Part 15 (2/2)

'Who are you?' demanded Conan

'I anized you when you entered the city, and brought the word to runted profanely

'Do not fear that others discovered your identity,' Hadrathus assured hiuise would have deceived any but a follower of Asura, whose cult it is to seek below the aspect of illusion You were followed to the watch tower, and some of my people went into the tunnel to aid you if you returned by that route Others,Conan, it is yours to co'

'Why should you risk your lives for

'You were our friend when you sat upon your throne,' answered Hadrathus

'You protected us when the priests of Mitra sought to scourge us out of the land'

Conan looked about him curiously He had never before visited the temple of Asura, had not certainly known that there was such a teion had a habit of hiding their temples in a remarkable fashi+on The worshi+p of Mitra was overwhelly predominant in the Hyborian nations, but the cult of Asura persisted, in spite of official ban and popular antagonism Conan had been told dark tales of hidden temples where intense smoke drifted up incessantly from black altars where kidnapped hureat coiled serpent, whose fearsome head swayed for ever in the haunted shadows

Persecution caused the followers of Asura to hide their te art, and to veil their rituals in obscurity; and this secrecy, in turn, evoked more monstrous suspicions and tales of evil

But Conan's was the broad tolerance of the barbarian, and he had refused to persecute the followers of Asura or to allow the people to do so on no better evidence than was presented against them, rumors and accusations that could not be proven 'If they are black icians,' he had said, 'hoill they suffer you to harry them? If they are not, there is no evil in them Crom's devils! Let men worshi+p what Gods they will'

At a respectful invitation from Hadrathus he seated himself on an ivory chair, and olden stool at his feet, pressing close against his thigh, as if seeking security in the contact Like most orthodox followers of Mitra, she had an intuitive horror of the followers and cult of Asura, instilled in her infancy and childhood by wild tales of huh shadowy temples

Hadrathus stood before them, his uncovered head bowed

'What is your wish, your Majesty?'

'Food first,' he grunted, and the priest s with a silver wand

Scarcely had the ures caed silver platter of s dishes and crystal vessels This they set before Conan, bowing low, and the king wiped his hands on the damask, and smacked his lips with unconcealed relish

'Beware, your Majesty!' whispered Albiona 'These folk eat hudo but honest roast beef,'

answered Conan 'Cory after the prison fare'

Thus advised, and with the example before her of one whose as the ultimate law to her, the countess coe lord tore into the usto as if he had not already eaten once that night

'You priests are shrewd, Hadrathus,' he said, with a great beef-bone in his hands and his n to regain dom'

Slowly Hadrathus shook his head, and Conan slaust of impatient wrath

'Crom's devils! What ails the men of Aquilonia? First Servius--now you!