The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-19
CHAPTER XI.
AT OBrS ALTAR.

The great negro lay on the ground
but moment. and was Immediately
Up again. with the most furious light
IN his eyes, the foam OF rage on his
los. TO the s5one," he shouted
"Obi has abandoned him. To the stone
with him, and the other who protects
him." Justin leaoed forward to aid
the old man, with q great cry OF anger
and dismay, but beside him at cnce
was the Watchful DiXey Lynch, who,
in d trice wrapped his long arms
about the lad. and drew MIN violently
back. Justin fought like a wildcat. He
had no weapons. but struggled so well
that the rover had to exert all his
strength, and call Noh Dade 10 his aid,
before he could oVerpoWHer him and drag
him from the temple. That crazed old
mariner would not give his helo. how
ever, until Lynch threatened him with
q pistol The unhappy Wretch's adora-
ton fUr the fatal mark OF the snake.
which he had wOrshi-ed in Justin,
had now, at sight of Sir Rogers angry
brow. found another OBJECT. and his
excitement and his doubt We're great.
lie ran hale way to one, and back
again toward the other. staring be
WildcTcd upOn each, the little sense
which his life amid the horrible mys-
JeIies Of African Obi WorshiDers had
left aim, now scattered. At last he
yielded to the threats Of his master,
and between them they carried the
struggling body from the temple. In the
pause OF establishment which Sir Rog-
er'S appearance with OZiel had made,
the blacks, DerDleXed at the aDparition
OF their old land. as Donnereau had
convinced them, no longer insDired)
priest. and at the temperance of the
vanished mark of his sacredness. We're
Il Ii.
appearance of the new priest whom
Donnereau had brought to them, bear
ing the distinct seal of their strange
gods blessing. The temple was now
crowded with them. the party who had
gone TO the hut TO seize Sir Roger re-
turning 70 Join the others. There was
momentary hesitation in their action.
but it WAS plain that the willy leader
had a large influence over the savage
but simple souls Of these superstitious
Africans. For moment only they
halted, and then. as he rose bleeding to
his feet and addressed them in their
own barbarOUs tongue, ii was evident
that he aroused in them not merely the
fury of religious fervor. but the bestial
passion FOR bloo6-for sacrifice. Yet
there were some who looking on their
old priests stern brow, called out
against Donnereau and held back The
majority, however, followed the escaped
slave and pushed on the doomed old
man
The utter horror of the thing. as Oziel
realized what the intention of the ne
groes wss. for a moment Daralyzed his
thought and his arm. Never, in the
worst nightmare of childhood, had his
brain conjured IN a more hideous and
unnatural scene than this. The heat
was still intense, not now with the
fierce but frankly scorching glare of a
tropical sun, for the sky was darkening
and the sun was only visible as an an
CRY red blur, but with a close and suf-
locating oppression which unstrung the
nerves of man. The low temple was
filed with the nauseating aroma Of a
hundred excited, shouting, naked ne
groes, whose yellow eyeballs and shin
ing teeth We're turned upon Sir Roger /
and him. like the fierce eyes and tusks
Of hungry wolves. Donnereau's great
voice rose abOve the tumult: he seemed
now to intOne a hymn, a call to blood
And as that wild song reached the ears
Of the fanatics they joined in it, beat |
ing their hands together and stamping