dagger, at the inert figure of the girl--the more elderly seeing in
her a hint of what was to come to them when their days of service were
ended.

The knife started downward.

* * * * *

Taia's eyes were closed. Her breathing was even and regular. She did
not seem at all aware of the shaft of steel that slowly, in the hushed
gasp from the audience, stirred with the stone hand that held it and
moved deliberately downward.

To the silent crowd of worshippers it was a religious phenomenon, and
well calculated to strike fear and awe into their hearts. The moving
idol seemed to be a living thing, motivated by the unseen spirit of
the god it represented, who caused the massive upper hand to execute
his will. Its movement was slow and clumsy, and close listeners would
have heard a slight creaking noise from somewhere behind it--but the
ears of the worshippers were deaf from the fear and the horror in
which they were vicariously participating.

Slowly the hands came together, until the long, wicked shear was but a
foot above the bound girl.... It dropped to within inches of her
flesh....

And there it stopped.

Then, before the amazed crowd could realize what was happening, before
even Hrihor could control the surprise that raised his brows
incredulously, the palm in which the blade was implanted slowly
retraced its course and returned to its original position.

A breathless silence reigned in the Temple. The hand was motionless.
It did not stir again.

"The God will not touch his priestess!"

It was a faint, awed whisper that came from someone amongst the
worshippers. But Hrihor heard it, and so did the other priests. While
they stared at each other, utterly at a loss, the whisper was taken up
and repeated on all sides.

"The God will not touch his priestess!"

* * * * *

The High Priest sensed the crowd's conviction, and sensed them turning
against him. His beady eyes glanced around nervously. His lips a thin
line, he called to his second ranking priest in a tense whisper, and,
when the other came to him, muttered in his ear:

"'Tis the stranger, hiding in the secret chamber, who does this! He
has overcome our brother there, and now controls the levers! And Taia
knows it; and if she reveals it to the people our hold will be broken!
She must be killed!"

"Yes! But how? We must be quick!"

Hrihor's crafty face set cruelly. "I know a way. Watch t