topped. The arms of the stone gods, with
their hooked, razorlike claws, to which clung particles of flesh, were
arrested in mid-air. Cain, unharmed, was leaning backward, his
features set in a mask of awful fear.

Simultaneously Jim knew that the force which had held him in thrall
was gone. He flung his arms out. He was free. He grasped Lucille, held
her tightly against his breast, stood there drawing great, labored
breaths, waiting--for what?

* * * * *

A film was creeping over his eyes, but he was aware that the Eye had
suddenly gone out. And out of the dark the priest was chanting.

Then came a deep-drawn sigh from the spectators, followed by a ringing
shout. In place of the Eye the full moon appeared, sailing overhead.
And, holding off that deathly weakness, Jim understood. The sacrifice
had ended; a new month had begun....

CHAPTER VII

_Back to Long Island_

Jim, seated beside Lucille, was listening to Cain's gruntings and
chucklings as he expounded the situation to old Parrish.

It was the day following the scene in the amphitheatre. The four had
been escorted back along the tongue of flooring into a hall with walls
of fretted stone and sumptuous colorings. The floor was strewn with
rich rugs woven of some vegetable fibre. There were divans and low
chairs. At brief intervals, servitors, always smiling, passed carrying
trays with wines and foods. And in the corridors were always glimpses
of the guards.

"It was the rising of the full moon saved our lives, Dent," Parrish
explained. "It appears they have this sacrifice at each of the moon's
phases. The victims, captives or criminals, are eaten by the priests.
We've got a week's respite, Dent, and then--God help us."

Jim's arm tightened about Lucille, but the girl turned and smiled into
his face. There was no longer any fear there. And Jim swore to himself
that he would yet find some way of outwitting their devilish captors.

"What the devil are we supposed to be, criminals or what?" he asked
her father. "Why do they smile at us all the time in that confounded
way?"

Parrish questioned the Drilgo, but apparently he was unable to explain
himself to him. "Maybe they think it an honor for us, Dent," he
answered, "or maybe it's their idea of etiquette. Anyway, we four are
to head the list when the moon's at the three-quarters. God, if only
we could reach the Atom Smasher, I'm certain I could find out how it
works!"