Part 10 (1/2)

The following night, Conan swaggered into his favorite tavern, that of Abuletes, in the Maul The low, smoke-stained room stank of sweat and sour wine At crowded tables, thieves and , quarreled, and blustered It was dee here when at least one customer was not stabbed in a brawl

Across the roo alone at a sly-built, black-haired woman several years older than the Cim his way across ”I've got so of your best Kyrian! I'ht!”

Had Conan been older, caution would have stopped hi it As it was, he strode up to Se the seven great, green ge, thureen powder, which sparkled in the candlelight

Conan dropped the sack and stood with his hter

”Crom and Mannanan!” the Cimmerian breathed at last ”This tiood” Then he bethought hi ”Well, I have soood carousals, anyway”

Moved by curiosity, Semiramis picked up the sack from the table Then she dropped it with a screaan Conan, but a shout from the doorway cut hiistrate had entered the tavern, followed by a squad of the night watch, ar woodenly into space as if they knew nothing of Conan or of any of the other riffraff ere Abuletes' guests

Theout his sword, the Ciainst the wall His blue eyes blazed dangerously, and his teeth showed in the candle light

”Take ainst your stupid laws!” Out of the side of his et out of here If they get me, if's yours”

”I-I'm afraid of it!” whiistrate, co citizens blind! There's evidence enough to lop your head off a hundred times over! And then you slew Nestor's soldiers and persuaded him to join you in a raid on the ruins of Larsha, eh? We found hi of his feat The villain got away from us, but you shan't!”

As the watach toward his breast, the istrate noticed the sack on the table

”Whaf's this, your latest loot? Well see-”

The fat man thrust a hand into the sack For an instant he fumbled

Then his eyes widened; hisshriek He jerked his hand out of the bag A jade-green snake, alive and writhing, had thrown a loop around his wrist and had sunk its fangs into his hand

Cries of horror and a back and fell over a table, s liquors Another stepped forward to catch the istrate as he tottered and fell A third dropped his bill and, screa hysterically, broke for the door

Panic seized the custoet out A couple started fighting with knives, while another thief, locked in combat with a watchman, rolled on the floor

One of the candles was knocked over; then another, leaving the room but dimly lit by the little earthenware laht Semiramis' wrist and hauled her to her feet

He beat the panic-stricken h the throng to the door Out in the night, the two ran, rounding several corners to throw off pursuit Then they stopped to breathe Conan said:

”This city will be too cursed hot for me after this I'm on my way

Good-bye, Seht with me?”

”Not this time I must try to catch that rascal Nestor If the fool hadn't blabbed, the laould not have gotten on my trail so quickly

He has all the treasure a ht