known of a tribe who
wore coverings on their feet.

He shrugged. After all, _who_ had taken Dylara was beside the point. She
had been taken; and he must follow, to rescue her if she were still
alive--for vengeance if they had slain her.

By noon of the next day Tharn was drawing himself up to the edge of the
tableland at almost the same spot from whence Dylara had her first
glimpse of Sephar. And when he rose to his feet and saw the city of
stone and its great circular wall, he was no less electrified than the
girl had been. He, however, felt no dread at the prospect of entering;
indeed, his adventurous blood urged him to waste no time in doing so.

As he raced through the trees toward Sephar, his thoughts were of
Dylara. Reason insisted that she still lived--a captive behind that grim
stone wall. He knew, now, that his love for her was no temporary
madness, but an emotion that would rule his life until death claimed
him. Her proud, slender figure with its scanty covering of panther skin
rose unbidden before him, and he felt a sudden uncomfortable tightness
where ribs and belly met. Love was teaching Tharn of other aches than
physical bruises....

It was mid-afternoon when he reached the forest's edge nearest to
Sephar. Several hundred yards of level open ground lay between the trees
and the mighty wall, which evidently encircled the entire city.

From where he crouched on a strong branch high above the ground, he saw
two wide gateways not more than fifty yards apart, both of them guarded
by parties of armed men. His keen eyes picked out details of their
figures and clothing, both of which excited his keenest interest. With
its entrances so closely guarded it would be folly to approach closer
during the day. While impatient to reach Dylara's side, he was quite
aware that any attempt at rescue now would doubtless cost him his own
freedom, if not his life, thereby taking from the girl her only hope of
escape. He must wait for night to come, hoping the guards would then be
withdrawn.

* * * * *

Reminded that he had not eaten since early morning, Tharn swung back
through the trees in search of meat. The plains of this valley appeared
to abound with grass-eaters; and not long after, a wild horse fell
before his careful stalking. Squatting on the body of his kill, he
gorged himself on raw flesh, unwilling to chance some unfriendly eye
noticing smoke from a fire.

His appetite cared fo