fate that would be ours were we discovered; but at last I prevailed
upon him to accept my plan as the only feasible one, and when I had
assured him that I would take all the responsibility for it were
we captured, he accorded a reluctant assent.



VI

THE BEGINNING OF HORROR


WITHIN PELLUCIDAR ONE TIME IS AS GOOD AS ANOTHER. There were no
nights to mask our attempted escape. All must be done in broad
daylight--all but the work I had to do in the apartment beneath the
building. So we determined to put our plan to an immediate test
lest the Mahars who made it possible should awake before I reached
them; but we were doomed to disappointment, for no sooner had
we reached the main floor of the building on our way to the pits
beneath, than we encountered hurrying bands of slaves being hastened
under strong Sagoth guard out of the edifice to the avenue beyond.

Other Sagoths were darting hither and thither in search of other
slaves, and the moment that we appeared we were pounced upon and
hustled into the line of marching humans.

What the purpose or nature of the general exodus we did not know,
but presently through the line of captives ran the rumor that two
escaped slaves had been recaptured--a man and a woman--and that we
were marching to witness their punishment, for the man had killed