mob that were battling to escape. One would have thought that an
entire herd of thags was loose behind them, rather than a single
blinded, dying beast; but such is the effect of panic upon a crowd.



VII

FREEDOM


ONCE OUT OF THE DIRECT PATH OF THE ANIMAL, fear of it left me,
but another emotion as quickly gripped me--hope of escape that the
demoralized condition of the guards made possible for the instant.

I thought of Perry, but for the hope that I might better encompass
his release if myself free I should have put the thought of freedom
from me at once. As it was I hastened on toward the right searching
for an exit toward which no Sagoths were fleeing, and at last I
found it--a low, narrow aperture leading into a dark corridor.

Without thought of the possible consequence, I darted into the
shadows of the tunnel, feeling my way along through the gloom for
some distance. The noises of the amphitheater had grown fainter and
fainter until now all was as silent as the tomb about me. Faint
light filtered from above through occasional ventilating and lighting
tubes, but it was scarce sufficient to enable my human eyes to cope
with the darkness, and so I was forced to move with extreme care,
feeling my way along step by step with a hand upon the wall beside
me.