ands against the stone portcullis which had been
lowered. From somewhere on the other side of the barrier came rippling
laughter.

"Oh, outlander," called Kepta mockingly, "you will get through easily
enough when you remember your weapon. But the dark you can not conquer
so easily, nor that which runs the halls."

Garin was already busy with the rod. Within five minutes their way was
clear again. But Thrala stopped them when they would have gone through.
"Kepta has loosed the hunters."

"The hunters?"

"The morgels and--others," explained Dandtan. "The Black Ones have
withdrawn and only death comes this way. And the morgels see in the
dark...."

"So does the Ana."

"Well thought of," agreed the son of the Ancient Ones.

"It will lead us out."

As if in answer, there came a tug at Garin's belt. Reaching back, he
caught Thrala's hand and knew that she had taken Dandtan's. So linked
they crossed the guard room. Then the Ana paused for a long time, as if
listening. There was nothing to see but the darkness which hung about
them like the smothering folds of a curtain.

"Something follows us," whispered Dandtan.

"Nothing to fear," stated Thrala. "It dare not attack. It is, I think,
of Kepta's fashioning. And that which has not true life dreads death
above all things. It is going--"

There came sounds of something crawling slowly away.

"Kepta will not try that again," continued the Daughter, disdainfully.
"He knew that his monstrosities would not attack. Only in the light are
they to be dreaded--and then only because of the horror of their forms."

Again the Ana tugged at its master's belt. They shuffled into the narrow
passage beyond. But there remained the sense of things about them in the
dark, things which Thrala continued to insist were harmless and yet
which filled Garin with loathing.

Then they entered the far corridor into which led the three halls and
which ended in the morgel pit. Here, Garin believed, was the greatest
danger from the morgels.

The Ana stopped short, dropping back against Garin's thigh. In the
blackness appeared two yellow disks, sparks of saffron in their depths.
Garin thrust the rod into Thrala's hands.

"What do you?" she demanded.

"I'm going to clear the way. It's too dark to use the rod against moving
creatures...." He flung the words over his shoulder as he moved toward
the unwinking eyes.

_CHAPTER EIGHT_

_Escape from the Caves_

Keeping his eyes upon t