Part 20 (1/2)
They winced at the irony One growled: ”Spear hi hi us like a wolf aested the youngest of the band The others scowled so murderously at him that he fell back in confusion
”Aye, cutthe hilt of his sciht even live to tell of it!”
”Knives are silent,” ster He was rewarded by a javelin butt driven into his belly, which doubled hi vented sorew calmer The tall one asked Conan:
”You are expected?”
”Would I come otherwise? Does the lamb thrust his head unbidden into the lion's ray ith blood on his fangs”
”If there is fresh-spilt blood, it is but that of fools who disobeyed their e of Ghosts-”
”By Hanuht?
They said they had slain a Vendhyan e”
So that hy the sentries were careless! For some reason the Sabateans had lied about the outcome of the battle, and the Watchers of the Road were not expecting pursuit
”None of you was a them?” said Conan
”Do we limp? Do we bleed? Do eep froht Conan!”
”Then be wise and make not their mistake Will you takein his beard by scorning his coir ”No order has been given us concerning you But if this be a lie, our master shall see to your death, and if be not a lie, then we can have no blame Give up your weapons and ill take you to hiave up his weapons Ordinarily he would have fought to the death before letting hie stakes The leader straightened up the young Zuagir with a kick in the rump, told him to watch the Stair as if his life depended on it; then barked orders at the others
As they closed around the unarmed Cimmerian, Conan knew their hands itched to thrust a knife into his back But he had sown the seeds of uncertainty in their primitivethe wide road that led to the city Conan asked casually: ”The Sabateans passed into the city just before dawn?”
”Aye,” was the terse reply
They couldn't march fast,” irl, their prisoner, to drag”
One irl-”
The tall leader barked hiaze on Conan ”Do not answer him If he mocks us, retort not A serpent is less crafty If we converse with hiuiled ere we reach Yanaidar”
Conan noted the naend Balash had told him ”Why mistrust me?” he demanded ”Have I not cohed mirthlessly ”Once I saw you come to the Hyrkanian masters of Khorusun with open hands, but when you closed those hands the streets ran red Nay, Conan, I know you of old, from the days when you led your outlaws over the steppes of Turan I cannot ue between my teeth
You shall not snare and blind me ords I'll not speak; and if any of ht I knew you,” said Conan ”You are Antar the son of Adi You were a stout fighter”
The Zuagir's scarred face lighted at the praise Then he recollected hi men, and marched stiffly ahead of the party