The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-03-05
GODDESS
by Herbert 'Jenser.

weak. Frank" she whispered. Dear God . don't let 1t bel"
 Swooning, she fell back upon the cot.
 JANICE stared dry-eyed over a J succession of fiat roof tops to- ward the great central pyramid.
 From the platform surmounting the vast edifice pufs of incense smoke gathered and disappeared as vagrant wind eddies blew about the lofty corners of the head-priest's house.
 Soon. she realized. she and Billy Langton would proceed slowly up those dizZying steps. Then stretched for agonizing moments on the sacri- ficial stone. tinching to the inexor- able plunge of the knife, they would die. and their bodies be hurled into the depths of the rain choked cenote.
 A snarling and coughing sounded from below the rim of the parapet that bounded the roof top that held their prisoner. She shuddered but stepped to the low wall and looked downward.
 She knew what she would see but the seven jungle cats that roamed in the surrounding enclosure fas. cinated her.
 They were jaguars. Lithe muscles punched and writhed beneath their olack-dappled tawny skins. They were restless-seemingly forever in motion. At night. as she lay in her room below. she could hear them above the drumming rain as they whined and qJarreled. or fought over the scanty scraps of food thrown them by the guards.
 They were given just enough to keep them strong, and hungry and ferocious. She rested her elbows on the stone and observed them. As if by some uDcanny instinct they lift. ed their heads and looked at her.
 Their yellow eyes gleamed. a whine of era Jing sounded In their throats: almost as one beast they hattened to the ground-only the tips of their tails moved.
 An involuntary trembling rippled across her shoulders Without locks or bars she was constrained to her prison. Remindful of water moat about a castle Ia the days of chival ry. this was moat of living, hun. gry iaguars.
 It was nearly a week since she had been placed here The soldiers of the ahkin had hauled them ny means of ropes up the concave walls of the valley-cenote and had carried them back to the city.
 Since then it had rained incess antly. She knew-the women de tailed as her servants had told her m pantomime--that when the rain ceased she and Billy were to be taken to the pyramid top. There would be no escape this time.
 Even could they get so far as the underground river. that avenue was closed by the rains that had charged the caverns with water. The jungle. soaked from the continuous down. fall. was impossible.
 H4n EFlnl ha the caverns-and her faith had rallied from the high-priests intima tion that he hadn't-it would take weeks for him to travel through the morass that lay between the coast and this hidden city. HoPELESSLY she walked about
 the roof. Today the rain had ceased. The sky was clear except for occasional sullen groups of clouds that hung in patches across the blue.
 She was grateful for this day in the open, but prayed, nevertheless for rain. She and Billy would nol be molested while it rained.
 The roof was like a garden-s lovely. sinister, garden.
 Rare tropic shrubbery was placed cunningiy about Fine fabrics were draped oyer the simple furniture Upon a central palm-shaded table huge bowl of fruits and condiments was set.
 Her clothing. which had beer taken from her while she slept, had been replaced with an ankle-length robe of finest linen adorned at the throat and hem with the most ex quisite colofed embroidery she had even seen.
 She had no cause to complaip about her comfort. She had beer given everything she might desire except freedom.
 Wearied with her pacing. she sat hnally 1pon 1ivan and watched the sun arc toward the west Ii painted the pyramid with a brust daubed in sold.
 As 1t sank lower the gold changed to rose. then deepened to red. The red darkened to the yarnishet sheen of fresh blood!
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