vivid contrast. Seated
almost directly across from Tharn was a tall muscular Sepharian with a
strong face and a pair of the bluest eyes Tharn had ever seen. His
well-proportioned body, tanned almost to blackness, had much of the
regal bearing that graced the cave-man's own.

Catching Tharn's eye, the stranger smiled suddenly, and unconsciously
Tharn smiled in return. Thus encouraged, the Sepharian leaned forward
and said:

"How did they happen to catch you?"

* * * * *

Those were the first actually friendly words Tharn had heard since the
night he had left his own caves. For a moment he hesitated to answer,
uncertain of the motive behind the other's interest.

"I was hunting for someone," he said finally.

The blue eyes widened a bit. "You mean they found you _in_ Sephar?"

"If, by Sephar, you mean the strange caves inside the high cliff--yes."

The Sepharian shook his head in honest tribute. "But why did you come
here? You must have known they would get you sooner or later."

"They have my mate here," Tharn explained briefly. "I came to get her."

"And now they have you both!"

Tharn's eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened. "They will not keep us," he
said simply.

The other smiled a little. "I am Katon," he said, after a slight pause.
"Who are you?"

Tharn told him, and the conversation lapsed for a while.

Meanwhile, a guard had entered the great room and approached Vulcar, the
one who had reminded Tharn of Toa, the hawk. The two men spoke together
for a few moments, then the captain of the guards came up behind Tharn
and dropped a hand roughly on the cave-man's shoulder.

Tharn, in the midst of strangers, the memory of last night's battle
still fresh in his mind, acted instinctively.

Bounding from his stool, he whirled on the startled Vulcar. Before the
stupefied captain could lift a hand in defense, he found himself flat on
his back, two knees pinning his shoulders to the floor, while iron
fingers were shutting off his breath.

The entire body of prisoners and attendants was thrown into confusion.
One of the guards leaped to the side of the cave-man and would have
driven a spear into his back had not Katon vaulted the table and shoved
him sprawling.

As though by signal, the prisoners threw themselves upon the handful of
guards, and the room became a seething inferno of flailing arms and
threshing legs, the four walls echoing muffled shouts, screams, curses.

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