Page:The Cave Girl - Edgar Rice Burroughs.pdf/311

This page needs to be proofread.
THE RESCUE
297

lips of the head-hunter. This was sacrilege. The holy of the holies had been profaned. With renewed ferocity he leaped to close quarters with Thandar, but at the same instant Nadara lunged the sharp pointed spear into his side, his guard dropped and Thandar’s parang fell full upon his skull.

“Come!” cried Nadara. “Make your escape the way you came. There is no hope for you if you remain. I will tell them that the two guards fought between themselves for me—that one killed the other, and that I shot the victor to save myself. They will believe me—I will tell them that I have always had the pistol hidden beneath my robe. Good-bye, my Thandar. We cannot both escape. If you remain we may both die—you, certainly.”

Thandar shook his head vehemently.

“We shall both go—or both die,” he replied.

Nadara pressed his hand.

“I am glad,” was all that she said.

The savages were pouring from their long houses. The street before the temple was filling with them. To attempt to escape in that direction would have been but suicidal.

“Is there no other exit?” asked Thandar.

“There is a small window in the back of the temple,” replied Nadara, “in a little room that is sometimes used as a prison for those who are to