Part 13 (1/2)

Vulcar led the within theshut, hearing the heavy bars fall into place

Hardly had Tharn left the throne-roouards

An a transforhter The stained anione--replaced by a sleeveless tunic that fell from throat to knees Her luxuriant curls of deep broere neatly drawn behind her ears; on her feet were strong sandals of leather

She hesitated slightly at sight of e faces, the serried ranks of motionless warriors about Uriure of Uri confidence, she walked slowly through the press of Sepharians as they cleared a pathway to the foot of Urim's chair

Both women and their escorts halted a few paces short of the steps

Three heads were huazed artlessly up at the monarch

Urim hid his smile with a casual hand Were all cave-people so difficult to ih; the other women of the room certainly suffered by comparison By the God! If there were not a hundred suitors at her heels before long he would have ynist, was staring at her, his heart in his eyes!

”Is this girl in your care, Nada?” he asked

”She is, O Uri of our customs?”

”That is true”

”She will be of no use, then,” observed Urim, ”until she has learned them I think it would be best to keep her apart from the other slaves until then

”You, Nada, shall teach her our ways; you are excused froive service as a hand-maiden--she is far too beautiful for harder tasks When she has learned all that you can teach her, let me know and I shall see to it that she has a kind ratitude It was clear that Uriladdened the older woman's heart to know Dylara's lot was to be an easy one

Their interview ended, the tomen were about to leave when the door opened to adhtly in the lead, halted directly in front of Dylara

Indifferent to all else, he gazed deeply into the startled eyes of the cave-girl

Dylara felt her cheeks groare in the man's eyes She was conscious, in a peculiar detached way, of a strange, disturbing fascination So fro warrior; that the love he professed so silently was honest and conant elbow ”Look at hirowled under his breath ”There stands our friend--staring at a barbarian wench as though she were a noble about this, Javan”

There was a dreamy expression in Javan's eyes ”She _is_ beautiful, at that,” he whispered ”Maybe we--”

His voice trailed off as one of the escorting guards, ied her on

The s to both the man and the woman Jotan stepped aside to let them pass, his face expressionless

Dylara and Nada walked slowly along the corridor between the two guards