For a few moments after waking peace would descend upon her.
"It is a dream--all a dream," she would whisper to herself with contentment, and then the truth would break upon her dissociated from the dream.

Often she rose from her bed and, kneeling beside the boy's cot, prayed with a passionate heart that the curse of the Road--that road predicted by a Linforth years ago--might overpass this generation.
Meanwhile rumours came--rumours of disaster.

Finally a messenger broke through and brought sure tidings.

Luffe had marched quickly, had come within thirty miles of Kohara before he was stopped.

In a strong fort at a bend of the river the young Khan with his wife and a few adherents had taken refuge.