Page:Weird Tales volume 38 number 03 CAN.djvu/64

 and the three peered eagerly through the parted foliage.

"Here," said the Doctor, "is the sacred rendezvous of the Wends. Here, I think, we shall find the source of their evil. We must be on our keenest guard. They—not we—must be the surprised ones." He reached into a pouch which he carried under his cloak. Handing Christian and Hynek each a small object, he said: "Fasten this silver cross about your neck. It may serve as a protection."

Christian took his, but Hynek, withdrawing, said, "I am not superstitious, Doctor. I should rather trust my sword, if you don't mind," and he declined the amulet.

"Wiser to trust in both," admonished the leader. "This is no time to show your stubbornness, Hynek, but I will not argue with you. Come! We enter!"

Into the cave they went. The Doctor would have gone first, but Christian seized precedence. The floor dropped away so fast that they were forced to wait until their eyes grew accustomed to the darkness. Then they discerned a passage curving downward. The floor was sandy. As they progressed the sides closed completely above them until it became a veritable tunnel. As such it continued for three hundred feet, widening suddenly into a chamber of uncertain dimensions.

"The terminus," said Dr. Planquette.

"But it is light in here," puzzled Hynek.

"There are crevices in the ceiling," said the Doctor. "The light must penetrate indirectly."

They continued their inspection in silence, but at last the Doctor shrugged and said they may as well go back.

"But no," declared Christian. "I have made a discovery!"

E WAS pointing toward the ceiling. The others looked closely and saw a small irregular opening ten feet from the floor. With the aid of ledges and projections that seemed to be just in the right places, Christian climbed to it—and through it In a moment his face reappeared beckoning for them to follow; and in another moment the three were reunited in an inner chamber where a small lamp burned in a corner.

"At last!" whispered Planqueue. "But no Wends are here, which is probably lucky for us. It's unfortunate we lost so many of our number. We will go back outdoors to hide in the thicket and await their return. Already I have devised a plan. The first chamber, you noted, had crevices in the ceiling whereby light seeped in. We will seek the outlet on one of those crevices from above, then await the Wends' return. I will obtain some potent liquid from an alchemist in Dresden. When they are in the chamber we'll pour the chemical through the crevice. It will create immediately a venomous gas which will destroy their, at once."

Christian and Hynek commended the plan. They climbed back into the first chamber and started up the passage. But as they neared the entrance they heard the sound of men approaching.

"Quick!" said Planquette. "If found here we are lost. Let us dash out and into the hushes before they round the curve and see us."

Action followed. Action in the nick of time, for they had barely gotten out of sight when a party of men rounded the curve. In the lead was the horrible figure called Zcerneboh, followed in single file by seven or eight men. The last one was taller and heavier than the others. Over his shoulder lie bore a