en
we're old and rheumatic!"

"Good kid!" said Vic, and I pressed her hand as comfortably as I could.
We turned a bend in the long ramp we had been climbing, and came out
upon the vast, level top of the building.

Thousands of the unreal creatures of this world were crowded around a
vast, hideous image that rose from the center of the space; a monster so
terrible that Hope cried out at the sight, and Vic exclaimed under his
breath.

For myself, I seemed stricken dumb; I could only stare at this black and
ghastly god of these people.

* * * * *

The carven image was perhaps thirty feet in height, and represented a
figure crouched upon its knees, its head bent very low and at the same
time tilted at a grotesque angle so that the face smiled heavenward; the
hands, palms upward, extended invitingly just below the chin.

As our party appeared, an aisle opened, and we were marched through the
assembled crowd, directly toward the idol. A high-pitched, sibilant
chant arose from the multitude, and a procession of very ancient beings,
whom I took to be the priests of this god, came in single file from
behind the black god, directing the chanting with movements of their
arms. They were lighter in color than the others, and much more
intelligent, to judge by their faces. Their eyes held none of the
sadness which was the most marked characteristic of the others. Each
wore upon his forehead a gleaming scarlet stone, bound in place by a
circlet of black metal, or what looked like metal.

We paused, and the chanting went on and on, until I began to wonder if
anything would ever happen. And then, at last the chanting ceased, and
three of the priests moved toward us, followed by an elderly being who
wore the same symbol of power or authority that I had already noted upon
the creature Vic called Ee-pay.

One of the priests spoke sharply, commandingly, to Ee-pay, and the
latter nodded--not agreeably it seemed to me.

"The old boy doesn't like these other chaps; priests, I take it,"
whispered Vic. "I think they've been messing up his plans. See; he's
motioning us to watch."

* * * * *

The priests led the old man back to the idol. Eagerly, he clambered upon
the outstretched hands, and stood there facing the grinning face,
stroking the polished cheeks with beseeching fingers. The priests sank
to the floor, bending themselves in mockery of the image. Four times
they