The evening world., 1914-01-22

bore every evidence Of rote. he came 10
the conclusion that Il was all but part
OF the cercmony OF which he was the
central ngure.
After a moment or two the girl drew
knife from her girdle. and. leaning
over Tartan. cut the bonds from his
legs. Then. a. the mon stopped their
to him to rise. Placing the rope that
had been about his leEs around his neck.
she led him acrosa the courtyard. the
men following in twos.
Through winding corridors she led.
farther and farther into tho remot6r
precints Of the temple. until they cAme
to q great chamber. In the centre Of
which stood an altar, Then II was that
Tarzan translated the strange ceremony
this holy Of holes.
lie had fallen into the hands Of de-
scondants Of the ancient sun worship.
perp. His seeming rescue by votareas
Of the high priestsss Of the sun had
been but q part Of the pimicry OF their
heather b.. ceremony-thS sun looking
down upon him through the opening at
the top OF the court had claimed him ~
his own, and the pPiesteas had come
from the inner temple to save him from
the polluting hands OF worldlhnse-to
flaming deity
And had he needed further assurance
~ to the correctness Of his theory he
had only TO cast his eyes upon the
brownish-re stains that caked the stone
altar and covered the moor In its I'M
mediate vicinity. or to the human skuils
which grinncd from countless inches In
the towering walls.
Tho priestess led the victim 70 the
-ts hHs,
filled with watchers. while from an
arched doorway at the east end OF tho
chamber a procession OF females hled
slowly into tho room. They wore. like
tho men, only skins of Wild animals
caught about their waists with rawhide
belts or chains Of gold: but the black
masses of their hair were incrusted
with golden headEear composed OF
many circular and oval pieces Of gold
ingeniously held together 70 form a
metal cap, from which depended at
each side OF the head long strings Of
oval pieces falling TO the waist.
The females we're more symmetrieally
proportoned than the males. their fea-
turos were much more perfect. the
shapea Of their heads and their large.
soft, black eyes Aenotng far greater
} Intelligence and humanity than was pos
scssed by their ior1k and masters
Each prisstess bore two golden cups.
b and ~ they formed n line on either
side Of the altar the mon formed oppo-
site them. ahvaRcing and taking each .
cup from the female opposite. Then
the chant began once more. and pres.
emily from . dark passaEeway beyond
tho altar another female emerged from
the eaveru0us. depths beneath the cham'
Der. ...
The high priestess, thought Tarzan.
She was . young woman with q rather
intelligent And shapeiy face. Her orna-
msnts were similar TO those worn by
her votaries. but much more elaborate.
many being ct with diamonds. Her
bare arms and legs were almost con-
csaled by the massive. bejewelled orna-
ments which covered them. while her
single leopard skin was supported by q
close fitting 9irdis Of golden rings set
In strange designs with innumerabls
small diamonds In the girdle she car
ried q long. jeweiisd knife. and In her
hand a slender wand In lieu Of .
bludgeon.
Az she advanced 10 the opposite side
OF the altar she hailed. and the chanting
ceased. The priests and priestessss
knelt before her. while with wand ex-
tended above them she reclted . long
and tiresome prayer. Her voice was
soft and musicai--Tarsan could scarce
realise that It's possossor In q moment
moro would be transformed by the
fanatical ecstasy OF religious zeal Into .
wlld-eyed and bloodthirsty execuuoner.
who. with dripping knife. would be the
frst to drink her victm's red. warm
blood from the little golden cup that
stood upon the altar.
A. she finished her prayer she let
her eyes rest for the firvt time upon
Tarsan. with every Indication Of con-
siderable curiosity she examined him
from head to foot. Then she addressed
him, and whom shs had finished stood
waiting. ~ though che expected . reply.
II do not undsrstand your language.
said Tarxan. Possibly We may speak
together In another toHgue?" But she
could not undsntsnd him. thouEh he
tried French. English, Arab. WAsiri
and. - . last resort. the mongrsl tongue
Of the West Coast.
She shook her head. and II scanned
that there was q note OF woArineas In
her voice ~ she motloned to tho pNests
to continue with the rites. These now
circled In a repetition OF their idiotio
dance. which was terminated finally At
. command from the priestsss, who had
stood throughout, still looking intently
At her signal tho priests rushsd upon
the apeman, and. lifting him bodily.
laid him upon his bscs across the altar.
his head hanging over one edge. his
kEs over the opposite. Then they and
the priestesses formed IN two lines.
with their little golden cups In readi-
ness to capture q share OF the victims
Nfe-blood after the sacIdoial knife had
accomplished its work.
In the uns of priests an alteration
arose a. to who should have hrst place.
A burly brute with all the refined intel.
uGsnce OF gorilla stamped upon his
bestial face was attempting to push .
smaller man to second place. but the
smaller one appealed TO the high prlest-
ess. who In a cold. psremptory volco
sent the larger TO the extreme end Of
the line. Tarzan could hear him growi-
Ing and rumblins ~ he went slowly 70
the inferior station.
Then the prtestsss, standing above
him. began rec'ting what Tarzan took
TO be an invocation, the while she slow
ly raised her thin. sharp knife aloft II
secmed ages to the ape-fnan before her
arm ceased its upward progress and
the knife halted high above his unpro-
tected breast.
Then 1t started down ward. slowly at
Nrst. but, as the incarnation increased In
rapidity. with greater speed. At the
end Of the line Tarzan could still hear