g. He pulled upon it sharply and through the
temple boomed the deep tones of a metal gong. Five times the clanging
notes rang through the corridors, then he turned toward the two
priests. "Bring the woman and follow me," he directed.

Crossing the chamber he passed through a small doorway, the others
lifting Jane Clayton from the floor and following him. Through a
narrow corridor and up a flight of steps they went, turning to right
and left and doubling back through a maze of winding passageways which
terminated in a spiral staircase that gave forth at the surface of the
ground within the largest of the inner altar courts close beside the
eastern altar.

From all directions now, in the corridors below and the grounds above,
came the sound of hurrying footsteps. The five strokes of the great
gong had summoned the faithful to the defense of Lu-don in his private
chambers. The priests who knew the way led the less familiar warriors
to the spot and presently those who had accompanied Tarzan found
themselves not only leaderless but facing a vastly superior force. They
were brave men but under the circumstances they were helpless and so
they fell back the way they had come, and when they reached the narrow
confines of the smaller passageway their safety was assured since only
one foeman could attack them at a time. But their plans were frustrated
and possibly also their entire cause lost, so heavily had Ja-don banked
upon the success of their venture.

With the clanging of the temple gong Ja-don assumed that Tarzan and his
party had struck their initial blow and so he launched his attack upon
the palace gate. To the ears of Lu-don in the inner temple court came
the savage war cries that announced the beginning of the battle.
Leaving Pan-sat and the other priest to guard the woman he hastened
toward the palace personally to direct his force and as he passed
through the temple grounds he dispatched a messenger to learn the
outcome of the fight in the corridors below, and other messengers to
spread the news among his followers that the false Dor-ul-Otho was a
prisoner in the temple.

As the din of battle rose above A-lur, Lieutenant Erich Obergatz turned
upon his bed of soft hides and sat up. He rubbed his eyes and looked
about him. It was still dark without.

"I am Jad-ben-Otho," he cried, "who dares disturb my slumber?"

A slave squatting upon the floor at the foot of his couch shuddered and
touched her forehead to the