Part 7 (1/2)

”That any man who touches me will quickly be greeting his ancestors in h.e.l.l,” the Cimmerian ground between his powerful teeth, his eyes glinting quick flames of dangerous anger.

”Why did you come here, if not to kill this man?” pursued Demetrio.

”I came to steal,” sullenly answered the other.

”To steal what?” rapped the Inquisitor.

”Food,” the reply came after an instant's hesitation.

”That's a lie!” snapped Demetrio. ”You knew there was no food here. Don't lie to me. Tell me the truth or ”

The Cimmerian laid his hand on his sword hilt, and the gesture was as fraught with menace as the lifting of a tiger's lip to bare his fangs.

”Save your bullying for the fools who fear you,” he growled, blue fires smoldering in his eyes.

”I'm no city-bred Nemedian to cringe before your hired dogs. I've killed better men than you for less than this.”

Dionus, who had opened his mouth to bellow in wrath, closed it suddenly. The watchmen s.h.i.+fted their bills uncertainly and glanced at Demetrio for orders. They were struck speechless at hearing the all-powerful police thus bearded and expected a command to seize the barbarian.

But Demetrio did not give it. He knew, if the others were too stupid to know, the steel-trap muscles and blinding quickness of men raised beyond civilization's frontiers where life was a continual battle for existence, and he had no desire to loose the barbaric frenzy of the Cimmerian if it could be avoided. Besides, there was a doubt in his mind.

”I have not accused you of killing Kallian,” he snapped. ”But you must admit the appearances are against you. How did you enter the Temple?”

”I hid in the shadows of the warehouse which stands behind this building,” Conan answered grudgingly. ”When this dog” jerking a thumb at Arus ”pa.s.sed by and rounded the corner, I50.ran quickly to the wall and scaled it ”

”A lie!” broke in Arus. ”No man could climb that straight wall!”

”Did you ever see a Cimmerian scale a sheer cliff?” asked Demetrio impatiently. ”I am conducting this investigation. Go on, Conan.”

”The corner is decorated with carvings,” said the Cimmerian. ”It was easy to climb. I gained the roof before this dog came around the building again. I went across the roof until I came upon a trap-door which was fastened with an iron bolt that went through it and was locked on the inside. I was forced to hew the bolt in twain with my sword ”

Arus, remembering the thickness of that bolt, gulped involuntarily and moved further back from the barbarian, who scowled abstractedly at him, and continued.

”I feared the noise might wake somebody, but it was a chance I had to take. I pa.s.sed through the trap-door and came into an upper chamber. I didn't pause there, but came straightway to the stair ”

”How did you know where the stair was?” snapped the Inquisitor. ”I know that only Kallian's servants, and his rich patrons were ever allowed in those upper rooms.”

A dogged stubbornness shadowed Conan's eyes and he remained silent.

”What did you do after you reached the stair?” demanded Demetrio.

”I came straight down it,” muttered the Cimmerian. ”It let into the chamber behind yonder curtained door. As I came down the stairs I heard the noise of a door being opened. When I looked through the hangings I saw this dog standing over the dead man.”

”Why did you come from your hiding place?”

”It was dark when I saw the watchman outside the Temple. When I saw him here I thought he was a thief too. It was not until he jerked the watch-bell rope and lifted his bow that I knew he was the watchman.”

”But even so,” persisted the Inquisitor, ”why did you reveal yourself?”

”I thought perhaps he had come to steal what ” the Cimmerian checked himself suddenly as if he had said too much.51.

” What you had come after, yourself!” finished Demetrio. ”You have told me more than you intended! You came here with a definite purpose. You did not, by your own admission, tarry in the upper rooms, where the richest goods are generally stored. You knew the plan of the building you were sent here by some one who knows the Temple well, to steal some special thing!”

”And to kill Kallian Publico!” exclaimed Dionus. ”By Mitra, we've hit it! Grab him, men!