Page:Weird Tales volume 36 number 02.djvu/115

 them they could see the headlights of cars as they followed the winding road through the dense forests and along the cliffs where roadways had been cut. They would see a light at one point, watch it vanish, then reappear at the next bend or opening farther on.

"Like the souls of men," said Ramahadin. "They pass through one existence, go out into infinity and return again where men may see them."

"Not quite," came the voice of Professor Blythe, who had slipped into a chair beside them. "For if we were to cut away the trees and level the intervening hills we should be able to see the lights continuously—men's naked souls would continue on unceasingly."

"And that," said the voice of Ramahadin from the darkness, "is the power I can sway; and you two men and one woman—alone of all the world—will know the truth of the phenomenon which will soon shake the earth."

His voice seemed all pervading, yet must have reached their ears alone, for groups of people further along the hotel porch seemed oblivious of its portent.

Susan's hand found Eric's in the darkness—was her hour of decision at hand?

But reassurance came from the darkness.

"From you, Susan, I ask nothing further than you have given me," went on the High Priest. "You have shown me that a woman who is true and steadfast can be worthy of her place in this world of America. You I leave to Eric—and with you both the knowledge that faith in ideals such as yours will survive.

"Tonight I leave you; I go high into the mountains—and for me there will be no return, no second conjuring up by the Book of the Dead. I was brought back to show the world the way out of oppression; and after that I shall go out once more into darkness. For I, and I alone, can invoke the spirits of the dead to save the living. Against the forces of evil rampant in the world I shall conjure up the spirits of the oppressed from all ages and generations. The shades of the martyrs, the ghosts of all men who died for freedom, the spirits of those who perished in every righteous cause since the dawn of time shall come trooping at my call to force back the power for evil that threatens the free men on the earth today.

"For I am Ramahadin, Ramahadin the great, Ramahadin the keeper of the secrets of all the ages and my will shall prevail—keep your faith, you men of science, for faith and knowledge alone will save the world."

Susan felt again the enormous power she had sensed the day that Professor Shepard had defied Ramahadin, and heard herself murmuring words she scarcely knew she remembered:

RIC and Susan were listening to the radio—it was weeks, months later; sometimes it seemed as if time itself had ceased altogether. Over the air was coming a dramatic account of the final battle which settled the world conflict; an eye witness, an intrepid correspondent for the powerful press of America was telling of what he had seen that climactic day when right at last triumphed.

"It seemed as if superhuman strength were given the defenders of our way of life," the voice proclaimed. "Nothing daunted them, nothing stopped them it was as if the spirits of their fathers returned again and led their sons to victory!"

Eric and Susan looked at each other, and remembered that the High Priest had said that they alone of all the world would recognize the truth.