ound. No fracture, but the
muscles and ligaments had been painfully torn. But Jerry set his teeth
firm at the thought of a possible escape.

* * * * *

Once, peering along the dark passage that led to the room where the
others had been seen, the men noticed the deep bows that unfailingly
marked the entrance of Marahna. They questioned her and learned that
here was royalty among the people of the moon. This, as they
considered the proud poise of her head and her whole attitude of
unassuming superiority was not entirely surprising. But they marveled
the more at the truth that she finally made plain to them.

Marahna, she told them, as plainly as if she were speaking in their
own tongue, Marahna was chosen for death. And her white face was
pitiful and her eyes full of horror as she enacted for them the slow
march she must take up the long golden slope and into the horror that
waited.

"A sacrifice to that god!" Jerry spoke with dismay. "No, no!" But the
face of the Princess Marahna of the moon people was unutterably sad
with unspoken thoughts as she touched her breast with one slender
finger, then indicated the outer room and showed there were two there
beside herself who were to go.

"Help us to get out," Jerry begged, and with fierce eagerness he
showed them going through the passage to the outside. "We will come
back, and we will find some way to end all this damnable thing."

She gave them to understand the time that was left. The sun, she
showed, was long past the meridian and was on its return. The day was
now reaching a close. And then, as the sun set, the great sacrifice
would be made--had always been made--to insure the return of their
god.

* * * * *

Their watches were useless, for the water had entered their cases. The
two men waited what they judged was the length of a day, while Jerry
tried to believe that his arm was improving. Then, putting a small
supply of food in their pockets, they were ready for the attempt.

Jerry saw that his gun and knife were ready at his belt, and patted a
pocket where his matches were safe in their watertight container. The
prospect of escape almost unnerved him. To breathe the clear air; to
stand in the radiant light of the sun--he could understand now how
these people made a god of the sun. He turned to Marahna.

"Good-by," he said, "but not for long. We'll be back. And we'll save
you, Marahna, we'll sav