disbelief; then from his powerful lungs broke an answering
shout that paled to insignificance the tumult about him.

* * * * *

Swarming into the hall below, came a host of strange, warlike
fighting-men, naked except for panther- and leopard-skins about their
loins. Splendid, beautifully proportioned barbarians they were, heavy
war-spears gripped in powerful right hands, sun-bronzed skins rippling
under the play of corded muscles.

At their head was the stalwart figure of a man such as never before had
been seen within Sephar's borders. Four inches above six feet he stood,
slim of hip and broad of shoulder--a wealth of black hair held from his
eyes by a strip of cured snakeskin.

"Father!" burst from Tharn's lips.

At sound of his cry, the leader of the newcomers looked sharply in his
direction.

"Kill!" shouted young Tharn, bringing one hand out in a sweeping gesture
toward the frozen ranks of priests.

In response, the Cro-Magnards threw themselves at the white-clad enemy.
At the same time Tharn, the younger, leaped into action, shouting words
of instruction and encouragement to his friends.

The end came quickly. Torn at from two sides, the priests broke and fled
in all directions, the cave-men in hot pursuit. At sight of this, the
original defenders threw down their weapons and surrendered on the spot.

Now came Tharn, the elder, striding forward to greet his son. Behind him
crowded others of the tribe, wide smiles on their lips.

"We have searched long for you, my son," said the chief. "At times we
were close to giving up; it was not until yesterday that one of us found
where you and a girl had followed a game trail leading to this place."

"You could not have arrived at a better time!"

The chief smiled. Katon, watching from the background, marveled at the
striking resemblance of father to son when both smiled.

"At first," said the Cro-Magnard leader, "we were almost afraid to leave
the jungle's edge. But no one was about the openings in the walls, and
as your trail led straight toward one of them, we decided to follow it.
Then, too, all of us were curious to see what manner of people lived in
such strange caves.

"No one tried to stop us. In fact, we saw no one at all. I was beginning
to wonder if we were the only ones here until we heard sounds of
fighting coming from here. The rest you know."

His son nodded. "Soon I shall tell you what I have gone through since