Part 37 (2/2)

Still behind those sullen piles of rock was thedeep within her whispered that she had found love only to lose it; that happiness for her lay in forgetting, forever, the stalwart young giant who had snatched her from a peaceful, uneventful life

Once more she looked back, and abruptly the stone walls wavered and dimmed as hot tears flooded her eyes

CHAPTER XIX

A Lesson in Archery

Dyta, the sun, swung lazily toward the western horizon And with the coe of the arena in Sephar's a the first day of the Gaesture the spectators climbed to their feet and pressed toward the exits They were less lively--more subdued than when they had poured into the enclosure hours before Perhaps the constant association with death during the long day had sobered theues at last But on the otten, appetites whetted once e

While far beneath Sephar a roo furs for the night in o day had ended, yet taut nerves relaxed but slightly; for all knew that on the next day the wearying ordealfoundabout the cell when themeal was served After the attendants had withdrawn and the croere beginning to stream into the aether

”Get ready,” he said ”The guards are due here any minute Listen at the door, Katon; when you hear the, the cave-roup In this formation they waited expectantly, all eyes on Katon at the door with one ear glued to the crack between door and jahtened ”They co forward to join the others

At his words, the prisoners, yelling in well-sie, pounced on the hawk-faced Vulcar The one-ti to the floor with a resounding thufor his blood

It was this scene that uards and Wotar as they calance, the director barked a curt order that sent the guards into the scuffle Using spear butts as flails theyprisoners froot painfully to his feet

”Whatin the arena that youfrom his narrow escape, hurried to explain

”Thesefaces about him, ”hatehere I have tried to tell them it was Urim's fault, that I had only obeyed his orders; but they would not listen So upon o they will try again Put hty Wotar; I am afraid to stay here”

Vulcar's voice broke with fear, and he trembled so that he could hardly stand

Wotar's lips curled with contempt ”Put him with the prisoners across the hall,” he instructed one of the soldier-priests ”Perhaps they will be entprisoner no longer see of a moment before Too, he failed to perceive the poorly hidden satisfaction of the other captives

The Game director, an experienced show calculated to arouse the spectators to the highest pitch of excitement Once in that fra event with increasing enthusias the barometer by which his fitness as director was er crooked; each tiuards took up positions and the three prisoners were led away

In the arms-room each participant was handed a bow and three arrows