his brain cleared. It was well for him that he had not known what lay
beneath when, but now, he thrust his foot into vacancy, for then his
senses might have failed him.

Suddenly he remembered Francisco, and opened his eyes, which he had
closed to shut out the sight of the yawning gulf beneath. It was not
too soon. The priest had seen also, and consciousness was deserting
him; even as Leonard turned his knees gave way, and he sank forward and
downward.

Quick as thought Leonard stretched out his right hand and caught
Francisco by the robe he wore, then, resting his weight upon the rifle,
he strained at the priest's falling body with all his force in such
a manner that its direction was turned, and it fell sideways upon the
platform, not downwards into space. Leonard dragged at him again, and
thrust him into the mouth of the little tunnel through which they had
reached this dreadful eminence, where he lay quiet and safe, lost in
blessed insensibility.

All this took place in a few seconds. The two priests of the Snake, who
stood by them as calmly as though their feet were still on the solid
earth, saw, but made no movement. Only Leonard thought that they smiled
grimly, and a horrible fear struck his heart like a breath of ice. What
if they waited a signal to cast him down? It might well be so. Already
he had seen enough of their rites to enable him to guess that theirs was
a religion of blood and human sacrifice.

He shivered, and again turned faint, so faint indeed that he did not
dare to keep his feet, but sank into a sitting posture, resting his back
against the stone of the idol's thumb.