r arm, saying, "Come hither, Shepherdess; I
would show you something," and he led her to that door in passing which
Leonard had been entrapped. At the same time Soa extinguished one of the
candles, and taking the other in her hand she left the cell, bolting the
door behind her, so that Nam and Juanna stood in darkness.

"Shepherdess," said Nam sternly, "you are about to see him whom you
name the Deliverer. Now remember this, if you cry out or speak above a
whisper--he dies."

Juanna made no answer, although she felt her heart grow faint within
her. Five minutes or more passed, and of a sudden a panel slid back in
the upper part of the door which connected the two cells, so that Juanna
could see through it, although those who stood on the further side could
not see her, for they were in light and she was in darkness.

And this was what she saw: Ranged against the wall of the second prison,
and opposite to her, were three priests holding candles in their hands,
whereof the light shone upon their sullen, cruel faces, and the snake's
head tattooed on their naked breasts. In front of these men stood two
other priests, and between them was Leonard bound and gagged.

On the hither side of the cell, and not more than two feet from the open
panel, stood Soa, on whom the eyes of the executioners were fixed, as
though awaiting a command. Between Soa and these men yawned an open hole
in the rock floor.

When Juanna had gazed upon this scene for some twenty seconds the
sliding panel was closed, apparently by Soa, and Nam spoke:

"You have seen, Shepherdess," he said, "that the Deliverer is bound, and
you have seen also that before him is a hole in the floor of the prison.
He who falls down that hole, Shepherdess, finds himself in the den of
the Snake beneath, from the visiting of whom no man has ever returned
alive, for it is through it that we feed the Water-dweller at certain
seasons of the year, and when there is no sacrifice. Now, Shepherdess,
you must choose between two things; either to wed Olfan of your own free
will this night, or to see the Deliverer thrown to the Snake before your
eyes, and afterwards to wed Olfan whether you will it or not. What do
you say, Shepherdess?"

Juanna took counsel with herself, and came to the conclusion that she
would resist a little longer, for she thought that this scene might have
been planned merely to try her fortitude.

"I refuse to marry Olfan," she answered.

Then Nam opened