at she is disposed to be gracious. Does that not content you?"

"I will bear back to those who sent me whatever word you have to
offer; it is not for me to judge its graciousness," I said coolly.

"Then--but first, let me show you how well I rule here," she said. She
spoke to one of the old men seated at her feet; he arose and
disappeared in a passage leading from directly beneath the dais.

"You will see, presently, the punishment of Liane," she said
smilingly. "Liane, Chief Priestess of the Flame, Mother of Life, Giver
of Death, Most Worshiped of the Worshipers.

"Perhaps you wonder how it came that Liane sits here in judgment upon
a whole people? Let me tell you, while we await the execution of
Liane's judgment.

"The father of Liane, and his father before him, back unto those
remote days of which we have no knowledge, were Chief Priests of the
Worshipers of the Flame. But they were lacking in ambition, in
knowledge, and in power. Their followers were but few, and their hands
were held out in benediction and not in command.

"But the father of Liane had no son; instead he had a daughter, in
whom was all the wisdom of those who had been the Chief Priests. She
gathered about her a group of old men, shrewd and cunning, the lesser
priests and those who would know the feel of power, who were not
priests. You see them here at the feet of Liane.

"And under Liane's guidance, the ranks of the Worshipers grew, and as
this power grew, so grew the power of Liane, until the time came when
no man, no woman, on the face of Lakos, dared question the command of
the Chief Priestess. And those who would have rebelled, were made to
feel the power of Liane--as these you see here now."

* * * * *

The old man had reappeared, and behind him were two miserable
wretches, closely guarded by a dozen armed men. Liane spoke briefly to
the old man, and then turned to us.

"The first of these is one who has dared to disobey," she explained.
"He brought out more of the ore than Liane had ordered. Do you hear
the multitude? They know already what his fate will be."

A long, shuddering whisper had arisen from the thousands of beings
crouched there in the amphitheater, as the uncouth figure of the
prisoner was led up a flight of steep, narrow steps to the very base
of the flame.

Hendricks, still hiding his face from us, bent over Liane and
whispered something in her ear; she caressed his arm softly, and s