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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
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