The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-01-30
CHAPTER W.

The Altar OF the Flaming God.
It was at the moment that Tarzan
turned from the closed door to pursue
his way to the outer world. The thing
came without warning. One instant
all was quiet and stability-the next,
| the world rocked, the tortured sides OF
the narrow passageway split and crum-
bled great blocks of granite dislodged
from the ceiling, tumbled into the mar
row way, choking it, and the walls
bent inward upon theS wreckage. Be-
meath the blow of a fragment of the
roof, Tarzan staggered back against
| the door to the treasure room, his
weight pushed it open and his body
| rolled inward upon the floor.
There was but the single shock, no
other followed to complete the dam
age undertaken by the first. Werper,
| thrown to his length by the sudden
ness and violence of the disturbance,
staggered to his feet when he found
himself unhurt. Cropping his way to-
ward the far end of the chamber. he
sought the candle which Tarzan had
left stuck in its own wax upon the
protruding end Of an ingot.
BY striking numerous matches the
Belgian at last found what he sought,
and when, a moment later, the sickly
rays relieved the Stygian darkness
| about him, he breathed nervous sigh
Of relief, for the impenetrable gloom
had accentuated the terrors of his
situation.
As they became accustomed to the
light the man turned his eyes toward
the door-his one thought now was of
escape from this frightful tomb-and
as he did so he saw the body Of the
naked giant lying stretched upon the
floor Just within the doorway. Werper
drew back In sudden fear of detection ;
| but a second glance convinced him
that the Englishman was dead. From
great cash in the mans head pool
of blood had collected upon the con-
crete floor.
Quickly, the Belgian leaped over the
PROSTATE form Of his erstwhile host,
and without thought of succor for
the man in whom, for aught he knew,
life still remained, he bolted for the
| passageway and safety.
| But his renewed hopes were soon
dashed. Just beyond the doorway he
found the passage completely clOgged
and choked by impenetrable masses of
shattered rock. Once more he turned
and re-entered the treasure vault. TAX
ing the candle from its place he COM
menced a systematic search of the
apartment, nor had he gone far before
| he discovered another door in the OPP
posite end of the room, door which
gave upon creaking hinges to the
weight of his body. Beyond the door
lay another narrow passageway. Along
this Werper made his way, ascending
flight of stone steps to another corri-
dor twenty feet above the level of the
first.
Before him was circular shaft. He
held the candle above it and peered
downward. Below him, at great dis
lance, he saw the light reflected back
from abe surface Of a pool of water.
| He had come upon well. He raised
| the candle above his head and peered
across the black void, and there upon
the opposite side he saw the continu-
alton of the tunnel: but how was he to
span the gulf?
AS he stood there measuring the dis
lance to the opposite side and wonder
ing If he dared venture so great leap,
there broke suddenly upon his startled
ears a piercing scream which dimin-
ished gradually until it ended in a
series of dismal means.
The Belgian shuddered and looked
fearfully upward, for the scream had
seemed to come from above him. AS
he looked he saw an opening far over
head, and a patch Of sky pinked with
brilliant stars.
He listened fearfully, but the cry
was not repeated, and at last spurred
to desperate means, he gathered him
self for the leap across the chasm. Go
ing back twenty PAGES, he took run
ming start, and at the edge of the well,
leaped upward and outward in an at
tempt to gain the opposite side.
In his hand he ciutched the sput-
tering candle. and as he took the leap
the rush of air extinguished 1t. In
utter darkness he few through space,
cIutching outward for q, hold should
his feet miss the invisible ledge.
He struck the edge Of the floor Of
the opposite terminus of the rocky tu4l-
mel with his knees. slipped backward,
clutched desperately for a moment,
and at last hung half within and half
without the opening; but he was safe.
Cautiously, he drew himself well with
in the tunnel, and again he lay at full
length upon the floor. fighting to re-
gain control of his shattered nerves.
When his knees struck the edge Of