The Daily Alaska Empire

Chapter 46
TEMPLE DRUMS
Scanning the sky she saw that yesterday's occasional cloud patches had disappeared. It would be a clear day-a day without rain.
She made a gesture about her shoulders, as if to draw an invisible scarf about flesh that was suddenly chill.
The sun rose in a sudden upheaval of purple, gold and crimson. A jaguar snarled in the moat. Janice left the roof and retired to the sumptuous room that was hers-hers until the rain stopped for a day.
A remote thumping, vibrating some chord in the recesses of her mind, came to her. For a moment she lay relaxed staring at the V-arched ceiling. Soon she was conscious that about her silent figures were moving.
She propped herself upon an elbow and watched them. They were her servants-women garbed in the ankle-length robes square-cut and embroidered at the neck.
The thumping continued. Suddenly she realized it was the flat sound of the temple drum sounding out its dread summons from the pyramid top.
The women were preparing a costume. For a brief instant of panic she thought of screaming, of fighting ahead she saw a curious cage of wood upheld upon the shoulders of half a hundred men clad only in loin cloths. Above the murmur of the crowd she heard the snarls of the jaguars imprisoned within the huge cage.
The beasts, evidently, were to be part of the ceremony.
Desperately she shaded her eyes against the new sun whose rays were beginning to pierce the sky over the eastern jungle. Where was Billy Langton? Could it be that he had been done away with-that he had not been held to participate in this ghastly rite?
She saw him, finally, heading the approaching procession. It was little wonder that she had not been able to pick him out of the column.
It was his limp that betrayed him to her.
He was stripped to loin cloth and sandals. Some garment-a skin of some sort-was hung from his shoulders.
His head-dress of feathers was like her own but fuller and more elaborate.
THE two columns joined one another on either side of the cage of jaguars. She saw the deep lines on Langton's face-his blond beard could not hide those engravings of suffering. His eyes were shadowed with pain and despair.
The drums increased their tempo.
She lay thinking of making as great a difficulty as she could-anything to delay the inevitable procession that she realized was now scheduled for today.
But reason told her that she must conserve her strength Some remote opportunity might occur that would give Billy and her a chance for living, or at worst a chance not to die on that horrible altar stone that to Janice seemed an animate thing crouched in the shadow of the priest's house awaiting the slanting rays of the morning sun.
She struggled, and succeeded in retaining her poise.
She allowed the women to dress her, passive under their ministrations. A sleeveless robe, such as the one she wore yesterday, but more sheer of material, more lovely as to embroidery, was put upon her.
Jeweled sandals were slid upon her feet.
Her minted-gold hair-that the demands of her profession had kept long-was combed in a vivid cascade down her back. A jeweled circlet was placed over the crown of her head, a band that served as a base for a multitude of brilliant feathers.
Food was brought to her, a veritable cornucopia of abundance, but she did not touch it. Her throat was dry, her eyes felt hot and tired.
Her heart seemed a pulsing machine that hurt as it throbbed.
The thudding of the temple drum continued. She was scarcely conscious that she was led out into the open. She noted curiously as she passed through the small door cut in the other wall that the jaguars were no longer there.
People were hurrying across the great open central plaza toward the pyramid. She saw a procession of priests and guards approaching from the eastern end of the plaza.
Her own column of women was augmented by male guards.
He flashed toward her a brief smile a smile of encouragement she thought, but piteous in its impotence. She returned his smile; and thought she saw his eyes mist with a film of tears.
A jaguar screamed and threw its sinewy weight against the wooden bars. Instinctively she shrank away. The bars gave slightly but held. She noted in that instant that the gate to the cage was held by tied thongs.
It seemed a flimsy prison for such ferocity. She turned her attention to a litter, upheld by four men, that was approaching from the base of the pyramid.
Reclining upon it was the figure of the high priest. She had not seen him since she had been brought to the city. His face was pale-if a shade lighter than the usual mahogany color could be called pallor.
His lips were grim under the beaked nose. Only his eyes lived.
They examined the grouped cavalcades impassively; his glance bearing upon Langton and the girl caused his eyes to gleam in fanatic approval at what they observed.
He raised his hand.
As if the signal had been awaited the flat thud of the drum increased its tempo. The columns stirred into action. A murmur, like that of spreading fire in a sun-dried savannah, arose in the steamy air.
The throngs about the pyramid and the cenote cliffs were anticipating their performance. The stage was set;-the drama ready to be played. The prologue was done with: now the ceremony of the sacrifice was about to begin.
Janice thought of the bravery of Horatio Greene in a similar situation not long before. Would she be equal to the ordeal, she wondered! Would Billy?
(Copyright, 1934, by Herbert Lensen)
Tomorrow, there is excitement on the seaboard.