ly at the two men for a moment, then
said:

"You are lying! Every member of Jotan's party is already under guard.
Come with us; we shall allow Curzad to hear your story."

He made a small motion with his hand and instantly Tharn and Trakor were
surrounded by a ring of spear points. Side by side the two cave men
strode toward the palace, helpless to resist.

Within the huge building they were led to a guard room on the first
floor, and after a few minutes the tall, broad-shouldered figure of
Jaltor's captain, sharp-eyed and alert, entered the room.

He listened to the officer repeat what Tharn had said outside, then ran
his gaze slowly over the two men.

"You are not warriors of Sephar," he growled. "You are not even
Ammadians. I have seen your kind before. What are two cave men doing
inside Ammad?"

Tharn shrugged but said nothing. Trakor, observing his reaction,
followed his lead.

"Perhaps a few days in the pits will loosen your tongues!" Curzad said
harshly.

Still no reply.

"As you wish." Curzad turned away indifferently. "To the deepest pits
with them, Atkor," he said to the officer. "After a few suns I will see
them again to learn if they feel more talkative."

* * * * *

Just how many downward sloping ramps they trod on the way to the pits
Tharn had no way of knowing. Further and further below the earth's
surface they went, their hands bound behind them, while brightly lighted
subterranean corridors gave way to others only faintly illuminated.
Finally even the faint light disappeared and they moved, heavily
guarded, through blackness relieved only by flames from a torch carried
by one of the guards. There was the clearly audible trickling of water
along the stone walls and several times Tharn felt his feet sink to the
ankles in cold pools that had formed in hollows of the stone flooring.

At last the wearying procession of sloping ramps ceased and they moved
along a level corridor. On either side Tharn made out heavy wooden doors
with apertures in their surfaces closed off by columns of stone in the
form of bars. Now and then light from the torch picked out white,
heavily bearded faces containing white-ringed eyes and expressions of
dull hopelessness. Not once, however, did he hear sounds from the
throats of those prisoners--only the mute despair of lost souls peering
into nothingness.

Finally the officer ordered a halt. At his command two of the doors,
almost di