ills, dim, gloomy passages that Tarzan glimpsed
as he was led from place to place on his tour of inspection of the
temple. A messenger had been dispatched by Ko-tan to announce the
coming visit of the son of Jad-ben-Otho with the result that they were
accompanied through the temple by a considerable procession of priests
whose distinguishing mark of profession seemed to consist in grotesque
headdresses; sometimes hideous faces carved from wood and entirely
concealing the countenances of their wearers, or again, the head of a
wild beast cunningly fitted over the head of a man. The high priest
alone wore no such head-dress. He was an old man with close-set,
cunning eyes and a cruel, thin-lipped mouth.

At first sight of him Tarzan realized that here lay the greatest danger
to his ruse, for he saw at a glance that the man was antagonistic
toward him and his pretensions, and he knew too that doubtless of all
the people of Pal-ul-don the high priest was most likely to harbor the
truest estimate of Jad-ben-Otho, and, therefore, would look with
suspicion on one who claimed to be the son of a fabulous god.

No matter what suspicion lurked within his crafty mind, Lu-don, the
high priest of A-lur, did not openly question Tarzan's right to the
title of Dor-ul-Otho, and it may be that he was restrained by the same
doubts which had originally restrained Ko-tan and his warriors--the
doubt that is at the bottom of the minds of all blasphemers even and
which is based upon the fear that after all there may be a god. So, for
the time being at least Lu-don played safe. Yet Tarzan knew as well as
though the man had spoken aloud his inmost thoughts that it was in the
heart of the high priest to tear the veil from his imposture.

At the entrance to the temple Ko-tan had relinquished the guidance of
the guest to Lu-don and now the latter led Tarzan through those
portions of the temple that he wished him to see. He showed him the
great room where the votive offerings were kept, gifts from the
barbaric chiefs of Pal-ul-don and from their followers. These things
ranged in value from presents of dried fruits to massive vessels of
beaten gold, so that in the great main storeroom and its connecting
chambers and corridors was an accumulation of wealth that amazed even
the eyes of the owner of the secret of the treasure vaults of Opar.

Moving to and fro throughout the temple were sleek black Waz-don
slaves, fruits of the Ho-don raids upon the vi