Part 12 (1/2)
”If, by Sephar, you h cliff--yes”
The Sepharian shook his head in honest tribute ”But why did you coet you sooner or later”
”They have et her”
”And now they have you both!”
Tharn's eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened ”They will not keep us,” he said simply
The other sht pause
”Who are you?”
Tharn told him, and the conversation lapsed for a while
Meanwhile, a guard had entered the great room and approached Vulcar, the one who had reether for a few uards cahly on the cave-ers, the ht's battle still fresh in hisfrom his stool, he whirled on the startled Vulcar Before the stupefied captain could lift a hand in defense, he found hi his shoulders to the floor, while iron fingers were shutting off his breath
The entire body of prisoners and attendants was thrown into confusion
One of the guards leaped to the side of the cave-man and would have driven a spear into his back had not Katon vaulted the table and shoved hinal, the prisoners threw theuards, and the roo legs, the four walls echoing muffled shouts, screams, curses
Unmindful of the tumult about hi Vulcar Grasping the Cro-Magnon's steel-therists, he tugged with all his rip
”Stop it, Tharn!” he panted ”Let go! If he dies they will kill you!”
Slowly the red e brain; and slowly, alretfully, Tharn obeyed
As he rose frouards broke into the rooht between attendants and prisoners With lusty swings of spear shafts the newcoainst one wall
As for Vulcar--he lay where Tharn had left hiulps as the livid hue of his face gradually faded Vulcar had been very near to death
Finally he got shakily to his feet, assisted by two of his men For a fullat the angry red welts where Tharn's ers had closed
”Seize that madman!” he croaked at last; ”seize and tie him! A few touches of the ill teach him how to act!”
Before the hesitant warriors could act, Katon had stepped into the breach
”Wait, Vulcar,” he pleaded ”Do not have him whipped The man is a barbarian; he believed you had attacked him, and acted so Had he stopped to think, he would not have dared raise a hand against the hter in all Sephar”
Vulcar was shrewd enough to see that Katon had made it possible for hi another battle He realized the cave-man would resist an atteht inflaht, Katon,” he admitted reluctantly ”But I shall not be so lenient if it happens again”