“Aha!” the girl breathed.
“She had a servant, a black dwarf.”
“Then—”
The Superior held up a hand. “There is little that we can do now. Their lodgings are empty. They have departed, taking all their belongings with them. There are many trails. Should we overtake them, there is nothing we could do. We are not the law, only humble monks striving to make the people of this earth a little happier.
“Listen!” He held up a hand. The droning sound of motors was fading away.
“They are gone,” he said. “You have done us a great service. I shall send a message to the Superior of all temples along the way to treat you as a sister.
“From now on,” he added, “our temple will be guarded at night. Three brothers will watch this night through. You may sleep in peace.”
Gale and Jan did sleep in peace. Early next morning four monks took up Jimmie’s litter and carried him before the girls down the mountain to their jeep.
There they wove him a hammock of ropes that fitted across the back of the car. The girls thanked them, bade them goodbye and drove away.
Early that same evening Jimmie found himself in a bed at the hospital beneath the shadows of the Secret Forest with the gentle doll-like Mai-da as his nurse.