of the Naya was heard
commanding:

"If they are strangers who have dared to descend to this our Temple of
Zomara, bring them forth, and let them be given unto the great god whose
maw still remaineth unsatisfied. Hasten, ye priests, do my bidding
quickly; let them not escape, or the curse of the King of the Crocodiles
be upon you."

The two dwarfs sprang forward to seize us, while the group of priests,
fleet of foot, accompanied by the great mob of worshippers, sped in our
direction. The people, having worked themselves up to such a pitch of
excitement, were eager to assist in the immolation of any intruders. They
were bent upon obeying the law of their queen.

But in an instant Kona felled both the dwarfs with two well-directed
blows with his huge black fist, and without hesitation we all three
turned and fled in the direction we had come. My companions had
apparently forgotten where the steps descended, but fortunately I had
fixed the spot in case any untoward incident occurred. They were over
against a great pillar of rock, rudely fashioned to represent a woman
with an eagle's head.

"This way," I shouted. "Follow me!" and with a bound sped in its
direction as fast as my legs could carry me.

We had nearly gained the spot when to my dismay I saw a dozen of the
worshippers, divining our intention, approaching from the opposite
direction in order to cut off our retreat.

It was an exciting moment. Behind, was a mad, fanatical mob of five
hundred men and women led by the dwarfs shrieking vengeance against us;
before us were a dozen determined men ready to seize us and convey us to
a horrible death in the throat of the gigantic representation of their
sacred reptile. Even if we safely descended the steps, we knew not the
secret means by which we might reach the earth's surface, nor did either
of us remember the exact point where the long dark tunnel joined the
wonderful cavern.

None, however, knew that Omar himself was one of my fellow fugitives, for
the dwarfs, being consigned to a subterranean life perpetually, had never
set eyes upon him, and therefore he had been unrecognized. Another
moment, and I knew he must be detected by some of the devotees. If so,
the hostile feeling against us would be intensified, and we should
probably be torn limb from limb.

I had retained the lead in this race for life, and seeing retreat cut off
by the group of men gaining the top of the steps before us I turned
quickly, and