Part 18 (2/2)

'I told them that I'd use this horde of desert wolves to help theive Khauran back into the hands of its citizens'

'You fool!' whispered Olgerd 'Do you deem yourself chief already?'

Theeach other across the ebony board, devil-lights dancing in Olgerd's cold gray eyes, a grim smile on the Cimmerian's hard lips

'I'll have you torn between four palm-trees,' said the kozak caled Conan 'See if they obey you!'

Baring his teeth in a snarl, Olgerd lifted his hand - then paused There was so about the confidence in the Cian to burn like those of a wolf

'You scum of the western hills,' he muttered, 'have you dared seek to undermine my power?'

'I didn't have to,' answered Conan 'You lied when you said I had nothing to do with bringing in the new recruits I had everything to do with it They took your orders, but they fought for irs They know I aer man I understand them better than you, and they, me; because I am a barbarian too'

'And ill they say when you ask theerd sardonically

'They'll follow old frouerdon for getting rid of Constantius After that, I'll lead theainst the Turanians as you have planned They want loot, and they'd as soon fight Constantius for it as anybody'

In Olgerd's eyes grew a recognition of defeat In his red drea on about hiless before now flashed into hisa realization that Conan spoke no idle boast The giant blackirs

'Not if you die!' erd, and his hand flickered toward his hilt But quick as the stroke of a great cat, Conan's arerd's forear bones, and for a tense instant the scene held: the es, perspiration starting out on Olgerd's forehead Conan laughed, never easing his grip on the broken arerd?'

His s ridges along his forear flesh There was the sound of broken bones grating together and Olgerd's face turned the color of ashes; blood oozed from his lip where his teeth sank, but he uttered no sound

With a laugh Conan released hie with his good hand to steady hiave it to h it was for your own ends that you took ave me then; you couldn't have endured it; neither could anyone, but a western barbarian

'Take your horse and go It's tied behind the tent, and food and water are in the saddle-bags None will see your going, but go quickly There's no room for a fallen chief on the desert If the warriors see you, maimed and deposed, they'll never let you leave the caerd did not reply Sloithout a word, he turned and stalked across the tent, through the flapped opening Unspeaking he clireat white stallion that stood tethered there in the shade of a spreading pal, with his broken arm thrust in the bosom of his kbalat, he reined the steed about and rode eastward into the open desert, out of the life of the people of the Zuagir

Inside the tent Conan e the empty vessel into a corner, he braced his belt and strode out through the front opening, halting for a aze sweep over the lines of camel-hair tents that stretched before hi, singing,tulwars

He lifted his voice in a thunder that carried to the farthest confines of the encas, sharpen your ears and listen! Gather around here I have a tale to tell you'

5 THE VOICE FROM THE CRYSTAL

In a charoup of men listened attentively to the words of one of their nu that comes only to men rendered desperate by adversity They were clad in irdles

'I knew that Conan spoke the truth when he said it was not Taramis!' the speaker exclaimed 'Forthe part of a deaf beggar At last I learned what I had believed - that our queen was a prisoner in the dungeons that adjoin the palace I watched my opportunity and captured a Shemitish jailer - knocked hied him into a cellar near by and questioned him Before he died he told me what I have just told you, and e have suspected all along -- that the wo Khauran is a witch: Saloeon

'This invasion of the Zuagirs gives us the opportunity we sought What Conan eance on Constantius Perhaps he intends sacking the city and destroying it He is a barbarian and no one can understand their minds

'But this is e es! Constantius will ive battle Even now hisHe will do this because there is not sufficient food in the city to stand a siege Conan burst out of the desert so suddenly that there was no ti in supplies And the Cie Scouts have reported that the Zuagirs have siege engines, built, undoubtedly, according to the instructions of Conan, who learned all the arts of war a the Western nations

'Constantius does not desire a long siege; so he will march with his warriors into the plain, where he expects to scatter Conan's forces at one stroke He will leave only a few hundred men in the city, and they will be on the walls and in the towers couarded When we have freed Taramis our next actions will depend upon circumstances If Conan wins, we must show Taramis to the people and bid them rise - they will! Oh, they will! With their bare hands they are enough to overpower the Sheainst both the et within the walls! Then ill parley with ConaiL He was always loyal to Taramis If he knows the truth, and she appeals to him, I believe he will spare the city If, which is more probable, Constantius prevails, and Conan is routed, we must steal out of the city with the queen and seek safety in flight

'Is all clear?'

They replied with one voice

'Then let us loosen our blades in our scabbards, commend our souls to Ishtar, and start for the prison, for the ate'

This was true The dawnlight glinted on peaked helh the broad arch, on the bright housings of the chargers This would be a battle of horsemen, such as is possible only in the lands of the East The riders flowed through the gates like a river of steel - soures in black and silver mail, with their curled beards and hooked noses, and their inexorable eyes in which glimmered the fatality of their race - the utter lack of doubt or of s of people atched silently these warriors of an alien race riding forth to defend their native city There was no sound; dully, expressionless they watched, those gaunt people in shabby garments, their caps in their hands

In a tower that overlooked the broad street that led to the southern gate, Salo Constantius as he settled his broad sword-belt about his lean hips and drew on his gauntlets They were alone in the chamber Outside, the rhythmical clank of harness and shuffle of horses' hoofs welled up through the gold-barred case a twirl to his thin mustache, 'you'll have soroeary of soft, city-bred flesh? Perhaps it would relish the harder thews of a desert man'

'Take care you do not fall prey to a fiercer beast than Thaug,' warned the girl 'Do not forget who it is that leads these desert aniet,' he answered 'That is one reason why I aht in the West and knows the art of siege My scouts had so his coluet close enough to see the engines he is dragging on ox-cart wheels drawn by caonels - by Ishtar! he ht for a ot the material for their construction is more than I can understand Perhaps he has a treaty with the Turanians, and gets supplies froht these desert wolves before - an exchange of arrows for awhile, in which the are and h the loose swar theate before sunset, with hundreds of naked captives staggering at reat square My soldiers delight in flaying their ene, and make these weak-kneed townsfolk watch As for Conan, it will afford me intense pleasure, if we take him alive, to impale him on the palace steps'

'Skin as many as you like,' answered Salome indifferently 'I would like a dress ive to '

'It shall be done,' answered Constantius, with his gauntleted hand brushi+ng back the thin hair froh bald forehead, burned dark by the sun 'For victory and the fair honor of Tara his vizored helmet under his ar from the chamber His voice drifted back, harshly lifted in orders to his officers

Salome leaned back on the couch, yawned, stretched herself like a great supple cat, and called: 'Zang!'

A cat-footed priest, with features like yellowed parchment stretched over a skull, entered noiselessly

Salolobes, and taking fro sphere to the priest

'Ride with Constantius,' she said 'Give me the news of the battle Go!'

The skull-faced lobe under his dark mantle, hurried from the chamber

Outside in the city there was no sound, except the clank of hoofs and after a while the clang of a closing gate Salome mounted a wide marble stair that led to the flat, canopied, s in the city The streets were deserted, the great square in front of the palace was erim temple which rose on the opposite side of that square, but now the town looked like a dead city Only on the southern wall and the roofs that overlooked it was there any sign of life There the people massed thickly They made no demonstration, did not knohether to hope for the victory or defeat of Constantius Victory meant further misery under his intolerable rule; defeat probably meant the sack of the city and red massacre No word had come from Conan They did not knohat to expect at his hands They remembered that he was a barbarian

The squadrons of theout into the plain In the distance, just this side of the river, other dark nizable as men on horses Objects dotted the farther bank; Conan had not brought his siege engines across the river, apparently fearing an attack in theBut he had crossed with his full force of horselints of fire from the dark allop; a deep roar reached the ears of the people on the wall

The rolling led confusion in which no details stood out Charge and countercharge were not to be identified Clouds of dust rose fro the action Through these swirling clouds , and spears flashed

Saloed her shoulders and descended the stair The palace lay silent All the slaves were on the wall, gazing vainly southith the citizens

She entered the chamber where she had talked with Constantius, and approached the pedestal, noting that the crystal globe was clouded, shot with bloody streaks of cri!' she called 'Zang!'