Part 13 (2/2)
As Tarzan ascended the platforht which met them The basin hollowed in the top of the altar was filled ater in which floated the naked corpse of a new-born babe ”Whatupon Lu-don
The latter smiled malevolently ”That you do not know,” he replied, ”is but added evidence of the falsity of your claim He who poses as the son of God did not know that as the last rays of the setting sun flood the eastern altar of the temple the lifeblood of an adult reddens the white stone for the edification of Jad-ben-Otho, and that when the sun rises again from the body of its maker it looks first upon this western altar and rejoices in the death of a new-born babe each day, the ghost of which accohost of the adult returns with it to Jad-ben-Otho at night
”Even the little children of the Ho-don know these things, while he who claims to be the son of Jad-ben-Otho knows theh, there isto a tall slave who stood with a group of other blacks and priests on the temple floor at the left of the altar
The fellow came forward fearfully ”Tell us what you know of this creature,” cried Lu-don, pointing to Tarzan
”I have seen him before,” said the Waz-don ”I am of the tribe of Kor-ul-lul, and one day recently a party of which I was one encountered a few of the warriors of the Kor-ul-JA upon the ridge which separates our villages Ae creature whouru; and terrible indeed was he for he fought with the strength of many men so that it required twenty of us to subdue hihts, and when a club struck hiht an ordinary e as a prisoner but he escaped after cutting off the head of the warrior we left to guard hi it to the branch of a tree upon the opposite side”
”The word of a slave against that of a God!” cried Ja-don, who had shown previously a friendly interest in the pseudo Godling
”It is only a step in the progress toward truth,” interjected Lu-don ”Possibly the evidence of the only princess of the house of Ko-tan will have greater weight with the great chief froh the father of a son who fled the holy offer of the priesthood ainst another blasphemer”
Ja-don's hand leaped to his knife, but the warriors next hiers upon his arms ”You are in the tereat chief was forced to s Lu-don's affront though it left in his heart bitter hatred of the high priest
And now Ko-tan turned toward Lu-don ”What knowetha princess of my house to testify thus publicly?”
”No,” replied Lu-don, ”not in person, but I have here one ill testify for her” He beckoned to an under priest ”Fetch the slave of the princess,” he said
His grotesque headdress adding a touch of the hideous to the scene, the priest stepped forward dragging the reluctant Pan-at-lee by the wrist
”The Princess O-lo-a was alone in the Forbidden Garden with but this one slave,” explained the priest, ”when there suddenly appeared froe nearby this creature who claims to be the Dor-ul-Otho When the slave saw hinition and called the creature by nauru-the saave him This woman is not from Kor-ul-lul but from Kor-ul-JA, the very tribe hich the Kor-ul-lul says the creature was associating when he first saw him And further the princess said that when this woht to her yesterday she told a strange story of having been rescued from a Tor-o-don in the Kor-ul-GRYF by a creature such as this, whouru; and of how the tere pursued in the bottoryfs, and of how the man led them ahile Pan-at-lee escaped, only to be taken prisoner in the Kor-ul-lul as she was seeking to return to her own tribe
”Is it not plain now,” cried Lu-don, ”that this creature is no God Did he tell you that he was the son of God?” he alirl shrank back terrified ”Answer h priest
”He seemed more than mortal,” parried Pan-at-lee
”Did he tell you that he was the son of God? Answer my question,” insisted Lu-don
”No,” she adiveness at Tarzan who returned a sement and friendshi+p
”That is no proof that he is not the son of God,” cried Ja-don ”Dost think Jad-ben-Otho goes about crying 'I am God! I am God!' Hast ever heard him Lu-don? No, you have not Why should his son do that which the father does not do?”
”Enough,” cried Lu-don ”The evidence is clear The creature is an impostor and I, the head priest of Jad-ben-Otho in the city of A-lur, do conde which Lu-don evidently paused for the dra s as I stand here before you all”
The lapping of the wavelets of the lake against the foot of the palace as distinctly audible in the utter and almost breathless silence which ensued Lu-don stood with his face turned toward the heavens and his arms outstretched in the attitude of one who bares his breast to the dagger of an executioner The warriors and the priests and the slaves gathered in the sacred court awaited the consueance of their God
It was Tarzan who broke the silence ”Your God ignores you Lu-don,” he taunted, with a sneer that he nores you and I can prove it before the eyes of your priests and your people”