But never an atom of interest did the priest show. His features were inscrutable as a mask. “What is that to me?” he asked, as Mervyn concluded with a plea for his freedom; “what need was there for ye to seek out this secret place in your upper world, which ye call the ‘Pole’?” “None,” was the scientist’s answer, “save that it was a mystery, and we were minded to solve it.” “Granted there were need for that,” pursued the priest, “there were none for ye to set foot upon my land--the land of my people.” The arrogance of the fellow was fast arousing Mervyn’s temper, yet he strove to keep it in check, unwilling to make an open enemy of the man he had--all unwittingly--offended. “We knew not that the land was inhabited,” he explained, “and even had we, we could not have known that the law forbade the landing of strangers. Our desire now is but to return to our own world.” “Doubtless,” was the mocking answer; “but ere ye return, ye must recompense me for the loss of those of my people whom thy friends have slain. Hearest thou?” “Ay!” returned Mervyn angrily, “yet remember, if any of thy savages have been slain, they must first have attacked my friends. But how know ye that any are slain?” “Cease thy baying, dog!” snapped the priest in answer, “lest I am tempted to deal hardly by ye. Listen! I am minded to know more of these fire-weapons ye use. Show me the secret and ye are free.” For an instant the professor hesitated. Here was a chance at which his heart leapt, yet he feared to take it. On the one hand was life and liberty; on the other, death, and that as terrible as the priest of Ramouni could make it for his helpless prisoner. What if he showed Nordhu the secret he wished to know? He would be arming the people of the underworld with weapons that would make them the equals of any nation on the face of the globe; but would there be harm in so doing? While he stood wavering the priest clapped his hands, and, into the light of the flashing jewel, slid two of the fearful wolf-men. It was the scientist’s first view of the creatures, and his brain reeled with the horror of the things. His tongue clove to the roof of his mouth, his limbs trembled beneath him. Nordhu grinned broadly at the obvious terror of his victim. A wave of his hand, and the two wolfish figures vanished into the gloom again. “Well?” the priest demanded, “will ye show me the secret? Five millions have I of these people; what think ye of them? Would’st like to be given into their hands, that they might make sport with ye?” At the words Mervyn’s terror vanished; in its place came a cool, dauntless courage that surprised even himself. Better that he should be torn to pieces by these fearsome brutes than that he should be the primary cause of arming them with the weapons of civilised warfare. Should the brutes ever find their way to the upper world, they would overwhelm the whole globe.