That night, for the first time in a thousand years perhaps, the
soldiers of Lodidhapura and the soldiers of Pnom Dhek sat at the same
board and laughed and joked and swore strange oaths and feasted and
drank together; and the soldiers of Lodidhapura bragged of the prowess
of their Prince, who single-handed and armed only with javelin had
slain My Lord the Tiger; and the soldiers of Pnom Dhek boasted of the
beauty of their Princess until presently those who were not sleeping
beneath the table were weeping upon one another's brass cuirasses, so
that when morning broke it was with aching heads that the soldiers of
Lodidhapura climbed into the howdahs upon their great elephants and
started back upon their homeward journey.
At the same time a strong force from Pnom Dhek, including many high
officials of the court, together with the Princess Fou-tan and Gordon
King, mounted upon swift elephants, set out through the jungle toward
the dwelling of Che and Kangrey.
Upon the afternoon of the second day they reached their destination.
Che and Kangrey and little Uda were overcome by the magnificence of the
spectacle that burst suddenly upon their simple and astonished gaze;
nor were they entirely free from apprehension until they had made sure
that Gordon King was there to protect them.
"How is the patient, Kangrey?" asked King.
The woman shook her head. "He does not mend," she said.
Together Fou-tan and Gordon King, accompanied by the high priest of
Siva from Pnom Dhek and several of the highest officers of the court,
entered the simple dwelling.
Beng Kher lay stretched upon his mean cot of straw and hides. His eyes
lighted as they rested upon Fou-tan, who ran forward and kneeled beside
him. The old warrior took her in his arms and pressed her to him, and
though he was very weak he insisted that she tell him all that had
transpired since King had left him to return to Pnom Dhek.
When she had finished, he sighed and stroked her hair; and when he
motioned to Gordon King, and the man came and knelt at Fou-tan's side,
Beng Kher took their hands in his.
"Siva has been kind to me in my last hour," he said. "He has saved Pnom
Dhek and Fou-tan from the traitor, and he has given me a new son to
rule when I am dead. All praise be to Siva."
The King, Beng Kher, closed his eyes. A tremor passed through his
frame, which seemed suddenly to shrink and lie very still.
Gordon King lifted the weeping Fou-tan to her feet. The highest officer
of the Khmer court came and knelt before them. He took the hand of
Gordon King in his and pressed it to his lip. "I salute the son of Beng
Kher," he said, "the new King of Pnom Dhek."
* * * * *