Chapter 36

“Then could you quietly, by going back to these old women, the wise old women who remember so many things the rest of the world forgets, find out for me any hearsay as to that secret gateway? Any rumor or crumb of truth about it?” Slowly the girl shook her head. “It would lead only into danger,” she averred. “But not counting that,” I persisted, “would you do it for me?” “I would do anything for you, O Fire-Stone,” she said as her glance met mine in the moonlight. “You could do nothing,” I said with one hand on her…