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priest, four of the brawny executioner-priests leaped forward, seized
one of the Atlantean victims, hurled him to the stone platform and, in
an unbelievably short interval, strapped the shrieking wretch by
wrists, elbows, knees and ankles to a long, brass rod. Slung like a
dead deer from a rail, they lifted the helpless Atlantean, and, while
five hundred thousand voices roared in acclaim the priests fitted the
pole ends into notches above the hands of the idol with the effect
that the idol actually seemed to be clutching its victim.

Then, from all the pipes composing the hair and beard of Beelzebub,
sprang forth hissing spouts of snowy steam which, whipped by the
rising wind, went whirling madly down the lee of the Ziggurat. At the
same time, from the half open mouth of the demon issued a fearful,
screaming howl, a thousand times louder than the whistle of a speeding
locomotive. Deafening and barbaric, it was reechoed from a hundred
towers and battlements.

A dreadful, exultant well burst from the multitude below as the
red-robed priest drew from beneath his garments a sickle-shaped knife
that glittered evilly in the light of the flaming suns. Still
chanting, he stooped and quickly made a deep incision over the heart
of the victim. While a piercing, agonized shriek burst from the ashen
lips of the doomed Atlantean, his bright life-blood began to splash
into the golden bowl below where, due to the presence of the steam
coils, it swiftly commenced to hiss and bubble. Very quickly the last
scarlet drops had fallen.

Then while Nelson, sick and horrified, stood watching, the dead body
on its pole was taken down, unstrapped, and hurled, limp and
red-spattered, to the next lower platform where other priests waited
to dismember it for the ceremonial cannibalism soon to follow.

* * * * *

In rapid succession two more victims were slaughtered amid the
blood-hungry cheers of the Jarmuthian populace. Now the great bowl
hissed and bubbled with a generous supply of the dark red fluid, from
which rose clouds of evil-smelling steam that fanned the hideous
features above.

From below suddenly arose an excited shout far mightier than any which
had preceded it, when the executioners, sweating from their exertions,
now turned and, spying Nelson, hurried forward. Coincidently, the
American's bound hands disappeared beneath the chiton. Squaring his
shoulders, he gripped the pistol, prepared to mak