Part 5 (1/2)
”I cannot tell you from whence you caet out of this horrible place we shall both be slain upon this bloody altar The woe her knife into my heart when the lion interrupted the fiendish ritual Coht and reassemble, let us find a way out of their daain toward La
”Why,” he asked, ”would you have killed this h Priestess cried out in disgust
”Did he attempt to kill you?” continued Tarzan
The woman shook her head
”Then why should you have wished to kill hi
La raised her slender ar up his soul as a gift to the Flaain an ape, and apes do not understand suchGods
”Do you wish to die?” he asked Werper
The Belgian assured him, with tears in his eyes, that he did not wish to die
”Very well then, you shall not,” said Tarzan ”Coo This SHE would kill you and keep ani I should soon die, shut up behind these stone walls”
He turned toward La ”We are going now,” he said
The woman rushed forward and seized the ape-man's hands in hers
”Do not leave h Priest La loves you All Opar shall be yours Slaves shall wait upon you Stay, Tarzan of the Apes, and let love reward you”
The ape- woman aside ”Tarzan does not desire you,” he said, siian's bonds and -her face convulsed with rage, La sprang to her feet
”Stay, you shall!” she screamed ”La will have you-if she cannot have you alive, she will have you dead,” and raising her face to the sun she gave voice to the same hideous shriek that Werper had heard once before and Tarzan many times
In answer to her cry a babel of voices broke fro chambers and corridors
”Come, Guardian Priests!” she cried ”The infidels have profaned the holiest of the holies Come! Strike terror to their hearts; defend La and her altar; wash clean the temple with the blood of the polluters”
Tarzan understood, though Werper did not The forian and saw that he was unar quickly to La's side the ape-ht with all theher long, sacrificial knife to Werper
”You will need this,” he said, and then from each doorway a horde of the monstrous, little men of Opar streaeons and knives, and fortified in their courage by fanatical hate and frenzy Werper was terrified Tarzan stood eyeing the foe in proud disdain Slowly he advanced toward the exit he had chosen to utilize inhis way from the temple A burly priest barred his way Behind the first was a score of others Tarzan swung his heavy spear, clublike, down upon the skull of the priest The fellow collapsed, his head crushed
Again and again the weapon fell as Tarzan made his way slowly toward the doorway Werper pressed close behind, casting backward glances toward the shrieking, dancingtheir rear He held the sacrificial knife ready to strike whoever ht come within its reach; but none came For a tiiant ape-man, yet hesitate to rush upon him, as relatively so weak Had they done so he knew that he e Tarzan had reached the doorway over the corpses of all that had stood to dispute his way, before Werper guessed at the reason for his ily would they face death and welcoh Priestess and her altar; but evidently there were deaths, and deaths Soe superstition must surround that polished blade, that no Oparian cared to chance a death thrust frohter of the ape- spear