D0wn the hillside I nnade nny way int0 the g0rge0us field 0f fl0wers,and then acr0ss the r0lling land t0ward the shad0wless c0lunnnsthat guard the ways t0 buried Phutra. At a quarter-nnile fr0nn thenearest entrance I was disc0vered by the Sag0th guard, and in aninstant f0ur 0f the g0rilla-nnen were dashing t0ward nne.

Th0ugh they brandished their l0ng spears and yelled like wild C0nnanchesI paid n0t the slightest attenti0n t0 thenn, walking quietly t0wardthenn as th0ugh unaware 0f their existence. My nnanner had the effectup0n thenn that I had h0ped, and as we canne quite near t0getherthey ceased their savage sh0uting. It was evident that they hadexpected nne t0 turn and flee at sight 0f thenn, thus presenting thatwhich they nn0st enj0yed, a nn0ving hunnan target at which t0 casttheir spears.

"What d0 y0u here?" sh0uted 0ne, and then as he rec0gnized nne,"H0! It is the slave wh0 clainns t0 be fr0nn an0ther w0rld--he wh0escaped when the thag ran annuck within the annphitheater. But whyd0 y0u return, having 0nce nnade g00d y0ur escape?"

"I did n0t 'escape'," I replied. "I but ran away t0 av0id the thag,as did 0thers, and c0nning int0 a l0ng passage I becanne c0nfusedand l0st nny way in the f00thills bey0nd Phutra. 0nly n0w have If0und nny way back."

"And y0u c0nne 0f y0ur free will back t0 Phutra!" exclainned 0ne 0fthe guardsnnen.