Part 28 (2/2)

'You will knohen I strike,' answered Valerius

As Aratification that Xaltotun was still in his tent, to judge froht air from time to tile of bridles in the outer darkness, he srimly Valerius had about served his purpose The baron knew that Conan was like a wounded lion that rends and tears even in his deaththroes When Valerius struck froht ipe his rival out of existence before he himself succumbed So much the better Amalric felt he could well dispense with Valerius, once he had paved the way for a Nemedian victory

The five thousand horsemen who accoades for the ht theythe ard trend of the great black ainst the stars ahead of them Valerius rode at their head, and beside hiripped by a manat-arms who rode on the other side of him Others kept close behind with draords

'Play us false and you die instantly,' Valerius pointed out 'I do not know every sheep-path in these hills, but I know enough about the general configuration of the country to know the directions we must take to come in behind the Valley of Lions See that you do not lead us astray'

The man ducked his head and his teeth chattered as he volubly assured his captor of his loyalty, staring up stupidly at the banner that floated over hi the extremities of the hills that locked the Valley of Lions, they side to the west An hour's ride and they turned north, forging through wild and rugged hills, following dim trails and tortuous paths Sunrise found theuide turned eastward and led thes Valerius nodded, judging their position by various peaks thrusting up above the others He had kept his bearings in a general way, and he knew they were still headed in the right direction

But noithout warning, a gray fleecythe slopes, spreading out through the valleys It blotted out the sun; the world becaray void in which visibility was liroping er see the peaks that had served hiuide The golden serpent drooped in the windless air

Presently Tiberias seemed himself confused; he halted, stared about uncertainly

'Are you lost, dog?' demanded Valerius harshly

'Listen!'

Soan, the rhythmic rumble of a drum

'Conan's druh to hear the drum,' said Valerius, 'why do we not hear the shouts and the clang of ares and the winds play strange tricks,' answered Tiberias, his teeth chattering with the ague that is frequently the lot of eons Listen!'

Faintly to their ears ca down in the valley!' cried Tiberias 'The druhts Let us hasten!'

He rode straight on toward the sound of the distant druround at last Valerius followed, cursing the fog Then it occurred to him that it wouldHe would be at the Cimmerian's back before the noonday sun dispelled the mists

Just now he could not tell what lay on either hand, whether cliffs, thickets or gorges The dru louder as they advanced, but they heard no more of the battle Valerius had no idea tohat point of the coray rock walls looh the s through a narrow defile But the guide showed no sign of nervousness, and Valerius hove a sigh of relief when the walls widened out and becah the defile; if an ambush had been planned, it would have been ain The dru louder, and Valerius could not deter Now it seemed ahead of hilared about hi on his war-horse isps ofon his ar lines of steel-clad riders faded away and away like phanto?' he dehostly druhtened in his saddle, turned his head and faced Valerius, and the s is thinning, Valerius,' he said in a new voice, pointing a bony finger 'Look!'

The dru away First the crests of cliffs caray clouds, tall and spectral Lower and lower crawled theValerius started up in his stirrups with a cry that the horsemen echoed behind him On all sides of them the cliffs towered They were not in a wide, open valley as he had supposed They were in a blind gorge walled by sheer cliffs hundreds of feet high The only entrance or exit was that narrow defile through which they had ridden

'Dog!' Valerius struck Tiberias full in the mouth with his clenched mailed hand 'What devil's trick is this?'

Tiberias spat out a hter

'A trick that shall rid the world of a beast! Look, dog!'