Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-10

fool in there. Imagine when she is
worn out, IL it lasts that long; when
sleep win no longer fee because Of ter
ror; and when / command that the
light shall be extinguished where she
is You see, she must be thinking
all those things"
The sweat broke out on Kendrit's
forehead, he felt as though ice ran
in his veins. If he only knew where
all this was going on Was 1t above
him or below, to right or left? Ten
steps or a hundred yards away?
by Cod" he shouted. But only
Zoraida's merciess laughter answered
him.
~ had to choose between this and
the ancient stone of sacrifice abe told
him. Have / not chosen well?'
The puma had been STILL Now again
It moved and its feet had quickened, it
glded with ever increasing swiftness,
1t came close to the steel bars, It showed
more of its sharp, tearing, dripping
teeth
"Ectty - shouted Kendric. G."
He knew that Betty could not hear,
that he could do nothing. Nothing? As
the thought framed he leaped to his feet
and in the grip Of such a rage as even
he had never known, hurled himself
across the few PAGES between him and
Zoraida.
"You have the way to stop this
damned thing His hands, like claws.
were thrust before her face. "You will
stop it.
Even in his headlong rage there were
cool cells in his brain. He saw the
quick significant look Zoraida shot over
ms shoulder and turned; there behind
nm stood one of the squat brutes who
dld her bidding. Kendric saw something
IN tne mans hand but did not reck
whether II was gun or knife or club
or something else. He whipped about
ana struck. As the man staggered
under the unexpected blow, Kendric
snatched up the heavy stool on which
ne nad oeen sitting and struck again,
SO swift that the blow landed while the
1EE nEure was vet staggering backward.
me man fell. stunned, and then, as
quick as light, before Z6raida could lift
mana; kendric was upon her again.
l., Iall on your cat!" he shouted at
5he lifted her head defantly.
NeVer has man dictated to me -
She cried angrily. Here / dictate. If
you dared to put hand on me-
ne saw her own hand creeping out
toward the table. What it sought he
Iid not know; hidden bell, perhaps.
or dagger. He remembered her swift
attack upon Ortcgn. He seized her
Wrist his fingers locked hard about it (;
She struggled and he held her back in
her chair Suddenly she relaxed and
shrugged and laughed at him.
iou add to the entertainment :" she
mocked MIN. "For, mind you. while
you make large. commands. the puma
draws nearer and nearer. IF YOU will
between your great commands bmt
glance into the mirror"
Il say you can put stop to that in
you will" ~e''' ANU
"Ies?" she sneered ot him ".rd
you will make me. pcrhonsp Won anu
common adventurer, will dictote r. 10
raida !" ''' '"'e u 10
For the moment he felt powerless in
lace OF her cold taunting. But there
Mhn 700 mucn at stake for him to yield
now to feeling of powerlessncss 0ro
hand was on her wrist the grippinp fin
gers of the other shut about the hoft of
the ancient obsidian knife. The old
knife of sacrifice. His face wos white
ana stern, his eyes no whit less deadly
than Zoraida's. 'e"u'S
"You?' s"'i'eu'
lie made no answer. He was peyond
speech. Slowly he lifted the great knife
slowly. as in dream. he set the thin
point against the soft flesh of Zoraida's
| throat. As tremOr shook his hand
Ioraida whipped back
"Gou would not dare. You would
not dare - "0'i'
His hand was steady again. He hold
her still. and the point of the knife