s me to rule in Urim's
place, and orders His people to honor their God and make offerings to
Him as they did before Urim was king.

"And now let all leaders and subjects of palace and city be told I am
king; and at the time of the morning audience, tomorrow, I shall speak
to them from the palace courtyard. Go!"

When only the Council of Priests and Pryak, himself, remained in the
throne-room, the new ruler gave them their orders.

"The city is ours," he said, "and we shall make its people recognize my
power. Each of you will mingle with Sephar's citizens, spreading word of
how they will benefit by this change.

"Also you will tell of the lavish Games to start within the next few
days--far earlier than usual. Make them understand that even the
greatest city of all Ammad has never provided such entertainment as I
will give them. When they hear this, they will forget any resentment
they may hold toward us; for most of them care not who rules, so long as
the Games are exciting.

"Go now, and return here when darkness comes. Orbar, arrange for these
bodies to be removed and thrown to the beasts. Report to me when you
have done so; there are orders I want given to the palace attendants.
For the time being you are to serve as captain of the guards."

CHAPTER XVI

Return to Sephar

For the first time since she had started out that morning, Alurna was
beginning to question her opinion of where Sephar lay. She sought to
push out the thought lest it became certainty and bring utter panic in
its wake.

She forced her mind into other channels. How silent the jungle had
become! Somehow its spells of stillness were harder to bear than the
most sinister of sounds. Unconsciously she strained her ears for some
sound to relieve this feeling of complete loneliness.

Something was moving in the trail behind her!

Alurna was turning, even as her brain received the warning. Standing in
the path was Tarlok, the leopard, less than ten paces away.

Stricken dumb with terror, Alurna could only gaze wide-eyed at that
sleek, spotted head. The narrowed yellow eyes, the white teeth with four
long fangs predominated, the back-curling lips drawn into a grimace of
blood-lust, even the somehow ludicrous long white hairs on the upper
lip--all were stamped indelibly within her mind.

Tarlok was enjoying himself. The utter fear expressed in every line of
his prey's face and body appealed to the cruelty in his nature. Purely
as a mea