f her young body through the
dull glow of golden lace. Her eyes came to his, and sharply he
realized that this was no dream--this cave whose walls seemed swaying,
the face that was staring pitifully at him, and, beyond, in a ghastly
green light, the dark silhouette of a lean man who bent his pointed
head above a chest.

Connell's mind was a whirl of snarled thoughts and emotions, of
puzzled wonder and fighting rage; yet strangely through and above them
all was a feeling of pure joy in the message of the eyes in a face
that was utterly lovely.

The black figure had opened the chest. Garry saw the luminous green
about it shot through with the reflected radiance of many gems. Jewels
cascaded brilliantly from the lean black hands as they withdrew a
golden cord. Part of some gem-incrusted fabric, it was, that he tore
roughly from its rotted fastenings before coming swiftly to the still
helpless body of Connell.

Garry's struggles were futile; his hands were tied before him. The
shooting pain of a prodding spear brought him from the paralyzing
numbness that held him, and he came dizzily to his feet. Again the
walls whirled, and he would have fallen headlong but for a lithe, soft
body that sprang close to throw white arms about him.

Through blood-shot eyes he saw Luhra, of the land of Zahn, with head
held high and flashing eyes as she turned squarely to face the savage
black. And he heard the stream of strange sentences that she poured
protestingly upon him.

* * * * *

Her message broke off abruptly. Garry's eyes followed hers to watch a
savage king, naked but for the tattered remnants of robes that time
had eaten. He was reaching, into a casket that had once held kingly
raiment--reaching with a lean black hand that brought forth only
fragments of purple and crimson cloth that went quickly to dust within
his hands.

Garry saw the slitted eyes stare in puzzled wonder at the rotted
cloth, then glance sharply and inquiringly about. He saw the black one
place a jeweled head-dress of barbaric splendor upon his ugly, pointed
head, then rise and cross slowly to the heap of bodies. Spear in hand,
he passed on to the serried rows of caskets.

Those nearest were empty, as Garry knew; he had seen the eruption of
life from within them. Horab, with a growled word, moved on to the
other caskets that stretched out across the room. The ugly head
stooped; again the hands reached down, to come back th