s. Instantly the clawlike
fingers released their hold, and the creature sank limply to the floor
beside Bradley, who lay for several minutes gasping painfully in an
effort to regain his breath.

When he was able, he rose, and leaned close over the Wieroo, lying
silent and motionless, his wings dropping limply and his great, round
eyes staring blankly toward the ceiling. A brief examination convinced
Bradley that the thing was dead, and with the conviction came an
overwhelming sense of the dangers which must now confront him; but how
was he to escape?

His first thought was to find some means for concealing the evidence of
his deed and then to make a bold effort to escape. Stepping to the
second door he pushed it gently open and peered in upon what seemed to
be a store room. In it was a litter of cloth such as the Wieroos'
robes were fashioned from, a number of chests painted blue and white,
with white hieroglyphics painted in bold strokes upon the blue and blue
hieroglyphics upon the white. In one corner was a pile of human skulls
reaching almost to the ceiling and in another a stack of dried Wieroo
wings. The chamber was as irregularly shaped as the other and had but
a single window and a second door at the further end, but was without
the exit through the roof and, most important of all, there was no
creature of any sort in it.

As quickly as possible Bradley dragged the dead Wieroo through the
doorway and closed the door; then he looked about for a place to
conceal the corpse. One of the chests was large enough to hold the
body if the knees were bent well up, and with this idea in view Bradley
approached the chest to open it. The lid was made in two pieces, each
being hinged at an opposite end of the chest and joining nicely where
they met in the center of the chest, making a snug, well-fitting joint.
There was no lock. Bradley raised one half the cover and looked in.
With a smothered "By Jove!" he bent closer to examine the contents--the
chest was about half filled with an assortment of golden trinkets.
There were what appeared to be bracelets, anklets and brooches of
virgin gold.

Realizing that there was no room in the chest for the body of the
Wieroo, Bradley turned to seek another means of concealing the evidence
of his crime. There was a space between the chests and the wall, and
into this he forced the corpse, piling the discarded robes upon it
until it was entirely hidden from sight; but now ho