Part 31 (1/2)

But the distant lightning flickered incessantly, like the cri blade

At sunset of the next day Tarascus ca, the foot hours behind the horsemen They camped in the plain near Amalric's camp, and at dawn the combined army moved ard

Ahead of him roved a swarm of scouts, and Amalric waited impatiently for them to return and tell of the Poitanians trapped beside a furious flood But when the scouts met the column it ith the news that Conan had crossed the river!

'What?' exclaimed Amalric 'Did he cross before the flood?'

'There was no flood,' answered the scouts, puzzled 'Late last night he ca his army across'

'No flood?' exclaimed Xaltotun, taken aback for the first tihty rains upon the headwaters of the shi+rki last night and the night before that!'

'That may be your lordshi+p,' answered the scout 'It is true the water was muddy, and the people of Tanasul said that the river rose perhaps a foot yesterday; but that was not enough to prevent Conan's crossing'

Xaltotun's sorcery had failed! The thought hae ht in Belverus when he had seen a brown, shriveledhorror into active fear In his heart was a grisly conviction that the man--or devil--was invincible Yet now he had undeniable proof of his failure

Yet even the greatest of necroht the baron At any rate, he dared not oppose thein Mitra only knehat nameless hell, and Amalric knew his sould scarcely prevail where the black wisdorisly abomination Xaltotun plotted lay in the unpredictable future Conan and his host were a present ht well be needed before the play was all played

They cae at the spot where a reef of rocks e across the river, passable always except in tiht in the news that Conan had taken up his position in the Goralian hills, which began to rise a few miles beyond the river And just before sundown the Gundermen had arrived in his camp

Aht of the flaring torches Night had fallen

'What now? Your ic has failed Conan confronts us with an are of position We have a choice of two evils: to camp here and await his attack, or to fall back toward Tarantia and await reinforcements'

'We are ruined if ait,' answered Xaltotun 'Cross the river and camp on the plain We will attack at dawn'

'But his position is too strong!' exclaiust of passion broke the veneer of the wizard's calotten Valkia? Because some obscure elemental principle prevented the flood do you deem me helpless? I had intended that your spears should exterminate our enemies; but do not fear: it is my arts that shall crush their host Conan is in a trap He will never see another sun set Cross the river!'

They crossed by the flare of torches The hoofs of the horses clinked on the rocky bridge, splashed through the shallows The glint of the torches on shi+elds and breast-plates was reflected redly in the black water The rock bridge was broad on which they crossed, but even so it was past ht before the host was camped in the plain beyond Above the redly in the distance Conan had turned at bay in the Goralian hills, which had more than once before served as the last stand of an Aquilonian king

Ah the calow flickered in Xaltotun's tent, and from time to time a demoniacal cry slashed the silence, and there was a low sinisterof a drum that rustled rather than ruht and the circumstances, felt that Xaltotun was opposed by more than physical force Doubts of the wizard's power assailed hih above hirim lines He and his ar those hills lurked thousands of wolfish figures out of whose hearts and souls all eed except a frenzied hate for their conquerors, a eance Defeatwith blood-ainst the grihter in the western nations, and his desperate horde If Xaltotun failed them now--

Half a dozen linted on their breast-plates and helure in tattered rags

Saluting, they spoke: 'My lord, thisValerius He is an Aquilonian'

He looked more like a wolf--a wolf the traps had scarred Old sores that only fetters reat brand, the h the tangle of his matted hair as he half crouched before the baron

'Who are you, you filthy dog?' demanded the Nemedian

'Call me Tiberias,' answered the man, and his teeth clicked in an involuntary spasm 'I have come to tell you how to trap Conan'