"Stay right there," I commanded. The figure halted and I walked up to it. As I approached I saw that the newcomer was small, not much higher than my shoulder.
"What do you do here?" I asked. "Are you passing through?"
"I come to take you to my father," the answer came in a soft, liquid voice. I lowered the rifle.
"A girl?" I exclaimed in astonishment. She moved forward and I saw a small, smooth young face peering out from beneath the big, furry hat and the upturned collar of the parka. I could make out a small, pert nose and soft brown almond eyes. She sank down beside the fire wearily.
"Do not be surprised," she commented in perfect English, just the trace of a British accent in her tone. "The Sherpa women can outclimb and outwalk any of the men. I am not one of the Sherpa, but I have grown up in these mountains."
"Surprises seem to be a part of your country," I said, sinking down beside her. "I've already had one tonight." I quickly told her of the other guide who had come for me and I heard her draw her breath in sharply.
"A thousand apologies to you," she said. "My father will be heartsick to hear of this. We were afraid something like it might happen but we were helpless to prevent it. Only three days ago we found out that one of our servants who had relayed messages between my father and Mr. Angsley belonged to Ghotak's Snake Society. That is why he sent me off to meet you at once. He knew he could have trust in me."
She was warming her hands before the fire, and I put on some more wood. Even bundled up in the shapeless layers of clothing there was something petite about her, and her movements as she stretched before the flames were fluid and graceful.
"I am Khaleen," she announced simply. "Only daughter of the House of Leeunghi and, since the death of my mother, woman of my father's home."
"And I'm Nick, Nick Carter, Khaleen," I replied. "You speak perfect English. Where did you learn?"
"I studied in England as a young girl," she said. "I returned at the death of my mother. We await your coming with great hopes born of desperation. Ghotak is close to victory."
I smiled grimly. "I'll give it everything I can," I answered. "I've already got one personal score to settle with this Ghotak cat. Hired assassins sent to kill me make me more than a little annoyed."
Khaleen smiled, her teeth beautifully even and white. She was studying me with a wisdom in her eyes that was born not of experience but of heritage.
"I think that if there is still time, you will find a way to help us, Mr. Carter," she said slowly.
"Nick," I corrected her. She smiled again and moved closer to me. I wished I could see more of her than the tiny piece of her face showing through the layers of clothing.
"We will rest a few hours by the fire before starting the trip back," she said. "We will lie close together for added warmth." She lay down in front of the fire and gently pulled me down beside her. Turning on her side so that we lay back to back, she immediately fell into a sound sleep. As I lay awake a while longer I realized the truth of her actions. Even through the heavy clothing, I could feel the warmth of her body against mine. I fell asleep shortly after, the rifle cradled in my arms.
It was still dark when I felt her stir and I awoke.
"We will start back now," she said. "It is a long and hard trip." We threw some snow on the fire and I found myself following her at an amazing pace. Her small form moved gracefully and easily through the pass, down steep ridges and along rocky ledges so narrow we had to progress inch by inch, each step an invitation to sudden death. When night came again, we were lower down in the mountains, and I saw greenery. The temperature had abated somewhat. The fire was still welcome, however, and we ate the dried meat in my pack. We had spoken very little during the trip, conserving our breath and our energies. When we finally encamped, we were both too exhausted to do anything but sleep, and in the morning we were off to an early start again. Khaleen had timed things so that we slipped into Katmandu by night, and she skirted around quiet, dark streets to bring me finally to the door of a big wooden house with the traditional pagoda-like roof supported by strong timbers. She opened the door and beckoned for me to follow. Inside, she called out in her native tongue. I heard sounds from an adjoining room, and through the doorless archway I saw the man whose picture I'd seen on the film. He walked in with brisk steps and bowed briefly. I did the best I could in my bulky outfit.
He helped me off with my things while Khaleen spoke quickly to him, and when she'd finished he looked up at me with deep, round eyes. "I apologize that your introduction to our land was one of death," he said. His eyes roved up and down my frame, towering and appearing even bigger in the low-roofed room.
"You are an impressive man, Mr. Carter," he said. "It is good. The people are easily led, easily impressed. Come, let us go in and sit down. We have much to discuss."
I noticed that Khaleen had disappeared as I followed the patriarch into a warm room with dark wood paneling and a stone stove set in one wall, a blazing fireplace in the other. Gleaming copper and brass urns, trays and pots were set into wooden niches, and a thick rug lay casually across the floor. We sat on low, blanket-covered stools and benches and the patriarch poured tea into pewter mugs.
"Tomorrow night there is to be a Spirit Meeting to Karkotek at Ghotak's temple hall," the old man said. "I fear it will be more than your eyes have witnessed, young man."
"These eyes have witnessed a helluva lot," I commented.
"During such a meeting, Ghotak inflames the people to mass eroticism," Leeunghi went on. "When they are in the throes of their erotic sensations he will encourage more and more of this mass psychological phenomenon until the people are spent and exhausted. Then his Snake Society men will pass the petition to the king among them to sign and of course they will do so."
"You have a plan to prevent this, I take it?"
"The only possible one at the moment," the old man said. "I will introduce you as an old friend when the gathering assembles, one who comes from a far-away land with news of Karkotek. The Spirit of Karkotek roams across the face of the earth, according to legend."
"And I'll tell the people that Karkotek has given no sign that he favors Ghotak's position," I chimed in.
"Precisely," Leeunghi agreed. "Ghotak will argue and threaten. I do not know exactly what he will come up with but he will fight hard, you may be sure. The important thing is that we maneuver him into a position where he cannot get his petition signed at the end of the ritual."
"I've got it," I said. "Hell hold the ritual in any case, right?"
"That is correct," the patriarch said. "He cannot deny the people the ritual. But we must deny him his objective, whatever the price."
"Do you think they will really pay any attention to me?" I asked. "After all, I'm a total stranger to them."
"They will listen to you because first, you come as my friend and I am respected here," he answered. "And then, because you, having heard of Ghotak's claim, have come all this distance to speak out against it."
I smiled. I was beginning to see the intricate, wily twists and turns of the old man's mind, plainly learned and wise in the ways of his people. He stood up abruptly.
"Your room is upstairs and a bath is waiting for you there," he smiled. "The Western-style bathtub is a convenience I became used to during my days in the British army. I think my home is perhaps one of the very few in all this region with such conveniences, outside of the Royal Palace."
"Speaking of Royal Palaces," I said, "where does the King fit into this?"
"He prays for our success, but he must remain in the background," Leeunghi said. "If we fail to stop Ghotak, he will be forced to accede to his demands."