Part 31 (2/2)

And then her jaw dropped and her eyes fleith amazement Tharn had leaped forward and sent his shoulder crashi+ng into the side of the soaring brute Sadu, caught off balance, spun sideways and fell heavily

He was up instantly, growling horribly, and in mad frenzy turned upon Tharn

What Dylara witnessed then was soenerations of the Cro-Magnard people She saw the clenched fingers of the hty arm, backed by the insane fury of utter desperation

The iron fist struck Sadu full between the eyes, crushi+ng the skull like a hollow e brain

Dylara, ith relief, felt her knees buckle as the lion sank lifeless to the ground Tharn, his knuckles throbbing with pain, juht her about the waist She turned her face to him, then, and he saw that her eyes ith tears

Her warhtly parted, were very near his own Drawn by an irresistible iirl saw the clean, fir was stirring deep within her--so that had never known life before thisshe had no ti else to feel that ainst her own She lifted her face for Tharn's kiss

”Dylara!” said a quiet voice

The roup of eight Sepharian warriors, a tall, broad-shouldered young man at their head

Dylara knew the leader at once It was Jotan She saw that his expression was very stern, and she knew instinctively that he was thinking of her in Tharn's enored the cave- for you, Dylara,” he said quietly ”Come, we shall return to Sephar at once”

Before she could frame a reply, Tharn had stepped in front of her There followed a tense, electric moment of silence as the two men eyed each other

”She is oes with estured with one hand In response, seven spears were leveled at the cave-,her with ainst you; you o at once

Otherwise, you go back to Sephar as a prisoner Resist, andrapidly To attack eight ar for hile And in Alurna he had that which would put to naught those seven spears

Let this man take Dylara back to Sephar Tharn had only to return with the princess Alurna and claim his reward from Urim That reas--Dylara! He knew Urim would keep his word, no matter what objections were offered by this man

”Well?” The as clipped, cold, impatient

Without a word Tharn turned and leaped into the branches overhead He had not dared to offer Dylara an encouraging sign, fearing to arouse the Sepharian's suspicions

The cave-girl watched hio, disbelief upperive up so easily But did she want hiility and fearlessness during the encounter with Sadu No otherwith eh? She stole a glance at the handso Sepharian In hiave an ihtfulness He would never take a girl against her will as Tharn had done He was of a race that had risen above cave life His people had learned life couldand talking Would not living be richer, more full, with this man than it could possibly be with Tharn?

Meanwhile, Tharn was speeding back through the trees to join Alurna Led by his unerring sense of direction he soon entered the tree where he had left her