ing that unseen eyes watched me
from all sides, I left the Snake and its victim, the pyramid and the
flame, and fled swiftly along the causeway, not even stooping to pick
up the diamonds that lay on all sides, intent only upon escape. I
reached the entrance, and passed through the narrow portals and
breasted the steep slope, and fearful and over-wrought, I gained the
open plain again.

Northward lay the path to the mountains: south the labyrinth of craters
I had left; westward mayhap I should find the dunes? And pitiless as
they were, I chose that path rather than follow the road of skulls
towards the country and the mercy of such fiends as these people must
be!

Soon I had left the crate far behind, and no trace of the road could be
seen when I glanced back, but I could not shake off a haunting fear
that now possessed me, that I was being watched. Eyes seemed to follow
me everywhere, each bush or rock seemed to hide a watcher, and again
and again I turned aside and searched, and looked fearfully over my
shoulder, but nothing could I see.

And so I walked till evening, seeing no trace of the human beings I
knew must be near, and at last, somewhat easier in mind, I threw myself
down to sleep.

And awakened to find myself seized and held as in a vice, to feel
thongs passed about me, and a hand passing over my forehead . . .
gently . . . gently . . . and then all consciousness faded away.

CHAPTER VIII

THE CATACLYSM THE PRIESTESS "LOOK AND FORGET"

Now gazing down full upon me as though in exultation was again the
awful face of the Snake, with its diadem the great, bright diamond. Its
glare hurt me, and I tried to move my head, but in vain. I was tied
fast.

And now I realized that this was no part of an awful dream, but that I
lay a hopeless victim in the place of the tortured man I had seen but a
day before.

And I knew that I was no longer alone, for though I could see nothing
but the grim idol, I could hear around me the murmur of many tongues.
Low, but vast in volume, it seemed as though thousands were there below
me, hushed and waiting for the consummation of the sacrifice. At times
the murmur rose to a mutter as of distant thunder, then again it would
be hushed almost into dead silence.

I could not speak or move. I could only lie inert and helpless, filled
with the agony of despair, with closed eyes awaiting the stroke, and
praying silently that it would come before the mutilation I had s