Part 8 (2/2)

ru frowned

'I fear no common man, as you well know But when I saw the cliffs fall at Valkia I knew that this devil we had resurrected was no charlatan I fear his powers, because I do not know the full extent of them But I know that so which I have stolen froht him back to life; so it must be the source of his sorcery

'He had it hidden well; but following my secret order a slave spied on hiolden chest, and sahere he hid the chest Even so, I would not have dared steal it had Xaltotun himself not been sunk in lotus slumber

'I believe it is the secret of his power With it Orastes brought him back to life With it he will make us all slaves, if we are not wary So take it and cast it into the sea as I have bidden you And be sure you are so far from land that neither tide nor storm can wash it up on the beach You have been paid'

'So I have,' grunted the ruffian 'And I owe ratitude Even thieves can be grateful'

'Whatever debt you may feel you owe me,' answered Tarascus, 'will be paid when you have hurled this thing into the sea'

'I'll ride for Zingara and take shi+p from Kordava,' proos, because of the matter of a murder or so--'

'I care not, so it is done Here it is; a horse awaits you in the court

Go, and go swiftly!'

So that flalimpse of it; and then the ruffian pulled a slouch hat over his eyes, drew his cloak about his shoulder, and hurried from the chamber And as the door closed behind hi fury of unchained blood-lust He had held hiht of his ene and swept away all caution and restraint

Tarascus was turning toward an inner door when Conan tore aside the hangings and leaped like a blood-mad panther into the roonize his attacker, Conan's poniard ripped into him

But the bloas not ht in a fold of the curtains and tripped him as he leaped

The point fleshed itself in Tarascus' shoulder and plowed down along his ribs, and the king of Neing body hurled hiainst the table and it toppled and the candle went out They were both carried to the floor by the violence of Conan's rush, and the foot of the tapestry ha blindly in the dark, Tarascus screa in a frenzy of panicky terror As if fear lent hiy, Tarascus tore free and blundered away in the darkness, shrieking: 'Help! Guards! Arideus! Orastes! Orastes!'

Conan rose, kicking hi tapestries and the broken table, cursing with the bitterness of his blood-thirsty disappointnorant of the plan of the palace

The yells of Tarascus were still resounding in the distance, and a wild outcry was bursting forth in answer The Nemedian had escaped hione The Cieance had failed, and there re his own hide if he could

Swearing luridly, Conan ran back down the passage and into the alcove, glaring out into the lighted corridor, just as Zenobia ca up it, her dark eyes dilated with terror

'Oh, what has happened?' she cried 'The palace is roused! I swear I have not betrayed you--'

'No, it was I who stirred up this hornet's nest,' he grunted 'I tried to pay off a score What's the shortest way out of this?'

She caught his wrist and ran fleetly down the corridor But before they reached the heavy door at the other end, an to shake under an assault fro her hands and whimpered

'We are cut off! I locked that door as I returned through it But they will burst it in a h it'

Conan wheeled Up the corridor, though still out of sight, he heard a rising clamor that told him his foes were behind as well as before hiirl cried desperately, running across the corridor and throwing open the door of a chaold catch behind them