Part 30 (1/2)

Hadrathus threw back his head and laughed, and hell was in his laughter

'Look, black devil of Python!'

His hand ca that flaolden glohich the flesh of Xaltotun looked like the flesh of a corpse

Xaltotun cried out as if he had been stabbed

'The Heart! The Heart of Ahrireater than your power!'

Xaltotun seerow old Suddenly his beard was shot with snow, his locks flecked with gray

'The Heart!' he ! Thief?'

'Not I! It has been on a long journey far to the southward But now it is in ainst it As it resurrected you, so shall it hurl you back into the night whence it drew you You shall go down the dark road to Acheron, which is the road of silence and the night The dark eend and a black ain And the Heart of Ahrio back into the cavern below the temple of Mitra, to burn as a symbol of the power of Aquilonia for a thousand years!'

Xaltotun screaer lifted; but froreat jewel that blazed in the hand of Hadrathus - shot a jetting beaainst the breast of Xaltotun it flashed, and the hills re-echoed the concussion The wizard of Acheron went down as though struck by a thunderbolt, and before he touched the ground he was fearfully altered Beside the altar-stone lay no fresh-slain corpse, but a shriveleds

So man,' she said 'The Heart lent him a false aspect of life, that deceived even himself I never saw him as other than a irl on the altar, when froe apparition -Xaltotun's chariot drawn by the weird horses Silently they advanced to the altar and halted, with the chariot wheel alrass Hadrathus lifted the body of the wizard and placed it in the chariot And without hesitation the uncanny steeds turned and moved off southward, down the hill And Hadrathus and Zelata and the gray atched the road to Acheron which is beyond the ken of men

Down in the valley Amalric had stiffened in his saddle when he saw that wild horse on the slopes while he brandished that blood-stained serpent-banner Then some instinct jerked his head about, toward the hill known as the King's Altar And his lips parted Every ht that towered up froh above the hosts it burst in a blinding blaze that nal!' roared the baron

'No!' shouted Tarascus 'It's a signal to the Aquilonians! Look!'

Above the at last, and a deep-throated roar thundered across the vale

'Xaltotun has failed us:' bellowed Amalric furiously 'Valerius has failed us! We have been led into a trap! Mitra's curse on Xaltotun who led us here! Sound the retreat!'

'Too late' yelled Tarascus 'Look'

Up on the slopes the forest of lances dipped, leveled The ranks of the Gunder curtain And with a thunder like the rising roar of a hurricane, the knights of Aquilonia crashed down the slopes

The ie was irresistible Bolts driven by the delanced from their shi+elds, their bent hel out behind the lines of pikemen and roared down the slopes like a wave

Ae, and the Nee spurred their horses at the slopes They still outnumbered the attackers

But they eary hts had not struck a blow that day Their horses were fresh They were co downhill and they came like a thunderbolt And like a thunderbolt they s ranks of the Nemedians - smote them, split the down the slopes

After them on foot ca down the hills, loosing as they ran at every foe that still moved