The fugitive passed
close by us, and Jack shouted as he darted past:
"Good boy!"
The enraged priest was after him like lightning, and as he came near us
his awful eyes seemed to emit actual flames. But the runner had vanished.
Without an instant's hesitation the priest shot out his great arm and
caught _me_ by the throat! In another second I felt myself carried in a
bound, as if a tiger had seized me, over the drooping heads of the
worshipers and toward the horrible altar.
CHAPTER V
OFF FOR THE SUN LANDS
Dreadful as the moment was, I did not lose my senses. On the contrary, my
mind was fearfully clear and active. There was not a horror that I
missed. The strength and agility of my captor were astounding. I could no
more have struggled with him than with a lion. Only one thing flashed
upon me to do; I yelled with all the strength of my lungs. But they had
become accustomed to our voices now, and the maddened creature was so
intent upon his fell purpose that a cannon-shot would not have diverted
him from it.
He got me to the altar, where the preceding victim already lay with his
heart torn out, and, pressing me against it with all his bestial force,
raised the pointed staff to transfix me.
Pages:
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85