oth was his flint knife, and
across one shoulder was the meaty foreleg of Neela, the zebra. This last
he thrust into Trakor's dazed hands.

"Fill your belly," he said, grinning at the youth's slack-jawed
expression. "We have work to do."

"But--But----"

"It was easy," Tharn said, "but only because I was very fortunate. When
I got there they were not sleeping; for the commotion I doubt that they
will sleep for a long time. While waiting for an opportunity to climb
among their huts to hunt for Dylara, I set out to get back my weapons.
The knife and rope were still in the broken hut and I found them at
once. But I was forced to hunt about under the trees for my arrows and
bow--and a good thing it was!"

"Why do you say that?"

"I came across Dylara's trail. It seem----"

"In the _dark_? How could you _see_?"

Tharn tapped his nose and smiled as understanding dawned in his young
friend's eyes. "It seems," he continued, "that she managed to get away
from them just a little while ago, for her scent spoor was still fresh.
I followed it far enough to learn that she found a game trail leading
into the east which she followed. It is not far from here; feed, and we
will set out to overtake her."

* * * * *

Early that afternoon Tharn and Trakor were swinging lightly through the
trees above a winding elephant path cutting almost due south through the
jungle. Even from his elevated position Tharn was able to make out an
occasional print of a sandal in the powdery dust below. Dylara had left
those marks--left them so recently that the passing feet of animals had
not yet obliterated them.

The thought of her nearness brought an almost painful sensation of
swelling deep within his chest and a strange ache at his wrists. The
realization that he might soon be holding her within the circle of his
arms, that his lips would be pressed against hers before another sun or
two, made him eager to race madly ahead, outdistancing his slower
companion.

But would she be as moved at sight of him? He recalled words spoken by
her on those two brief occasions they had been together--first when he
had wrested her from the caves of her father and taken her deep within
the jungle. How her eyes had blazed with loathing! How her voice had
rung out with hatred and disdain. "I hate you!" she had said; nor did
she retract those words days later when, at the last possible instant,
he had slain Sadu to save her life