Part 6 (1/2)

”Not so!” cried an older hter of Yiant! To fields of the dead she co! Myself when a boy I saw her, when I lay half-slain on the bloody field of Wolraven I saw her walk a like ivory and her golden hair unbearably bright in thebecause I could not crawl after her She lures men from stricken fields into the wastelands to be slain by her brothers, the ice-giants, who layon Yiant's daughter!”

”Bah!” grunted Horsa ”Old Gorm's mind was touched in his youth by a sword cut on the head

Conan was delirious from the fury of battle look how his helht have addled his brain It was an hallucination he followed into the wastes He is from the south; what does he know of Atali?”

”You speak truth, perhaps,” e and weird by Croled froaped silently at the veil he held up a wisp of gossamer that was never spun by human distaff45

The God in the Bowl

The God in the Bowl

Arus the watchrasped his crossboith shaky hands, and he felt beads of clammy perspiration on his skin as he stared at the unlovely corpse sprawling on the polished floor before him It is not pleasant to coht

Arus stood in a vast corridor, lighted by huge candles in niches along the walls These walls were hung with black velvet tapestries, and between the tapestries hung shi+elds and crossed weapons of fantastic es carved of stone or rare wood, or cast of bronze, iron or silver diany floor

Arus shuddered; he had never becoh he had worked there as watchreat museum and antique house which men called Kallian Publico's Temple, with its rarities froht, Arus stood in the great silent hall and stared at the sprawling corpse that had been the rich and powerful owner of the Temple

It entered even the dull brain of the watchely different now, than when he rode along the Palian Way in his golden chariot, arrogant and donetic vitality Men who had hated and feared Kallian Publico would scarcely have recognized hirated tun of fat, his rich robe half torn from him, and his purple tunic awry His face was blackened, his eyes alue lolled blackly froesture of curious futility On the thick fingers ges?” lared, the short hairs prickling at the nape of his neck Through the dark silken hangings thatinto the hallway, caure

Arus saw a tall powerfully built youth, naked but for a loin-cloth, and sandals strapped high about his ankles His skin was burned brown as by the suns of the wastelands, and Arus glanced nervously at his broad shoulders, le look at the moody, broad-browed features told the watchman that the man was no Nemedian Froerous blue eyes A long sword hung in a leather scabbard at his girdle46

Arus felt his skin crawl, and he fingered his crossbow tensely, of half a er's body without parley, yet fearful of what ht happen if he failed to inflict death at the first shot

The stranger looked at the body on the floor more in curiosity than surprize

”Why did you kill him?” asked Arus nervously

The other shook his tousled head

”I didn't kill hi Nemedian with a barbaric accent ”Who is he?

”Kallian Publico,” replied Arus, edging back

A flicker of interest showed in the moody blue eyes

”The owner of the house?

”Aye” Arus had edged his way to the wall, and now he took hold of a thick velvet rope whichswung there, and jerked it violently Fro of the bell that hung before all shops and establisher started”Why did you do that?” he asked ”It will fetch the watch his rocking courage ”Stand where you are; don't er was on the trigger of his arbalest, the wicked square head of the quarrel leveled full on the other's broad breast The stranger scowled and his dark face was lowering He showed no fear, but see in his mind as to whether he should obey the command or chance a sudden break of some kind Arus licked his lips and his blood turned cold as he plainly saw indecision struggle with a ner's cloudy eyes

Then he heard a door crash open, and a medley of voices, and he drew a deep breath of alared worriedly, like a startled hunting beast, as half a dozen men entered the hall All but one wore the scarlet tunic of the Nu swords and carried bills long shafted weapons, half pike, half axe47

”What devil's work is this?” exclairey eyes and lean keen features, no less than his civilian garments, set him apart from his burly companions

”By Mitra, Demetrio!” exclaiht I had no hope that the watch would answer the summons so swiftly or that you would be with the the rounds with Dionus,” answered De the Teed But who is this? Mitra! The master of the Temple himself!”