Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-08
BY EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS
Author of the Tarzan Stories
CHApTER xIv-tContinued) .

CHAPTER Iv--(Continued).
DRESENTIiY came to place where Ave
i corridors dIverged from a common point.
had hastened along one of them for some
little distance, when suddenly the faint light
of the torch disappeared from about me.
I paused TO listen for the sounds OF the
party behind me. but the silence was as
utter the silence of the tomb.
Quickly [ realized that the warriors had
taken one Of the other corridors with their
prisoner, and SO I hastened back with a
feeling OF considerable relief to take up
much safer and more desirable position
behind them. II was much slower work
returning, however, than It had been COM
ing, for now the darkness was as utter as
the silence.
II was necessary to feel every foot Of
the way back with my hand against the
side wall that I might not pass the spot
where the five roads radated,
After what seemed an eternity TO me I
reached the place. and recognized It by
cropping across the entrances to the several
corridors until had counted five of them.
In not one, however, showed the faintest
sign of light
A faint shufflng sounded behind me, and
as 1 cast haety glance over my shoulder
my blood froze in my veins for the thing
saw there. 1t was not so much fear
of the present danger as 1t was the horri-
Tying memories 1t recalled of that time
1 near went mad over the corpse Of the
man I had killed In the dungeons of the
Warhoons. when blazing eyes came out
Of the dark recesses and dragged the thing
that had been man from my clutches and
/ heard It scraping over the stone Of my
prison as they bore It away to their terrible
feast
Grasplng my longsword tightly In my
hand, 1 backed slowly along the corridor
away from the thing that watched me. but
ever as I retreated the eyes advanced, nor
was there any sound, not even the sound of
breathing, except the occasional shuffiing
sound as OF the dragging of a dead limb
that had first attracted my attention.
On and on went but 1 could not escape
my sinister pursuer. Suddenly l heard the
Bhu1ling noise at my right, and looking,
saw another pair of eyes, evidently ap-
preaching from an intersectng corridor. AS
j started to renew my slow retreat heard
the noise repeated behind me, and then be-
fore l could turn heard It again at my
left
The things were all about me, They had
me surrounded at the intersection of two
corridors. Retreat was cut off In all drec-
tions unless I chose to charge one OF the
beasts Even then had no doubt but that
the others would hurl themselves upon my
back. / could not even guess the size or
nature of the weird creatures. That they
were of goodly proportions l guessed from
the fact that the eyes were on a level with
my own.
Soon 1 saw that the matter shortly would
be taken entirely from my hands, for the
eyes at my right were moving slowly
nearer me, as were those at my left and
those behind and before me. Gradually
they were closing In upon me, but still that
awful stealthy silence.
For what seemed hours the eyes APP
preached gradually closer and closer, until
! felt that I should go mad for the horror
of 1t. l had been constantly turning this
way and that to prevent any sudden rush
from behind until was fairly worn out.
At length / could endure 1t no longer,
and, taking fresh grasp upon my long
sword, turned suddenly and charged down
upon one of my tormentors.
AS l was almost upon 1t the thing re-
treated before me- but sound from be-
hind caused me to wheel in time to see
three pairs of eyes rushing at me from the
rear.
With cry of rage turned to meet the
cowardly beasts, but as advanced they
retreated as had their fellow.
Another glance over my shoulder dscov-
cred the first eyes sneakIng on me again.
And again charged. only to see the eyes
retreat before me and hear the muffed rush
of the three at my back
Thus, we continued, the eyes always
little closer In the end than they had been
before, until thought that should go mad
for the terrible strain of the ordeal.
At that moment caught another glimpse
from the corner OF my eye OF tne slnsle pair
OF eyes at my back making a sudden rush
upon me. turned to met the charge; there
was a quick rush of the three from the
other direction, but I determined to pursue
the single pair until should at least have
settled my account with one Of the beasts
and thus be relieved of the strain of meeting
attacks from both directions.
There was no sound In the corridor, only
that of my own breathing, yet knew that
those three uncanny creatures We're almost
upon me. Tho eyes in front were not re,
treating so rapidly now; l was almost
within sword reach of them.
/ raised my sword-arm to deal the blow
that should free me. and then felt a heavy
body upon my back. cold, moist, Shiny
something fastened itself upon my throat.
I stumbled and went down.