Part 2 (2/2)

'I didn't kill hi Nemedian with a barbaric accent 'Who is he?'

'Kallian Publico,' replied Arus, edging back A flicker of interest showed in the moody blue eyes 'The owner of the house?'

'Aye' Arus had edged his way to the wall, and now he took hold of a thick velvet rope which swung there, and jerked it violently Fro of the bell that hung before all shops and establisher started

'Why did you do that?' he asked 'It will fetch the watch his rocking courage 'Stand where you are; don't er was on the trigger of his arbalest, the wicked square head of the quarrel leveled full on the other's broad breast The stranger scowled, and his dark face was lowering He showed no fear, but see in his mind as to whether he should obey the command or chance a sudden break of some land Arus licked his lips and his blood turned cold as he plainly saw indecision struggle with a ner's cloudy eyes

Then he heard a door crash open, and a medley of voices, and he drew a deep breath of alared worriedly, like a starded hunting beast, as half a dozen men entered the hall All but one wore the scarlet tunic of the Nu swords and carried bills - long-shafted weapons, half pike, half axe

'What devil's work is this?' exclairay eyes and lean keen features, no less than his civilian garments, set him apart from his burly companions

'By Mitra, Demetrio!' exclaiht I had no hope that the watch would answer the summons so swiftly - or that you would be with the the rounds with Dionus,' answered De the Teed But who is this? Mitra! The master of the Temple himself!'

'No other,' replied Arus 'And foullysteadily all night, because, as you know, there is an immense amount of wealth stored here Kallian Publico had rich patrons - scholars, princes and wealthy collectors of rarities Well, only a few o I tried the door which opens on the portico, and found it to be only bolted The door is provided with a bolt, which works both froreat lock which can be worked only from without Only Kallian Publico had a key to that, the key which you see now hanging at his girdle

'Naturally my suspicions were roused, for Kallian Publico always locks the door with the great lock when he closes the Temple; and I had not seen hi for his villa in the eastern suburbs of the city I have a key that works the bolt; I entered and found the body lying as you see I have not touched it'

'So,' Deer 'And who is this?'

'The murderer, without doubt!' cried Arus 'He came from that door yonder He is a northern barbarian of some sort - a Hyperborean or a Bossonian, perhaps' 'Who are you?' asked Demetrio

'I am Conan,' answered the barbarian 'I am a Cimmerian' 'Did you kill this man?' The Cimmerian shook his head 'Answer lint rose in the ,' he replied resentfully

'Oh, an insolent fellow!' sneered Denia of prefect of police 'An independent cur! One of these citizens with rights, eh? I'll soon knock it out of him! Here, you! Come clean! Why did you murder-'

'Just a moment, Dionus,' ordered Demetrio curtly 'Fellow, I am chief of the Inquisitorial Council of the city of Numalia You had best tell me why you are here, and if you are not the murderer, prove it'

The Cihtly bewildered, as a barbarian always is when confronted by the evidence of civilized networks and syste andit over,' rapped De to Arus, 'tell ?'

'No, he's usually gone when I arrive to begin reat door was bolted and locked'

'Could he have entered the building again without your having seen him?'

'Why, it's possible, but hardly probable The Tee, and I walk clear around it in a few minutes If he had returned from his villa, he would of course have co way - and who ever heard of Kallian Publico travelling otherwise? Even if I had been on the other side of the Temple, I'd have heard the wheels of the chariot on the cobbleStones, and I've heard no such thing, nor seen any chariots, except those which always pass along the streets just at dusk' 'And the door was locked earlier in the night?' 'I'll swear to it I try all doors several tiht The door was locked on the outside until perhaps half an hour ago - that was the last time I tried it, until I found it unlocked' 'You heard no cries or struggles?'

'No But that's not strange The walls of the Temple are so thick, they're practically sound-proof - an effect increased by the heavy hangings'

'Why go to all this trouble of questions and speculations?' complained the burly prefect 'It's much easier to beat a confession out of a suspect Here's our man, no doubt about it Let's take hiet a statement if I have to smash his bones to pulp'

Demetrio looked at the barbarian

'You understand what he said?' asked the Inquisitor 'What have you to say?'

'That anyhis ancestors in hell,' the Ci quick flaer

'Why did you come here, if not to kill this man?' pursued Demetrio

'I came to steal,' sullenly answered the other 'To steal what?' rapped the Inquisitor 'Food,' the reply came after an instant's hesitation 'That's a lie!' snapped Demetrio 'You knew there was no food here Don't lie to me Tell me the truth or-'

The Ciesture was as fraught with s

'Save your bullying for the fools who fear you,' he growled, blue fires se before your hired dogs I've killed better men than you for less than this'

Dionus, who had opened his mouth to bellorath, closed it suddenly The watchlanced at De the all-powerful police thus bearded and expected a coive it He knew, if the others were too stupid to know, the steel-trapquickness of men raised beyond civilization's frontiers where life was a continual battle for existence, and he had no desire to loose the barbaric frenzy of the Cimmerian if it could be avoided Besides, there was a doubt in hisKallian,' he snapped 'But you ainst you How did you enter the Temple?'

'I hid in the shadows of the warehouse which stands behind this building,' Conan answered grudgingly 'When this dog-' jerking a thumb at Arus - 'passed by and rounded the corner, I ran quickly to the wall and scaled it-'

'A lie!' broke in Arus 'No ht wall!'

'Did you ever see a Cimmerian scale a sheer cliff?' asked Deation Go on, Conan'

'The corner is decorated with carvings,' said the Ciained the roof before this dog caain I went across the roof until I came upon a trap-door which was fastened with an iron bolt that went through it and was locked on the inside I was forced to hew the bolt in tiththe thickness of that bolt, gulped involuntarily and moved further back from the barbarian, who scowled abstractedly at hiht wake soh the trap-door and came into an upper chahtway to the stair-'

'How did you knohere the stair was?' snapped the Inquisitor 'I know that only Kallian's servants and his rich patrons were ever allowed in those upper rooed stubbornness shadowed Conan's eyes and he remained silent

'What did you do after you reached the stair?' deht down it,' muttered the Cimmerian 'It let into the chamber behind yonder curtained door As I ca opened When I looked through the hangings I saw this dog standing over the deadplace?'

'It was dark when I saw the watchht he was a thief too It was not until he jerked the watch-bell rope and lifted his bow that I kneas the watchman'

'But even so,' persisted the Inquisitor, 'why did you reveal yourself?'

'I thought perhaps he had come to steal what-' the Cimmerian checked himself suddenly as if he had said too much