, shadowy gods, looming up out of
the darkness, their outstretched arms interlaced. And there upon the
platform was the Atom Smasher, a little thread of violet light seeping
out of the central tube.

Beside it stood a group of figures, impossible to distinguish in the
darkness, but of a sudden Lucille's scream rang out above the din
below.

With three leaps Jim was at her side. He saw the girl, Tode, and
Parrish, struggling in the grasp of a dozen priests. They were
dragging them toward the idols, and Jim understood what that scene
portended.

In despair at the irruption of the Drilgoes, the priests were seeking
to propitiate their gods by sacrificing the three strangers whom they
held responsible for all their woes.

Jim caught Lucille in his arms, shouting her name. She knew him,
turned toward him. Then one of the priests, armed with a great
stone-headed club--for no metal is permitted within the precincts of
the god Cruk--struck at him furiously.

Jim leaped aside, letting the club descend harmlessly upon the floor.
He shot out his right with all his strength behind it, catching the
priest upon the jaw, and the man crumpled.

* * * * *

Whirling the club around his head, he fought back the fanatics, all
the while shouting to Tode to start the Atom Smasher. In such a moment
he only remembered that Tode was a white man, and of his own
generation.

He struck down three of the priests; then he was seized around the
knees from behind, and fell heavily. The club was wrenched from his
hand. In another moment Jim found himself helpless in the grasp of the
Atlanteans.

As he stopped struggling for a moment, to gather his strength for a
supreme effort, he heard a whir overhead, and saw the arms of the
stone gods begin their horrible revolution. The priests had started
the machinery. And high above the din below rang out the wild chant of
the high priest.

Jim saw him now, a figure poised upon a platform behind the arms, his
own arms raised heavenward.

"Aiah! Aiah! Aiah!"

Jim was being dragged forward, with Lucille beside him, old Parrish
following, still making a futile struggle for life, while pitiful
screeches issued from his mouth.

Jim saw the revolving arms descend within a foot of his head. One more
fight--one more, the last.

Suddenly, with loud yells, a band of Drilgoes leaped forward from the
head of the stairs and rushed upon the struggling priests and victims.
A