The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-02-12
GODDESS
bv HerI,erf Jensen

blocks of stone, and in the center stood the temple-house, built squarely. It was much larger than it had seemed from the plain below. There was no opening at the side facing Grahame, but he observed that a glow came from around cor ner,--the exposure facing the sheer drop to the cenote.
 He knew that there was a door way facing eastward. toward the small ruined pyramid at the edge of the city. from which point he had made his observations of the pre- vious day.
 In the center of the light from the western door, and standing halfway toward the edge. was a huge slab of stone supported as pedestal, waist-Eigh. Jy four smaller stones at the corners. It was evi dently an altar of some sort. Even in the dim light Grahame saw that 1t was covered with elaborate cary. ings. The surface of the slab seemed to slope toward the brink.
 With swift certainty he covered the space between the stairs top and the shadowy corner of the house. A glance assured him that the altar side of the house was un- occupied. He slipped within the doorway. There was a corridor ahead, and at the end of it there showed a glimpse of star-studded sky,-the eastern door.
 CEEMTNGLY there was no one U about. He penetrated farther into the place. At the middle be found that another corridor. blind at both ends, bisected the other. At the intersection a stone brazier burned. throwing smoky shadows about.
 He turned to the left. and pro. ceeded toward the end On each side were doorways. evidently the entrances to the rooms that lined this pyramid-house.
 He paused. Dark Jumps lay be fore two of the doorways. He heard the sound of human beings breath ing evenly. The red light from the central urn threw stabbing flashes about the walls and he caught glimpses of reflected light upon the metallic equipment of the sleeping guards.
 He retreated softly. and stole down the corridor to the opposite end. There were no guards before the doorway.
 He nodded his head and com pressed his lips. He returned into the left corridor and approached the end until he stood over the sleepers He reached under his arm. His au. tomatic gleamed duly in the fitful light.
 Silently, like a cat compressing itself for spring, he bent over His left hand closed accurately upon a throat. A whisper died with the pressure of his finger muscles: he brought the barrel of the gun down upon the spot over the ear.
 Grahame made an unintelligible in h io e the others neck. There was whistlng of the guards breath as he essayed a shout and he writhed within the sudden grasp. His back bowed and he pounded at the Amer jeans face with his fist.
 Grahame threw his leg forward and pressed the mans arm to his side. Again he chopped down the barrel of his pistol. and the figure collapsed to the stone.
 He paused. holding his breath. There was no sound but the sput- tering of the central urn.
 A glance at his watch told him that it was nearing three o'clock. It would be getting light soon and there was little time to lose if he were to find Janice. and get down the pyra- mid into his hiding place.
 He was feeling faint from lack of food. and his imagination was be- ginning to play tricks with his sense of smell. He would have sworn that he smelled food, ever since he had topped the pyramid.
 He found that the doors of these side rooms were casually fastened, rough wooden pegs pinion!ng metal latch. The doors were wood- en. He lifted the peg and pushing open the nearer one he entered. There was lamp burning dimly in the room he entered.
 At the farther end he made out a pallet and figure reclining upon it. He approached the figure; his shadow bounded about the stone walls like a huge misshapen phan- tom. He bent over the couch; al- most he exclaimed aloud.
 The wide-open eyes of Janice Kent, their blue irises glowing with a dark contempt, stared at him. He watched them widen in astonish- ment. Her lips parted. as if she were about to speak. but his palm swiftly covered her mouth.
 Don't speak" he cautioned in the barest of whispers.
 (coSwishf.. 1934. 6y Hsr5srt JsasssJ
 Tomorrow, Janice eompIicates
 their escape.