Page:Weird Tales Volume 5 Number 1 (1925-01).djvu/150

"Had you not insulted the gods of Teeheemen by refusing to live in the temple with their priest," Walum spoke before making the incision, "you might have lived in happiness for thousands of suns. As it is, you now must cover the images of the gods of Teeheemen with your life blood."

Walum drew back the sacrificial knife.

As the priest spoke, Benton stepped quickly to the rear of Holton. Otter then realized the object of his action. He saw Benton reach for Holton's holster and draw the police positive. The arm of Walum never made its forward thrust. The report of the thirty-eight broke the deathlike stillness.

Benton's aim was unerring. Walum fell before the altar, his brain pierced by the bullet. His life blood spattered upon the faces of the images graven upon the front of the altar. Banrup, holding the blood bowl, reached for the knife in the hands of Walum but fell with a bullet through his brain from the same gun.

Confusion reigned for a time and Otter and Benton took quick advantage of it. Otter cut Holton's bonds and the latter rushed to the side of the altar and took the weapons of Banrup from his body. Benton rushed to the altar and cut the thongs that held Virginia to the top of the structure, and east the robe of the dead high priest about her. Virginia recovered her clothing and took the revolver from the belt in her holster.

The panic in the temple among the warriors quickly changed as the commanding voice of Vedos rang out.

"Overpower the white faces!" he ordered.

The three men fought off their antagonists for several minutes. Benton emptied into the charging mob the revolver he had taken from Holton, while Otter and Holton gave a good account of themselves with their primitive weapons. Virginia crouched, with the robe of the high priest about her naked shoulders, and viewed with terror the scene enacted before her. In imitation of Benton she emptied her revolver into the horde rushing upon them.

By sheer force of numbers the warriors of the temple overpowered the three men and bound them. Vedos advanced to the altar and addressed the company.

"The high priest of the temple is dead," he said, "and Banrup the mighty has fallen. Vedos is next in command and by the laws of Teeheemen is the logical successor to the position of high priest of the temple of Teeheemen. What say the warriors of the temple? Let all who wish Vedos for high priest of Teeheemen raise their spears."

Hundreds of spears went into the air.

"The warriors of the temple have spoken," Vedos announced. "From now on Vedos shall pass judgment greater than that of the king of Teeheemen. No more will he battle at the head of his warriors. Vedos calls for vengeance for the death of Walum and Banrup. It is his order that the white faces be taken to the airless chamber and placed therein until they are dead. Let them be taken at once from the sacred shrine of Teeheemen and placed in the smother chamber of the temple."

A score of warriors moved forward and seized the three white men. Virginia gathered her clothing under her arm as the warriors moved toward her. Still garbed in the long robe of the high priest, she was led with her three companions from the shrine along a corridor leading through intense darkness,

The party halted after some hundred yards of the corridor had been traversed. In the darkness they could hear a door sliding away. They were led into a chamber, and then the warriors withdrew. The four listened and heard the door closing upon them,