The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-01-26
Copyright

Priests 81 Opar" he cried. "ths
Planning God has spoken 90 his hlgh
prlsst cad lie Is not angcrrt
Hr tBt wishes 10 speak 60 me
alone. and DO directs that sou 50
away into the lunEir and wall
until hs has come and spoken 90
Cadi after which shall gaU you
Co return Cor
For the most part they seemed
20 art,pt tho word ot Cadj as Law,
but uo1Ih and a few others. dUuh'
. less prompted by "A certain skrpti
rism. tNatatrd.
rHe gomez commanded CadJ Aud
I So powerful s the habit u obedience
that the daubtyrs finally turned
away aud melted into the jungle
with tie others A crafty amile
lighted the cruel face Of tho high
priest as the est 81 them disap-
pgarrd from sight. and then he once
again turned his attention 10 th0
ape man That. deep within his
breast however luikcd an Inherent
fear o. his deity, was evidenced
by the fact that he turned question
ing gAnc-z toward tho sky, he
had determined 60 shay the ape
man while Booth and the others
were absent. set tho fear u his god
restrained his hand until the light
of his d.iiy should shine forth upon
him once morr and assure him
, that the thine be- contemplated
might meet with favor
q was large cloud that over
cast the sun aud while Cadl waited
his nervousness Increased. six
times he raised his knife Tor the
fatal blow. set IN each instance his
superstition prevented tho eouaum.
nation Of the act Five ten. tiftrcn
minutes PASSED, and sim tho sun
remained uhscurrt But now a.
last Cadi could see that lt was near
INK the edge ~ the cloud. Rnd once
again he took his position kurriiuE
beside the up. man with h.H blade
ready for the moment that the SUM
/ uEht should food aEain. FOR the
last time. tho living Tarran. he
saw L sweeping slowly across the
bona toward him. and a. Il came
look - dsmouacpl hatred shuns
in his close set. wicked eyes An
other Instant aud the Flaming God
would have fet the seal o. his ap-
pruyaI upon the sacrifice cad
trembled IN anticipation he raised
the knife trinr higher. hts mus
Giles tenssd for the downward plunge,
and then the silence Of the jungle
was broken By a womans voice.
raised almost 10 scream
"Cadjr came the single syord, but
with all the audiences and all The
surprising effect Of lightning from
a clear SKY.
His knife still poised on hlEh.
the high priest turned In the dircc
ition Of the Interruption ~ Zee at
the cleariuEs edge the figure Of la.
the high priestrss, and behind her
DOoth ana score Of the lesser
priests.
What means this. CAdlg' de
manded Ia. anErily. approaching
rapidly toward him across this clear.
ing. sullcnly the high priest rose.
THE Flaming God demanded the
I life Of this unhelieyer." he cried.
Speaker OF lies" retorted Ia. the
Flaming God communicates With
men thru the lips Of his high
priestess only Too often already
have you attempted TO thWart the
will Of your queen. Know. then.
Csdj that the power ~ life and
death which your queen holds l.
a. potent over you as another Dur
ing the long ages that Opar has
endured. our legends tell ~ that
more than one high priest has been
I offered upon N. altar 10 the Flam.
! ing God And 1t il not unlikely
that yet another may 40 the way
Of the prssumptuous Curb. there
fore, your vanity and your lust for
power. lest they prove your un-
doing"
I Csdj sheathed his knife and turned
sulIeniy away. casting ysnOmous
look at Dooth. 10 whom he evidently
attributed his undoing Thst he
was temporarily abashed By the
spresence OF his queen was evident,
but to those who knew Cadj there
was little doubt that he still har-
bored his intention 10 despatch the
ape.man. and IN the opportunity ever
presented Itself that he would do
80, for CadJ had strong following
among the people and priests Of
Opar There were many who
doubted that La would ever dare
to incur the dispIeasure and anger
OF 20 important portion OF her
followers as to cause the death or
degradation OF their high priest. who
occupied his office by virtue OF laws
and customs so old that their origin |
had been long lost in antiquity
For years she had found first /
one excuse and then another to
delay the ceremonies that would
unite her in marriage to her high
priest. She had further aroused the
sntagonlsm OF her people by palp.
able proofs OF her infatuation for
the ape man. and even tho at last
she had been compelled 10 mate
with CadJ. she had made no effort
whatsoever 10 conceal her hatred
and lothing for the man. How
much further she could 20 with
impunity was a question that often
troubled those whose position in
Opar depended upon her favor. ana
knowing all these conditions as he
did, II was not strange that cadi',
should entertain tressonahIe
thoughts toward his queen. LeaKued
with him in his treachery was oah
a priestess who aspired TO the po,ver
and offices Of La. II La could no
done away with. then Cadl had N.