Page:Weird Tales Volume 6 Number 1 (1925-07).djvu/58

When the guards had again receded from the chamber, Zema approached Vespar with the excited inquiry: "What of the Morians? I heard the guards speak of your refusing to fight against them."

Vespar folded his powerful arms across his chest.

"The Morians," he replied, "are planning a surprize attack upon the city of the Corolans. The spies of the Corolans returned to the city shortly after you were cast into prison and reported that the Morians have organized a great army and may be expected to come any time. Their great war chieftain, the mightiest spearman in this country, Carno, is leading the army in person. The Corolans are anxious to have every man who is a great fighter in their ranks. They offered Vespar many inducements if he would join the army of the Corolans and help in the fight against the army of Carno. Vespar refused the offer."

Zema turned to Ware at the conclusion of Vespar's announcement.

"May the Morians come hurriedly, and may their efforts be successful!" she said. "When Zema was queen of the Corolans, she was on friendly terms with the Morians. Since she was deposed, Mitsu has antagonized them and renounced the alliance that was formed between the Corolans and the Morians by Zema during her reign. If Zema could have reached the land of the Morians, she would have been welcomed."

"The opportunity may yet come," Ware encouraged her.

He noted a place in her apparel that had been torn when she fell and was dragged after the chariot in the streets of the city. Several bruises and scratches were apparent on her lower limbs.

"If they attack the city at once," she continued, "the danger from without will save us for a time from the perils of the arena."

For the remainder of the day the five engaged in conversation and discussed possible plans for making their escape. When evening came, several of the guards entered the chamber and served food to the captives.

"You may eat tonight," grinned the big chief of the guards, "but the animals of the arena will not be fed. Their time will be tomorrow, and their appetites must be made keen for the banquet in the arena."

The night in the prison chamber was spent without interruption. Ware and Stillwell sought in vain for some avenue of escape, but were met everywhere by the obstruction of massive masonry. They finally abandoned their attempts after several hours of futile effort, spent in attempting to remove some of the stones from the walls by scraping aside the mortar.

"The people who fashioned this mortar were experts," announced Ware, pausing in his efforts. "The present race of Corolans never made the cement from which this mortar is fashioned, and they never built the city which they now occupy. The race was undoubtedly of ancient origin and has long ago passed away."

Stillwell agreed with Ware. "Our best chance is to use our weapons in the arena tomorrow," he said. "If the Corolans adhere to their rules, we can at least shoot our way through the menace of the animals, unless they turn loose too many of the beasts upon us at one time."

"We may as well abandon our attempts to escape from this prison," said Ware. "We had better all sleep in order to be on edge for the things that confront us tomorrow."

The five lay down on the floor of the prison and awoke only when the guards entered the place early the next morning with food for them.