Part 22 (2/2)

Faintly, le, ca voices and the tramp of feet from around a bend in the trail ahead

”Probably warriors froame,” Tamar said ”Let's join them; they o blundering about so carelessly,” he rerowth until we can ures appeared in the path Five were fighting-irl in a close-fitting tunic that emphasized the lithe softly-curved body it covered Her face was set in deterht nor the left

Taed his friend

”Alurna!” he breathed ”What can she be doing here?”

”Looks as though Fordak was telling the truth,” Jotan whispered ”She _is_ one to her with the story

”Well, let her go to Rydob's house She'll find little there to please her!”

As soon as the princess and her escorts were out of sight, Jotan called hisplaces and they took up their interrupted progress toward Sephar

CHAPTER XI

Fro to tire He and his five hairy companions had been on thea new lair for the night Fro, he judged they, too, were tiring

But the mountains were close, now He and his men were almost certain to reach therasslands rich in gary

A faint breeze, blowing lightly against their backs, changed its course suddenly and ca in from the west As it flicked across their faces the six Hairy Ones cah turned to stone

Urb sniffed in short rapid inhalations, his unkerunted ”The hairless ones! It has been long since we have found such Hide!”

With a degree of soundlessness surprising in such clumsy bodies, the six Neanderthals faded into the rowth at either side of the path

Hardly were they hidden, when Alurna and her five coirl lihtly froirl stopped and turned to the others ”Is it much farther, Adbor? I don't think I can take another step”

”Courage, reat shock of blond hair ”A short distance more and we shall be there”

Alurna sank down on a fallen log, removed her sandal and rubbed the bruised heel

”I'hed ”My feet ache terribly”

Silently the foliage parted an arap were fraave the felance; his attention was riveted on the five unsuspecting men The woman was not armed--the men were; and it was thetheir weapons into use