y falling to being
mauled by this uncouth beast-man. And so, gritting her teeth and tensing
her muscles to control their trembling, she lowered herself over the
brink and began the tortuous descent.

Those long agonizing moments which followed were to live forever in the
memory of Alurna, princess of Sephar. Slowly, inch by inch, she worked
her way downward, feeling in an agony of suspense for footholds where
she was confident no such holds existed. At times her entire weight was
suspended by her fingers alone, while both feet searched for some
projection to which her sandaled foot would cling. She knew, now, it
would have been wise to have tossed her sandals down first; her bare
feet would have held to the rock with more certainty--but it was too
late for that.

Gradually she sank farther and farther from the lip of the escarpment.
She dared not glance above or below; her gaze was glued continuously on
the uneven surface over which she was passing. Her fingers were raw and
bleeding by this time; but she clenched her lip between white teeth and
went on.

At last the strain, both to limbs and to nerves, was nearing the
breaking point. Alurna knew she could not hold on much longer; if she
failed to reach the valley floor soon, she must fall the balance of the
way. Then, as the desire to loose her grip, whatever the consequences,
seemed too overpowering to resist, her feet came to rest on level
ground.

Tired, high-pitched nerves gave way, and Alurna sank to the ground and
burst into tears. Had she acted at once, she might have escaped, for Mog
was still fifty feet above her.

But she was conscious only of relief from the peril just undergone; and
Mog found her huddled in a pitiful heap at the very spot where her feet
had first touched solid earth.

Lifting her easily to his wide back, he took up his club from where he
had dropped it from above, and moved at a half-trot toward the nearby
forest.

While from the depths of a tangled maze of cloaking underbrush, at the
very point he was nearing, two baleful yellow eyes were fixed in
unblinking attention upon him and the girl he carried!

* * * * *

The morning after Alurna's capture, twenty warriors were assembled in
front of Sephar's palace. It was evident they awaited someone, for their
eyes turned often to the great doors.

And then came Vulcar, arms laden with an assortment of weapons. Rapidly
he handed them out to the twenty u