oded people come to the far north? Where did they live? And
what fate lay in store for him?

He felt none too optimistic about his position. He knew that it would
be two weeks before Somers, at the main base, would become alarmed at
his absence. Unless, of course, the mechanic at the sub-base tried to
beat his way back on foot, which was only barely possible.... Then he
discovered that his automatic was still in its holster; it was
slapping against his thighs; and he felt more hopeful.

The girl trudged tiredly at his side. Shabako was a few feet behind,
grumbling and urging his captives along.

"Where does he drive us?" Craig asked softly. "What is thy name--and
why did he slay thy companion?"

Her frightened eyes slanted towards his face. "To the Temple of the
Sun God, Stranger," she whispered. "And there--" She broke off, to get
control of the emotion she was feeling.

"There--what?"

"The God's awful hands!... Taia is my name. I do not know how I am
once again alive, when a short while ago I was dead--but it matters
not. I am a priestess of Aten, a virgin of the Temple. Inaros, he--he
who lies behind--dared to love me. But a few hours gone he committed
sacrilege, hiding in the Temple, so he could watch me. Pharaoh Shabako
chanced on him, threatened death to us and pursued us out here. And
then of a sudden, when Shabako was hurling his spear, we were
entrapped ... and died...."

It was a strange story of forbidden love, one that might have been
enacted in age-old times beneath the shadows of the pyramids. Craig
began, "How did--" but a harsh voice cut his question short.

"Silence, infidel! Stir thy feet! This ice cools my blood!"

* * * * *

The American's plane, hidden from view behind the hillock, was left
farther and farther in the rear, and Wes was surprised to find that he
was being driven up the very slopes of the ice-covered hill he had
come to investigate.

At the top, he saw that the hill was a volcano, as he had guessed.
There, in the center, was a wide gaping hole from which, in past ages,
fiery streams of lava and ashes had belched forth. He was amazed to
see that rude steps had been hacked in one side of the great cleft,
and that they led sharply downwards. A faint warmth reached him, and
he observed that there was but little ice in the crater cup, and none
on the rocky walls where the hewn steps led down. It was here that
these warm-blooded people lived!