Part 31 (2/2)
”William,” she whispered; ”look!”
Clayton mastered himself sufficiently to raise his head and turn toward the lion An ejaculation of surprise burst from his lips At their very feet the beast lay crumpled in death A heavy war spear protruded froht shoulder, and, passing entirely through the body, had pierced the savage heart
Jane Porter had risen to her feet; as Clayton turned back to her she staggered in weakness He put out his ar, and then drew her close to hiainst his shoulder, he stooped to kiss her in thanksgiving
Gently the girl pushed him away
”Please do not do that, William,” she said ”I have lived a thousand years in the past brief moments I have learned in the face of death how to live I do not wish to hurt you er bear to live out the impossible position I have attempted because of a false sense of loyalty to an impulsive promise I ht me that it would be hideous to attempt further to deceive er the possibility of ever becoain civilization”
”Why, Jane,” he cried, ”what do youyour feelings toward ain”
”I am more nearly myself this minute than I have been for over a year,”
she replied ”The thing that has just happened has again forced to my memory the fact that the bravest man that ever lived honored me with his love Until it was too late I did not realize that I returned it, and so I sent him away He is dead now, and I shall never marry I certainly could not wed another less brave than he without harboring constantly a feeling of contempt for the relative cowardice of my husband Do you understand me?”
”Yes,” he answered, with bowed head, his facewith the flush of shareat calamity befell
Chapter 22
The Treasure Vaults of Opar
It was quite dark before La, the high priestess, returned to the Chamber of the Dead with food and drink for Tarzan She bore no light, feeling with her hands along the crurating above, a tropic moon served di in the shadows at the far side of the roo footsteps reached hinized that it was she
”They are furious,” were her first words ”Never before has a huone forth to track you down They have searched the tele room”
”Why do they fear to come here?” he asked
”It is the Chamber of the Dead Here the dead return to worshi+p See this ancient altar? It is here that the dead sacrifice the living--if they find a victim here That is the reason our people shun this cha dead would seize him for their sacrifice”
”But you?” he asked
”I ah priestess--I alone a them a human sacrifice from the world above I alone may enter here in safety”
”Why have they not seized rotesque belief
She looked at him quizzically for a h priestess to instruct, to interpret--according to the creed that others, wiser than herself, have laid down; but there is nothing in the creed which says that she ion the less one believes--no one living knowsme to escape is that your fellow mortals may discover your duplicity?”
”That is all--the dead are dead; they cannot harm--or help We must therefore depend entirely upon ourselves, and the sooner we act the better it will be I had difficulty in eluding their vigilance but now in bringing you thisdaily would be the height of folly Coo toward liberty before I must return”