with terrific fury by the tribesmen of Morop.
The men of Teeheemen fought by the light of their torches, and more than one of the warriors of Morop went down with a spear thrust in his body.
"If the white men were here with their thunder sticks we could easily conquer these enemies," Duros called to one of his lieutenants, as they fought together.
The word finally was passed along the line of the Duros followers to retire in order toward the entrance, as it would be necessary to obtain reinforcements and formulate a new plan for invading the mountain's interior. The order was carried out and the retreat was conducted successfully. Two hours later Virginia heard the tribesmen of Morop return and begin the celebration of their victory.
The celebration continued unabated for a week, and Virginia wondered if Morop had forgotten her presence in the village. Every day a wrinkled old woman had brought coarse food to her and had never spoken. With the old woman had come a man powerful enough to remove the stone from the doorway and place it in position again.
Morop fad been too busy celebrating what he considered a victory over the men of Teeheemen when the latter retreated from the mountain, to pay any attention to his fair captive. As the joy of the victory and the incessant feasting began to grow wearisome, he again thought of Virginia and went to her prison. With little effort he removed the stone and entered.
Virginia shrank from before him. He laughed boisterously, and seizing the girl he crushed her body to his chest. She fought desperately but was as helpless as a child in the grasp of the king of the mountain giants. He tore a portion of her blouse from her shoulders and with a wild laugh pushed her from him.
"Tonight you will be the bride of Morop," he stated. "Tonight when the sun leaves the mountain top, Morop will then come to his new woman."
The giant again left the stone hut, closing the entrance after him with the big stone slab.
When he had gone, Virginia rushed to the opening and pushed against the stone with all of her power. Her efforts were unavailing, for the stone had been so fashioned that it fitted into a mortiselike groove in the side of the house and the floor of the cavern.
The remainder of the day passed quickly for the girl, as the dread of the coming night filled her. When the gloom began to gather in the surrounding cavern depths, she again attempted to push the stone door away, but without success.
Darkness had gathered fully when she heard the stone moved from the entrance. She could distinguish Morop in the light of a torch which an attendant warrior of the tribe was carrying. The giant took the torch from the other and motioned for him to retire.
Entering the hut, he fastened the torch in a niche on the side of the wall. With the muscles of his great arms knotted and moving beneath his skin, Morop stood before the girl, naked except for a trapping about the loins. His powerful physique was one to create wonderment, and Virginia thought as she shrank from before him how little chance any ordinary man could have in battle against the great brute.
"Morop has come to claim his bride this night," he muttered in low tones that seemed to come almost like distant thunder from his chest. "Morop
(Continued on Page 184)
