Part 4 (2/2)

'By Mitra, it _is_ the king!' swore Tarascus He cast a swift look about hihed 'That other was a jackal in his harness! In, dogs, and take his head!'

The three soldiers--uards--rushed at the king, and one felled the squire with a blow of a mace The other two fared less well As the first rushed in, lifting his sword, Conanstroke that severed mail-links like cloth, and sheared the Nemedian's ar backward, fell across his cos The reat sas through hiasp, and staggered back against the tent-pole His great limbs trembled, his chest heaved, and sweat poured down his face and neck But his eyes flaery and he panted: 'Why do you stand afar off, dog of Belverus? I can't reach you; colanced at the reaunt, saturnine man in black mail, and took a step forward

He was far inferior in size and strength to the giant Cimmerian, but he was in full armor, and was famed in all the western nations as a swordsht his arm

'Nay, your Majesty, do not throay your life I will summon archers to shoot this barbarian, as we shoot lions'

Neither of theht was going on, and now ca over their shoulders, and a queer chill sensation crawled along his spine There was souely unnatural about the appearance of the black horses that drew the vehicle, but it was the occupant of the chariot that arrested the king's attention

He was a tallunadorned silk robe

He wore a Shemitish head-dress, and its lower folds hid his features, except for the dark,the rearing horses back on their haunches, hite but strong Conan glared at the stranger, all his primitive instincts roused He sensed an aura of ure, a rass that marks the path of the serpent

'Hail, Xaltotun!' exclai of Aquilonia! He did not die in the landslide as we thought'

'I know,' answered the other, without bothering to say how he knew

'What is your present intention?'

'I will su as he lives he will be dangerous to us'

'Yet even a dog has uses,' answered Xaltotun 'Take hily 'Cos I'd hew you out of that chariot like a wood a tree But you'll never take me alive, damn you!'

'He speaks the truth, I fear,' said Tarascus 'The man is a barbarian, with the senseless ferocity of a wounded tiger Let me summon the archers'

'Watch me and learn wisdom,' advised Xaltotun

His hand dipped into his robe and ca sphere This he threw suddenly at Conan The Cimmerian contemptuously struck it aside with his sword--at the instant of contact there was a sharp explosion, a flare of white, blinding flaround

'He is dead?' Tarascus' tone was more assertion than inquiry

'No He is but senseless He will recover his senses in a few hours Bid your s and lift hiesture Tarascus did so, and they heaved the senseless king into the chariot, grunting with their burden Xaltotun threw a velvet cloak over his body, coathered the reins in his hands

'I'm for Belverus,' he said 'Tell Amalric that I will be with him if he needs me But with Conan out of the way, and his army broken, lance and sword should suffice for the rest of the conquest Prospero cannot be bringing more than ten thousand men to the field, and will doubtless fall back to Tarantia when he hears the news of the battle Say nothing to Amalric or Valerius or anyone about our capture Let them think Conan died in the fall of the cliffs'

He looked at the uardsman moved restlessly, nervous under the scrutiny

'What is that about your waist?' Xaltotun deirdle, uardsman