsman. Rapas, here, is handy with the short-sword. Let us see what you can do against him.”

“To the death?” I asked.

Rapas guffawed loudly. “I did not bring you here to kill you,” he said.

“No, not to the death, of course,” said Fal Sivas. “Just a short passage. Let us see which one can scratch the other first.”

I did not like the idea. I do not ordinarily draw my sword unless I intend to kill, but I realized that I was playing a part and that before I got through I might have to do many things of which I did not approve; so I nodded my assent and waited for Rapas to draw.

His short-sword flashed from its scabbard. “I shall not hurt you badly, Vandor,” he said; “for I am very fond of you.”

I thanked him and drew my own weapon.

Rapas stepped forward to engage me, a confident smile upon his lips. The next instant his weapon was flying across the room. I had disarmed him, and he was at my mercy. He backed away, a sickly grin upon his face. Fal Sivas laughed.

“It was an accident,” said Rapas. “I was not ready.”

“I am sorry,” I told him; “go and recover your weapon.”

He got it and came back, and this time he lunged at me viciously. There would have been no mere scratch that time if his thrust had succeeded. He would have spitted me straight through the heart. I parried and stepped in, and again his sword hurtled through the air and clanked against the opposite wall.

Fal Sivas laughed uproariously. Rapas was furious. “That is enough,” said the former. “I am satisfied. Sheath your swords.”

I knew that I had made an enemy of Rapas; but that did not concern me greatly, since being forewarned I could always be watchful of him. Anyway, I had never trusted him.

“You are prepared to enter my service at once?” asked Fal Sivas.

“I am in your service now,” I replied.

He smiled. “I think you are going to make me a good man. Rapas wants to go away for a while to attend to business of his own. While he is away, you will remain here as my bodyguard. When he returns, I may still find use for you in one way or another. The fact that you are unknown in Zodanga may make you very valuable to me.” He turned to Rapas. “You may go now, Rapas,” he said, “and while you are away, you might take some lessons in swordsmanship.”

When Fal Sivas said that, he grinned; but Rapas did not. He looked very sour, and he did not say good-by to me as he left the room.

“I am afraid that you offended his dignity,” said Fal Sivas after the door had closed behind the assassin.

“I shall lose no sleep over it,” I replied, “and anyway it was not my fault.