in
conversation with Orbar, his lieutenant. The room, itself, was swarming
with white-tunicked priests, their babbling voices adding to the
atmosphere of confusion and disorder.

A knock sounded at the door and it was opened to admit three people. As
they entered, a sudden hush fell over the milling throng of priests.

Pryak, aroused by the abrupt cessation of sound, looked up
questioningly. At sight of the newcomers his eyes opened wide in
surprise; then his lips curled in a smile more disturbing than the
blackest frown.

"By the God!" he exclaimed, mock pleasure in his tone, "I welcome the
daughter of Urim! I was told you were dead, princess--taken from us by
the cruel jungle. And now you have come back! I shall enjoy hearing of
your adventures."

The thinly veiled contempt in words and tone brought a wave of red
across Alurna's pale, grief-stained face. Then she spoke--and her words,
barely audible from the choking emotion behind them, carried such hatred
and loathing as to hold Pryak petrified on his chair.

"Murderer!" she whispered. "Little man of filth! It was you who caused
the death of my father! Who did it for you? How long do you think you
can hold Urim's place before some _real_ man takes your place--and
twists your wrinkled neck?"

Pryak, his face livid with rage, leaped from his stool and lifted his
hand to strike her into silence.

The blow never found its mark. Tharn, standing near Alurna, and
forgotten by the others, had moved almost before Pryak was off the
stool.

And so it was that Pryak, Voice of the Great God, found his bony wrist
seized by fingers of steel and his swinging arm halted as abruptly as
though it had encountered one of the room's stone walls.

Before the startled priest could cry out or his astounded followers
interfere, he was snatched bodily from his feet and flung almost the
entire length of the chamber.

Four priests were bowled over by the catapulting body; those human
cushions were all that saved Pryak from injury.

Tharn went down, then, beneath a horde of fanatical priests. And before
they had him bound and helpless, more than one felt the weight of his
fists and the strength of his arms. At last they dragged him to his feet
and stepped aside as Pryak, rumpled and bruised, came forward.

"For what you have done," he growled hoarsely, "you shall pay in blood
and suffering. When the lions hunt you down in the arena during the
Games, wild man, remember that you dar