The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-02-17
Chapter IS
SACRIFICE


THE poised knife descended
4 Frank heard the thud: he saw
the shoulder muscles Of the priest
working. like those Of . dog over q
buried bone. There was q sigh from
the multitude like . dry wind rus
Ting through parched forest.
Then the mans arm arose. II was
dark with blood that streamed from
hie clenched fist. Grahame aTerted
IFS gaze. He saw Juan gazing with
fascinated terror. janice leaned
against her guard. her body stir
with horror. Greene stared at him
with eyes distended. The little
mans lips parted In q grimace.
"God!" he breathed, and gulped.
! Grahame swore savagely. Gums
out. Greenel' he rasped. His voice
was thick with fury. HIS left hand
fumbled under his bandaging.
Then Greene did an incredible
thing. He Thook OF his guards and
stood away from them q pace. His
voice rose in q shrill yell that 70.
cused the glance OF every person on
that platform Of death upon him.
The ahkin whIrIed and stared.
After his first bewilderment, Ora.
hafne stood, his hand within his ban.
dage, his eyelids narrowed. Greene,
Of course. lad gone mad with shock.
Quite mad.
But the voice OF the little man
was clear with decision; his words
were colby sane.
"Janicei" he cried. Goodbye!
And you. too. Grahame. I'm pulling
q Tosti and q Brodie together. II I
make break for you. take IT,"
AS he talked he shuffled backward
toward the priest. His guards
seemed frozen.
I'm taking 1t on the lam, and
you'd better. too. God hates . pikeri
Camera! Ready! Everybody quiet
-. This Is the picturs-Damu
you'll"
He spun about, and drove his fist
into the priests throat. Again he
struck. but this time fell forward
against the other. He dragged him
around the altar.
The man clawed and stroYe 10
break the little mans hold. But
0reene's hold was heroic. He pulled
them closer to the edge.
They stood there locked against
each other. swaying against the
brassy sky. The guards seemed para
lyzed.
Whereupon q figure broke from
among them. Grahame groaned.
The show was over But a. the lkure
lurched toward those others sway
ing on the brink. he heard It cry
out in Iuan's voice.
Bravo. amIgoln
He saw the slight form Of the boy
throw itself against the two. Like
shutter snapped ia camera he
saw the image Of Greene and the
priest fash over. and beyond. the
brink.
Juan spun on the edge. Slowly.
almost as II he were fading back
ward, he saw the lad topple out.
ward. His teeth flashed In 4 last
smile: he was gone!
A roar surged deafeningly about
the pyramid. He pushed hia own
guards backward and strobe toward
Janice. One OF the men clutched at
his wounded arm. He ripped his gun
from the bandase and shot him
through the body.
He dubbed his guns barrel
against the head Of one OF the girls
guards. and shot the other Is he
'hssan to lift his gun. The mans
rife tell toward him. ant he caught
is between his elbow and his side.
sTsAKE IT," he shouted to Janice.
4 She took the gun ana pushed
behfpd him. He went 1Cf lrds beat,
Ing &C face and heads with the heavy
barrel OF his automatic. Suddenly
they were out Of the crowd and leap.
ing down the eastern steps Of the
pyramid.
Frank gasped advice as they half.
Jumped. haif.fell down the steep
descent.
"Run straight ahead. There's an
airpiane at the end Of this straight
away. Can you shootf-
The girl compressed her lips and
nodded.
sShoot where Il hurts" he advised.
They were on the level now. ana
Franks breath laborad IN his lungs.
He cursed the wound that sapped
his strength. Janice. he noted with
satisfaction. was running Ike q
vAlppet. despite the heavy rife sAs
carried.
An armed native. coming froni
nowhere. CHARTERED into their path.