Part 17 (2/2)

There followed a period of silence Thus far, Meltor had carried out his plan to the letter But now, faced with the unpleasant part of his task, he was beginning to feel decidedly qualmish

How truly beautiful she was! Not the empty loveliness of perfect features alone; there was personality and fire and a keen, alert rave brown eyes and the sweet curve of sensitive lips

And then he thought of Alurna and the secret she held, and the s

Dylara, as trying to fathom what lay behind the man's cold expressionless face, broke the silence

”Why have you brought me here?”

Meltor hesitated Why not tell her? Perhaps the knowledge would drive her intoa second attempt to escape And then

”I suppose there is no reason why you should not be told,” he said slowly ”It will make no difference--now

”You have made an enemy in Sephar How it happened, I do not know--nor does it h that you are in the way--and ht no sense of shock to Dylara She had knoas coh he had said the words an hour ago In a curiously detached way she was conscious of the brilliant sunlight streah the s; of the strident voices ofmany leaves

”I do not want to kill you,” Meltor continued ”You are too young to die I would like to let you go--to leave you in the forest to go back to the caves you call hoe, fu knife of stone in his fingers

”But I dare not do that,” he went on, in the saain in Sephar and ruin everything I cannot risk it”

Was he, Dylara wondered, trying to goad her into soma of cold-blooded murder? Fascinated, unable to look away, she watched hied across the table toward her Dylara knew the moment had come

CHAPTER IX

Torture

Jotan pushed back his plate and sighed wearily

”I can't eat in this heat,” he complained ”Besides, I have no appetite”

”It _is_ hot,” Javan agreed through a full mouth; ”but then it's always hot at this ti from the pot on the table ”It's not the heat alone that's taken his appetite, Javan,” he observed disagreeably ”Our friend is so eager for evening to co else It is then, you know, that he will beco Uriirl to take as his mate”

An hour before, the three visitors from Ammad had left the palace audience hall and returned to their quarters After bathing and getting into fresh tunics, they had sat down to food brought fro, Jotan crossed the roo furs and pulled off his sandals Then he lay down, covered his eyes with one arm and was soon asleep

Presently Taht his own couch; but Taht

Two hours went by, and still Tamar re since cleared the table and departed, leaving the three men to themselves