Part 36 (2/2)

The thousands of seats were filled with a shi+fting mass of huht

Never before had the cave-man seen so many people at one time; and the noise and confusion affected hile denizen

His first instinctive iht, for he knew no fear, but because it was strange and unpleasant and, worst of all, there was that infernal din which onlyendure

The cave lord halted and half turned as though to withdraw, but the crowd, believing hi clas and raucous shouts that whirled the barbarian about in sudden anger

For a long lared at the ht sound at his back aroused his

He wheeled just as a huge figure launched itself at his neck Before Tharn could prevent it, strong fingers closed about his throat and the i only by superhu the seconds in which all this transpired, Tharn had discovered what it was that had leaped cat-like upon hireat hulk of a man, naked except for a pelt about his loins; a s and shoulders as to constitute a deforly, hairy face, contorted with rage

With the speed of a striking snake Tharn's hands caht the wrists at his throat and tore away those choking fingers as though they were so many strands of cobweb Then Tharn seized the other before he could twist free--caught his while the other hand held to a hairy forear thehim heavily to the sands a dozen paces away

The onlookers ca roar of approval This hat they had co clamor that seemed to shake the stands Tharn never heard the to his feet Before he was fully erect, Tharn was upon hi the cringing man by the throat, the cave- hith, shook hi voice was stilled as the senses fled and the white figure hung lirasp

Then, while the croatched in thrilled horror, Tharn dropped to one knee, placed the dead weight of his unconscious foe against his leg and snapped the ht have broken a slender branch

Rising, Tharn tossed aside the lifeless body and, not deigning to acknowledge by look or gestures the pandeh the ar that the Sepharian Games had opened, a band of fifty warriors, clothed only in animal skins about their middles, halted on the outskirts of an impenetrable forest which towered across their path

At their backs was a broad prairie that had required roup, a ether three of the ed theestured toward the le; but the others continued to shake their heads as though unconvinced

”He would not go that way,” one of theh hills, and beyond those are great mountains he could not hope to pass”

”We do not know that he came even this far,” said another of the three

”We lost his trail over two suns ago; he ed his path many times since then”

Their leader silenced thee o no farther will be tih to turn back and seek in a new direction”

A few minutes later the last of the band had passed fro the narrow path

Dylara, seated just behind the retaining wall of the arena, watched Tharn's broad back pass through the little doorway About her was theover the exhibition of brute strength they had just witnessed Di rescued by that sa as audience