Tarzan understood, though Werper did not. The former glanced
at the Belgian and saw that he was unarmed. Stepping quickly to
La's side the ape-man seized her in his strong arms and though she
fought with all the mad savagery of a demon, he soon disarmed her,
handing her long, sacrificial knife to Werper.

"You will need this," he said, and then from each doorway a horde
of the monstrous, little men of Opar streamed into the temple.

They were armed with bludgeons and knives, and fortified in their
courage by fanatical hate and frenzy. Werper was terrified.
Tarzan stood eyeing the foe in proud disdain. Slowly he advanced
toward the exit he had chosen to utilize in making his way from
the temple. A burly priest barred his way. Behind the first was
a score of others. Tarzan swung his heavy spear, clublike, down upon
the skull of the priest. The fellow collapsed, his head crushed.

Again and again the weapon fell as Tarzan made his way slowly
toward the doorway. Werper pressed close behind, casting backward
glances toward the shrieking, dancing mob menacing their rear.
He held the sacrificial knife ready to strike whoever might come
within its reach; but none came. For a time he wondered that they
should so bravely battle with the giant ape-man, yet hesitate to
rush upon him, who was relatively so weak. Had they done so he knew
that he must have fallen at the first charge. Tarzan had reached
the doorway over the corpses of all that had stood to dispute his
way, before Werper guessed at the reason for his immunity. The
priests feared the sacrificial knife! Willingly would they face
death and welcome it if it came while they defended their High
Priestess and her altar; but evidently there were deaths, and deaths.