there was no strong bond between the temple and the palace at
Ja-lur and that Ja-don only suffered the presence of the priests
and permitted their cruel and abhorrent acts because of the fact
that these things had been the custom of the Ho-don of Pal-ul-don
for countless ages, and rash indeed must have been the man who would
have attempted to interfere with the priests or their ceremonies.
That Ja-don never entered the temple was well known, and that his
high priest never entered the palace, but the people came to the
temple with their votive offerings and the sacrifices were made
night and morning as in every other temple in Pal-ul-don.

The warriors knew these things, knew them better perhaps than a
simple warrior should have known them. And so it was here in the
temple that he looked for the aid that he sought in the carrying
out of whatever design he had.

As he entered the apartment where the priests were he greeted them
after the manner which was customary in Pal-ul-don, but at the
same time he made a sign with his finger that might have attracted
little attention or scarcely been noticed at all by one who knew
not its meaning. That there were those within the room who noticed
it and interpreted it was quickly apparent, through the fact that
two of the priests rose and came close to him as he stood just within
the doorway and each of them, as he came, returned the signal that
the warrior had made.

The three talked for but a moment and then the warrior turned and
left the apartment. A little later one of the priests who had talked
with him left also and shortly after that the other.