ons that they had made.

And then the sounds ceased. The menace seemed to have passed, or to be
withheld; the men had been tensely prepared for some minutes when Diane
spoke softly.

"Look below," she whispered; "the savages! That big one seems to be
choosing them--selecting some from among them."

Chet forced himself to look away from that corner of the rocky step
where he had been expecting an unknown enemy to appear, and he stared
below them where the Earth-light from the fully risen globe swept across
the arena.

He was amazed at the numbers of the savages that the full light
disclosed. There were hundreds--yes, thousands--of them, he estimated.
And they were standing in black, clotted masses, standing awed and
silent in a world that was all black and white in a dazzling contrast,
while there passed among them one with outstretched arms.

The black, hairy hands would hover over a cowering head; the eyes, Chet
knew, were staring widely, blindly, at the shivering creature before
him. And if Chet's surmise was correct, there was another--a hidden,
mysterious something--who was taking the message of those eyes as the
ape-man's brain transmitted it; taking it and sending back instructions
as to which victims should be selected.

Often the hands passed on; but soon they would descend to touch the
savage face of another in the assemblage. At the touch the selected one
jerked sharply erect, then walked stiffly from the ranks to join a group
that was waiting.

At last there were nearly a hundred savage figures in that group, all
grown men, young and in the full flood of their savage strength. No
women were chosen, nor children, though there were countless little
black bodies huddled with the others.

* * * * *

A prolific race, indeed, Chet thought, and this human automaton down
there was leaving the women to produce more victims; leaving the
children till they were fully grown, taking only the best and strongest
of the pack--for what?

His question was answered in part in the next instant. While the wailing
cry quivered again upon the air, the chosen hundred took up their
somnambulistic walk. The messenger from the pyramid came after like a
herdsman driving cattle to the slaughter. They passed from Chet's view
as they rounded the rear of the pyramid, and then he heard the scuff and
clatter of their ascent.

No need to explain to the others; each of the four saw all too clearly
t