THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF ILLINOIS 
 LIBRARY 
 
 S13 
 
 TITSi 
 
iLL-GOrrEN GOLD 
 
 CHICAGO 
 
 W. B. CONKEY COMPANY 
 
Copyright, 19oa 
 
 BY 
 
 HOMEWOOD PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 LOVE A LA MODE. 
 
 It is seldom that the weather in the early 
 rt of May in and about New York City is 
 :asant enough to invite the most enthusias- 
 lover of nature to walk beneath leaden 
 es and dripping pavements, which as a 
 e are all one can expect from a beneficent 
 ather clerk, who seems to do little to 
 ually benefit humanity, aside from draw- 
 ■ his regular yearly stipend, which he does 
 segments with conscious regularity. On 
 5 day, however, the sun had deigned to shine 
 vn with an almost summer brilliancy, and 
 streets were literally swarming with a 
 urrying crowd of pedestrians, who seemed 
 ager to make the most of a glorious spring 
 ay, which had appeared almost a month 
 lead of time. 
 
 ^There was one young man, however, who 
 
 [ 
 
 .d not share in the general rejoicing over 
 . *3 
 
 ^ 943467 
 
*4 
 
 LOVK A LA MODS. 
 
 the weather, but remained in his downtowi 
 room, a prey to bitter thoughts. From hi 
 general ensemble, the average observer woulc 
 feel safe in imagining that he would be onj 
 of the very first to avail himself of the occi 
 sion, both to admire and be admired. Of tl 
 latter fact, there could be but little doul 
 He was a young man of splendid physiqi i 
 Though not over tall, his closely cut crop ^ 
 dark brown hair, that still would insist up 
 disclosing the fat t that it was decidedly cui I ^ 
 was at an altitude of precisely five feet ni| . 
 and three-quarter inches from his heels. Hjli; 
 figure, too, was of that peculiar build, whic|l‘ 
 promises, not only great muscular strengfi^j 
 and physical endurance, but gives that set^i- 
 graceful, purely masculine swing to the wa^f -i 
 which is often called the embodiment || 
 manly grace by that portion of admirii/ 
 femininity, who worship at the shrine 
 Apo’’o. ! 
 
 As lor his face, little could be judged asij' 
 its claims to either beauty or strength/ . 
 character for the young man, just at pres4 J 
 
 II" 
 
LOVE A LA MOSS. 
 
 IS 
 
 was in one of the worst of humors, and the 
 face, though not distorted with passion, was 
 in a troubled state, which showed that he had 
 been brooding for some time over a real or 
 fancied wrong. Yet there was no mistaking 
 the fact that he was one of nature's occasional 
 freaks, a really handsome man without the 
 failing of a large majority of the class, who, 
 if purchased at the world’s conservative valu- 
 ation, and sold at their own schedule rate, 
 would realize a large and enthusiastic profit 
 to somebody. 
 
 This young man had been the victim of 
 repeated youthful successes. He had been 
 a little behind in his studies at college possi- 
 bly, but in the sports and athletics he had 
 left his competitors so far in the rear that he 
 had been their acknowledged champion. He 
 could pull an oar until the shell was lifted 
 sheer out of water ; could run in a foot race 
 all day if necessary ; speed with the foot-ball 
 in a manner almost defying capture and above 
 all, with the boxing gloves, could put at rest 
 any suspicion of a competitor, that the aspir- 
 
LOVE A LA MODE. 
 
 ant was a novice in their use. He was, in 
 fact, a rare specimen ; a beautiful animal ; 
 but still a gentleman. 
 
 He was loved of women, yet loved them 
 but little until a short time before, when Ber- 
 nice Crawford had won his heart and love, to 
 use as the present circumstances were to show. 
 He thought that he had lavished upon her all 
 the wealth of love of a life time, but it was 
 his first deep feeling in that line, and young 
 men are prone to be deceived in themselves 
 on such Occasions. He would live to learn 
 the fallacy of his present feelings ; yet he was 
 prepared to hate the world at sight and 
 nauseate at the sight of a woman. How 
 foolish ! Age would mellow his heart, and 
 make it better adapted to 6ope with the 
 fickle sex. 
 
 His room was on the second floor, and 
 large windows looked out upon the bus}' 
 street, where crowds of indiscriminate human- 
 ity jostled each other either in the race fora 
 livelihood, or the pursuit of pleasure, the 
 latter class alas, sadly in the minority. It 
 
LOVE A LA MODE. 
 
 *7 
 
 WES E large room, quite elegantly furnished, 
 the prevailing tints being in olives and rich 
 Turkish reds, giving a decidedly Oriental 
 appearance to the apartment. Connected by 
 a doorway, curtained with tapestry, was a 
 retiring room, such as all young men with 
 any claim to “ tone,” whatever that uncertain 
 quality may be, never fail to possess if they 
 live in a metropolis. At the present time 
 the curtain was slightly drawn aside and dis- 
 closed a dimly lighted interior, which con- 
 tained a couch and other little accessories, 
 which he used either for his own convenience, 
 or that of his frends after the rigor of a more 
 than usually late f^te. 
 
 The young man thus offered for the inspec- 
 tion of the reader was pacing moodily up 
 and down, passing and repassing an onyx 
 center table, upon which was thrown in a 
 careless fashion a number of letters, all of 
 which were addressed to Harlow S. Ritchie, 
 the middle initial standing for Seagrave, a 
 fact that was known to his personal friends. 
 He had opened but one of the missives, which 
 
t8 LOVS A LA MODS. 
 
 he had selected from the rest, and held the 
 sheet in his hand while the envelope lay 
 abandoned upon the floor, with the written 
 side up, showing a dainty and careful chiro- 
 graphy. A faint odor of wood violets per* 
 vaded the room from the creamy paper, and 
 the eyes of the man kindled in remembrance, 
 as his thin nostrils took in the familiar per- 
 fume. 
 
 He dashed the paper to the carpet, where 
 it quivered as if resenting the indignity thus 
 shown to the sender, then strode to the win- 
 dow, where he gazed out with a moody frown, 
 paying no further attention to the neglected 
 correspondence upon the table. Some one 
 looked up at him from across the street, but he 
 did not appear to notice that he was observed, 
 and kept his eyes on space. He stepped to a 
 drawer in a sideboard, and opening it took 
 out a photograph, which he gazed upon fix- 
 edly for a few moments. The sight seemed 
 to anger him at once, for a frown gathered 
 upon his face, and turning quickly, he flung 
 the picture from him with a passionate ges- 
 
LOVS A LA MODE. 
 
 *9 
 
 ture. Across the room it flew in its erratic 
 course, just as the door opened, and the piece 
 of card-board took the new-comer squarely in 
 the face, and then lodged in the fold of his 
 coat at his breast, where the sweet counten- 
 ance seemed to look up into his face saucily. 
 
 “ Thanks, awfully,” he said, with a laugh, 
 looking down at the portrait. “ How care- 
 lessly you throw the fair Bernice about. Do 
 you, by this act, throw her from your heart 
 also?” 
 
 “ I had almost said, curse her!" Ritchie cried, 
 biting his lip in anger, “ but I must remember 
 that she is a woman, no matter how much she 
 may have strained her claims to my consid- 
 eration.” 
 
 “ You are bitter in your anger," said the 
 new comer, “ may I sit down and keep you 
 company.” 
 
 “ You know what misery loves,” he 
 answered, “ so sit you down, my friend, and 
 be miserable.” 
 
 Thus invited the visitor stepped to the win- 
 dow and seated himself upon the capacious sill 
 
20 
 
 LOVE A LA MODE. 
 
 whence he looked out upon the street and at 
 the photograph alternately, and allowed 
 Ritchie to pace the room as he pleased. 
 The new comer was enough of a 
 student human of nature to know that 
 when a man is in that frame of mind, he 
 •is the better satisfied to be left to himself. 
 The man as he sat there would have formed 
 a study for a physiognomist. He was mass- 
 ive and dark, and might impress one unfavor- 
 ably at first, probably from the rather cynical 
 expression that seemed to find a lasting rest- 
 place about his mouth. They were well 
 mated, these two men. One might search the 
 world over without finding their match. 
 Harry Damon had probably reached his 
 thirty-fifth year, though some early sorrow 
 might have made him appear a few years 
 older. He was more massive in build than his 
 younger companion, and could boast of a 
 fraction over six feet of brawn and sinew. 
 
 An observer might try to guess his nation- 
 ality, and fail signally. In fact he was not 
 aware himself from what country his distant 
 
LOVE A LA MODE. 
 
 31 
 
 ancestors had sprung. As far as he knew he 
 was a simon-pure American, and he would have 
 resented an}’ thought to the contrary. His 
 head was powerful and intelligent, yet the 
 brow was low and the jaws a trifle heavy. 
 His hair was of a blue black, and curled 
 tightl}’ to the head and about the forehead, 
 so tightly indeed that no comb or brush could 
 ever hope to straighten it. His eyes were 
 large, black and lustrous, the nose finely 
 shaped and the lips thin, red and firm. His 
 shin was of a dark tint too peculiar to describe, 
 \varming to a faint pink hue about the cheeks 
 and ears. He was handsome, that no one 
 could deny, and the belles of the metropolis 
 had wasted many an hour in trying to win 
 his heart, a worthy object in which they were 
 all doomed to disappointment, for he was 
 armed against them, and had never suc- 
 cumbed. 
 
 After pacing the room moodily for some 
 time, Ritchie stopped before him abruptly, 
 and opened the conversation again. “ I wish 
 you could tell me sonje way of getting rid of 
 
22 
 
 LOVE A LA MODE. 
 
 this disagreeable sensation. I am ashamed of 
 myself for what 1 consider a weakness, but 
 the feeling seems to cling, and I can’t get rid 
 of it.” 
 
 “ The first thing that is necessary in such 
 cases,” answered Damon, “ is to try to bring 
 yourself to think that the lady’s action has 
 not been out of line with the general practices 
 of the sex. She professed love for you. Well, 
 I suppose she did give as much affection as 
 women are capable of, but then Chadwick 
 came along, who in spite of his unpleasant 
 personalty has a father who is worth sorae- 
 thing above a million. She had to scoop him 
 in. I think I know of women who are not to 
 be mentioned in polite society, who would 
 think twice before they agreed to live in so 
 close a relationship with him, as the fair Ber. 
 nice has taken upon herself, and they are 
 considered hardened.” 
 
 “ For God’s sake, Harry, don’t. You make 
 my flesh creep.” 
 
 “Well, I admit that the idea is not very 
 comforting,” answered his companion with a 
 
LOVE A LA MOOS. 
 
 »3 
 
 grim chuckle, “ one does not relish the idea 
 that a being whom he has held in his embrace, 
 and felt close to him with tender, clinging 
 arms and moist lips, breathing vows of con- 
 stancy, is about to give herself of her own ac- 
 cord, to such as he. Yet — ” 
 
 “ I tell you, stop 1” cried the other, passion- 
 ately, “ can’t you see that the idea drives me 
 wild?” 
 
 “ I am simply probing the wound, that is 
 all, to find the bullet. Come now, my friend,” 
 he said, in a kinder voice, “you are not the 
 sort of man I had expected to see take a thing 
 like this to heart. Brace up, and tell me what 
 she says.” 
 
 “She says enough to make me wish that I 
 could hate her now and forever,” he cried, 
 passionately, “and you will hardly believe 
 that she has had the low efirontery to map 
 out a future course, in which we are still to 
 have a sincere affection for each other, plato- 
 nic of course, so she says, and meet as if 
 nothing had happened.” 
 
 “An innocent little programme, certainly,” 
 
24 
 
 LOVE A LA Mode. 
 
 said Damon with a satisfied laugh, “and one 
 that would eventually drift into a state of 
 things in which the husband would play a 
 rather unenviable part. I don’t think you 
 would fancy it, Harl, at least after the novelty 
 wore off. 
 
 “That’s just the trouble !’’ cried Ritchie, 
 stopping suddenly before his friend and lay- 
 ing a hand upon his shoulder, “I am afraid of 
 myself. She has aroused a feeling in me that 
 I might have controlled had the future pro- 
 mised her as totally my own, but now there is 
 a desire for revenge within me that I know 
 would result in the loss of all feeling but my 
 passion,and since this last act of her’s, I feel that 
 she is not above' yielding to her baser nature* 
 
 I must find some way to save myself from the 
 future and myself, for I am much less than an 
 angel, and she is beautiful as temptation itself. 
 
 “Well, let us travel then. I am sick of 
 New York, at least for a time, and I will keep 
 you company.’’ 
 
 “You would? By Jove, Harry, I believe you 
 are a true friend, and would do much for me." 
 
toVE A LE MOBE. 
 
 25 
 
 He stepped to the table as he spoke, and 
 began to look over his correspondence. Sud- 
 denly his face lit up with a smile and he 
 flung a letter that he had just read into his 
 companion’s lap. 
 
 •‘There is just what we want,” he cried. 
 Damon glanced at the letter and read: 
 
 San Francisco, Cal., 4-i2-’56. 
 
 My Dear Nephew: You will undoubtedly be surprised to 
 hear from me just now especially as I have kept in the land 
 of silence so long; however I have heard that you are 
 of rather a forgiving disposition, and will therefore overlook 
 past neglect, particularly when you know that for some time 
 past in this part of the country, every one has been fairly 
 stumbling over each other in the race for wealth. I trust 
 that you are at present at liberty -to accept an earnest invi- 
 tation to come out here and pay me a visit. You could also 
 look about you, and see if there was anything that wt»uld be 
 likely to suit your tastes in the line of business, and if 
 there was nothing better, would be glad to make arrange- 
 ments to have you come in with me. I will offer you induce- 
 ments that I know you will not refuse. The country is rich 
 and beautiful, and is of itself well worth a visit. Write me 
 at once of your determination or better still, answer in 
 person, if so inclined. Meantime know I expect you, 
 
 Your uncle' 
 
 John. 
 
96 
 
 tOVE A LA MOPE. 
 
 ■‘Well?” questioned the reader, as he handed 
 back the letter, “What do you propose doing?” 
 
 “I think there is but one answer!” cried 
 Ritchie, “I shall accept and start as soon as it 
 is possible to leave.” 
 
 “If that is the case,” said the other, rising 
 and stretching himself calmly and with great 
 enjoyment, “I had better quit at Once, and 
 arrange my traps,” 
 
 “You will go with me, then?” cried Ritchie 
 joyfully. 
 
 “Certainly, have I not already said so ?” 
 
 “Then ho for the West! and let false woman 
 linger in the lap of luxury, ‘till her face grows 
 wrinkled, and her locks grey, for we flee from 
 her enchantments.” 
 
 “Well, good day, old man, I’ll call around 
 this evening, and we can make the final ar. 
 rangements. By the way, how are you off 
 for money ?” 
 
 “Rather low just now I must admit, but I 
 will manage to pull through, I guess,” 
 
 “If you are to be pressed don’t fail to call 
 
 on me. 
 
LOVE A LA MODE. 
 
 27 
 
 “I will. It will not be the first time.” 
 
 The two young men parted, and Ritchie at 
 once sat himself down to write a letter to the 
 false one that was full of bitter sarcasm and 
 rebuke and ended with the news that he was 
 about to leave for the West . He was sure that 
 this last piece of information would hurt her 
 for she loved him, that he knew full well even 
 though she had sold herself for gold. Gold ? 
 He would wade in it, and in the end buy 
 those who had bought her — ^the one he had 
 loved. 
 
 2 
 
Chapter li. 
 
 A CHILIAN BEAUTY. 
 
 Scarcely a week later, the two friends were 
 ready for their journey and would have 
 started had they not been compelled to wait 
 a short time before the steamer was 
 prepared to sail. The boat they were to take 
 was that huge two deck, stern wheeler, the 
 Illinois, a vessel that had carried many 
 an anxious treasure seeker from New 
 York to the Isthmus, enroute to the gold fields 
 of the Eldorados, of California. So great had 
 been the excitement in the preparations for 
 departure that the young lover had hardly 
 time to think of his disappointment, and was 
 so merry that his companion could not help 
 remarking that the trip had already been of 
 great benefit to him. 
 
 When the time came to start on the long 
 journey which was to take fully four weeks 
 in completing, the two voyagers were ready 
 as 
 
A CHILIAN BEAUTY. 
 
 29 
 
 lor it, and were among the very first to 
 embark. In fact they were in their state- 
 rooms a day before the boat was ready to 
 sail, becoming accustomed to their surround- 
 ings. The next morning, some hours before 
 the time set for the departure, a carriage 
 drove up to the wharf and a heavily veiled 
 lady hastened on board. She went at once 
 to the clerk, and the young man who was 
 fleeing from the wrath of Cupid received a 
 summons to appear in the cabin. He hurried 
 to answer the call, and was surprised and not 
 a little startled to find himself face to face 
 with the fair Bernice, who had thrown back 
 the heavy veil as soon as she was secure from 
 observation. 
 
 The face of the young man darkened as he 
 saw who his visitor was, and a flood of 
 reproaches were springing to his lips, when 
 she checked him with a nervous gesture and 
 a little piteous look. 
 
 “I know what you would say — what you 
 have a right to say !” she cried, her voice dry 
 and hoarse with agony. “ I have no right to 
 
30 
 
 A CHILIAN BEAUTY. 
 
 be here, now that I am the wife of another. 
 You despise me, do you not? I deserve it; 
 for oh ! lam miserable. I should have been 
 away on my bridal trip, but I refused to go. 
 I could not bear tp have you go away without 
 seeing you.” 
 
 “Ido not see how this meeting can do 
 eitherof usanygood,” he said, coldly, “and 
 I am sure it is not of my seeking.” 
 
 “ Why will you not look at things as I do ?” 
 she asked, coming nearer to him, a strange 
 light in her eyes. “ I offer you love — stay 
 and make me happy.” 
 
 He made a motion to keep her away from 
 him, but she did not heed him, and flinging 
 her arms about his neck clung to him, kissing 
 him passionately. She knew her power and 
 was using it to the utmost. She was the incar- 
 nation of selfishness and would not hesitate to 
 sacrifice him to her own pleasure. He felt 
 the old subtle influence, and was almost 
 powerless to resist her. 
 
 “ Come, abandon this trip that you really 
 do not want to take, and remain for my sake.” 
 
A CHILIAN UEAUTY. 
 
 31 
 
 Her tone was seductive, and her breath per- 
 fume. “You love me and I — ah! I love 
 you. We can be happy here if we are careful.” 
 He might have yielded had not a sudden 
 thought come to his defence, a thought that 
 no man who loves can resist. He remem- 
 bered that other, and imagined her whom he 
 now held in his arms as having been polluted 
 with the touch of his ri val, and he was saved. 
 Sweet and tempting she might be, the idea 
 was disgusting to him. He turned pale, and 
 thrust her from him, almost roughly. 
 
 “ You might have others too,” he cried. 
 “How could I know that every friend I 
 might meet would not be my rival ? ” 
 
 Even this insult, under which she quivered 
 for an instant, did not cause her to desist 
 from her purpose, and she clung to him 
 again, scorning repulsion. 
 
 “ Let me go with you then,” she cried, be- 
 side herself. “ Oh I am so tired of this. Give 
 me love again, and let me live. There are 
 other lands where there is life with love for 
 us. Come, say yes.” 
 
3^ A CHILIAN BEAUTV, 
 
 “ Forgive me if I am forced to decline your 
 tempting offer,” he replied coldly, with a hard 
 smile of triumph. » I have made other ar- 
 rangements, and to use an old and well worn 
 saying, ‘you have made your bed, now lie 
 upon it. In the meantime, I wish you such 
 joy as you can find in the company of your 
 beloved husband.” 
 
 “Oh Harl-^Reflect! If you go now we 
 may never meet again. Think of the old 
 times — our. love — the vows we have 
 made — 
 
 And the vows you have broken,” inter- 
 rupted he grimly. 
 
 ” I was mad,” she pleaded, “ I knew not 
 what I did.” 
 
 “ Let us end this,” he cried angrily. “ It 
 can do neither of us any good, and you much 
 harm. You have broken- my heart, and I 
 love you well enough yet to tell you that I 
 will never forgive you. I ask for revenge 
 for the hurt you have given me, and I think 
 I will read it in your future life.” 
 
 “ Don t go yet,” she cried as he was about 
 
A CHILIAN B£AUTY. 
 
 33 
 
 to leave her. “ Remember, that if you leave 
 me now, we may nevei meet in life.” 
 
 “ God grant we never may,” he answered 
 earnestly, as he turned away abruptly, and 
 left her there alone. 
 
 She gazed after him with a startled look, 
 and then, almost tottering to the companion- 
 way, left the vessel. 
 
 Nothing of much moment happened at the 
 start of the trip and the steamer sped on its 
 course, carrying the two men far away from 
 the haunts they had frequented, and nearer 
 the land that seemed to promise romance to 
 one, and riches to the other. The steamer ar- 
 rived at Aspinwall, at the northern end of the 
 Isthmus, a little behind time, owing to a leak 
 that had been sprung in a stress of weather, 
 which had necessitated the working of the 
 pumps through the latter half of the passage. 
 
 At Aspinwall they were to take the newly 
 completed railroad, which luckily for them 
 was in running order, for the passage by 
 wagon was not a possibility, and the trip on 
 horseback attended with innumerable d^n 
 
34 
 
 A CHILIAN BEAUTY. 
 
 gers. Many a poor fellow, flushed wVtn hope 
 had left his bones to wither on that dread 
 swamp, his journey to the land of gold but 
 half completed. 
 
 With our travelers it was different. A 
 speedy train was ready at any day to take 
 them across those miles of country, and as 
 there was nothing particularly interesting 
 about the swampy town, they took the first 
 opportunity to cross. The trip consumed 
 the better part of four hours, with no stops, 
 and at points the country was beautiful to 
 behold, its flora being especially bright and 
 glowing. At times the road bed was so 
 swampy and low, that the mud as it spurted 
 from between the ties would fly up as the 
 train sped on in such quantities as to almost 
 cover the panes of the car windows. 
 
 The train took on two engines some dis- 
 tance from Panama as some rather steep 
 grades were to be surmounted, and a high 
 range of mountains run over and through. 
 Then they ran down grade again, and into ' 
 the town of Panama, which is an old Spanish 
 
A CHILIAN BEAUTY. 
 
 35 
 
 settlement, and in those days had a large 
 share of the high wall built about it still re- 
 maining. The foot hills began just back of 
 the town, while the coast was low, a gradual 
 slope commencing at the hills, and running 
 away out into the Pacific, w^iich heaved and 
 rolled as if belieing its ilame. The houses 
 were all old low structures, very few of them 
 attaining the dignity of two-story buildings. 
 They were built in a straggling course down 
 one main street, and some of the more preten- 
 tious residences were higher up on the slope. 
 These were lacking in height, though many 
 of them showed some approach to the mag- 
 nificent, having broad verandas and were rich 
 in the most exquisite shade, mahogany, 
 rosewood, cocoa palm, and other trees grow- 
 ing in thick profusion. 
 
 At the town the train was hurried through, 
 and a large number of people taken out in 
 launches to the steamer Senora, a huge three- 
 decker that awaited its living freight about a 
 mile out on the bosom of the Pacific, close 
 alongside of a Spanish, American and Eng- 
 
3 A CHII^IAN BEAUTV, 
 
 hsh man-of-war. The shore was too shallow 
 to allow them to come closer. 
 
 The two travellers would have liked to 
 stop and inspect the old town, but they were 
 not allowed to do so, as there had been a riot 
 there but a short time before, caused by the 
 natives entering into a quarrel with some 
 noisy travelers, and as the home party had 
 received rather the worst of it in the fracas, 
 they had retaliated by attacking the white 
 travelers, and killing several, among them 
 some women and children, the latter by dash- 
 ing their brains out against the trees. For 
 this reason, the authorities hurried travelers 
 though with all speed. Even then the dark 
 laced, fiery-eyed people, with their frizzy 
 shocks of light brown hair, ran after the boats 
 and hurled stones at the occupants, until they 
 were far out of reach. 
 
 The steamer was already freighted, so no 
 delay was necessary, and the huge side- 
 wheeler moved off along the coast toward the 
 southwest. As the shores became more pre- 
 cipitous, as they did farther north, the course 
 
A CHILIAN BEAUTY. 
 
 37 
 
 of the steamer was closer to the coast line, 
 and some of the most beautiful scenery 
 imaginable could be seen from the decks. 
 Several days after they arrived at Acapulco, 
 on the Mexican coast, and took in water and 
 also a few more passengers, a fact that did 
 not at first interest the two travelers, as the 
 people with whom they found themselves 
 traveling were not, as a rule, the best of 
 company. The two Americans were amus- 
 ing themselves, with a large number of the 
 other passengers, watching the naked natives 
 sporting in the water. They seemed per- 
 fectly at home in the element, which at that 
 point was nearly fifty feet in depth, and as some 
 of the passengers tossed coins into the midst 
 of them they would dive like shot falls, 
 and soon reappear with the silver in their 
 teeth, and the water running in little globules 
 from their greasy skin. 
 
 While this sport was going on a boat put 
 off from shore and was rowed swiftly to the 
 side of the steamer, and a lady and two men 
 taken on board, one of them an elderly gentle- 
 
38 
 
 A CHILIAN BEAVTV. 
 
 man, and the other a rather sinister-looking' 
 younger man, who might be a Spaniard, 
 judging by his dark skin, and perhaps almost 
 anything else, as these southern nations all 
 look very much alike. It was afterward 
 learned that the people were from Chili, and 
 had stopped off at Acapulco on the previous 
 trip. 
 
 The trio were no sooner on board than the 
 bell was sounded, and the great steamer 
 moved slowly off with a swing from the 
 shore. The lady, who had been veiled, stood 
 near the two young men and looked back at 
 the high shores for an instant, then as if to 
 obtain a better view, she drew aside her veil. 
 A moment later she turned to rejoin her com- 
 panions, who had gone toward the cabin, and 
 as she did so her eyes met those of Ritchie, 
 who was staring at her with a glance express- 
 ive of far more than admiration. A sudden 
 flash came to her own, splendid orbs as she 
 saw his look and seemed to read it, then she 
 flushed hotly, and covered her face again 
 with the veil, as she hurried away. 
 
A CHILIAN BEAUTY. 
 
 39 
 
 He gazed after her in a dazed fashion, and 
 flushed eagerly as he noticed that she turned 
 to look in his direction, ere she disappeared in 
 the cabin. Her glance had disturbed him, 
 how much he hardly knew. 
 
 “ Hit again, old man ! ” cried Damon, laugh- 
 ing. “ I predict a speedy confusion to the 
 memory of the fair Bernice.” 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 A BULL AND GRIZZLY FIGHT. 
 
 Oreville, California, in the days of 1856 was 
 a large and thriving mining town, far in ad- 
 vance of many of the cities that have out- 
 stripped It in the race for population. At the 
 time this chapter opens the little city was but 
 ten months old, yet it had a brick court house, 
 a long, well-built business street, and some 
 2,800 inhabitants. The town was beautifully 
 situated on the banks of the Feather river, 
 and extended back to where the foothills 
 began to rise from the small plain toward the 
 giant mountains, which throw their shadows 
 over miles of the surrounding country. 
 
 The valley was as level as a floor, and aptly 
 fitted for the site of a mushroom city. Out at 
 its edges, and near the river the chapparal 
 brush grew in its almost impossible profusion, 
 while in patches the glossy barked manchi’ 
 nita plant, with its deep red hue reared its 
 
 40 
 
k btjLL AND GRIZZLY FIGNt. 4i 
 
 tops above it. The little plain with its sur- 
 rounding' hills was the scene of the liveliest 
 activity at all hours, the days being given 
 over to the work of stripping the earth of its 
 precious metal, while throughout the night, 
 the saloons devoted to the gaming table and 
 the wine room dance echoed the sounds of 
 revelry and the curses of the losing gamester. 
 
 So close did the pay dirt reach the town, 
 that one of the richest claims was the nearest 
 side hill which was being washed down, even 
 to the edge of the city,' It was here, among 
 all this noise, excitement and strife, that 
 Harlow Ritchie and his fellow seeker after 
 adventure found themselves on the Fourth of 
 July following their arrival in California. 
 They had exhausted the resources of San 
 Francisco, where Ritchie’s uncle, John Sex- 
 ton, had done the honors, and then accom- 
 panied them to Oreville, where he had a 
 claim. This uncle was a somewhat peculiar 
 person, who was known throughout the 
 state for his oddities. Once seen he would 
 hardly be forgotten. He was thirty -nine 
 
4J A BULL AND GRIZZLY FIGHT. 
 
 years of age, and as much a youth as his 
 young nephew, although his appearance 
 belied him. His hair had turned gray at 
 twenty, and was now a light ashen color, 
 while his mustache, which he wore quite long, 
 had in it not a single white hair. He was 
 undeniably an interesting looking man, 
 although not handsome. He was deep-chested 
 and built not unlike his nephew, but in a 
 coarser mold. He had a large laughing blue 
 eye, that never failed to win confidence. 
 His jaws were rather square and set ; his 
 nose had a little tendency to turnup, but had 
 changed its mind before the fact became too 
 apparent. On the whole the man would 
 impress one strongly. 
 
 On this particular day, Oreville was in a 
 high state of excitement. The sturdy miners 
 very seldom had any opportunity offered 
 them to enjoy an amusement other than that 
 which could be found at the gaming table or 
 in the bar room. Luckily, however, on this 
 particular National holiday ao enterprising 
 Yankee, who invented the name of Don Jose 
 
A BULL AKD GWZ2LY BIGHT. 43 
 
 Caplero for the purpose, had arranged for a 
 day of sport that, while it was brutal, was 
 just the thing to catch the people in those 
 days. This enterprising showman had 
 secured a huge grizzly bear, which wassecurcd 
 in a heavy iron cage, and had been on exhi- 
 bition for some time in front of the principal 
 hotel. A fine young Spanish bull had also 
 been purchased, and could be heard at times 
 letting out fearful bellows from the corral. 
 These two animals were to form the princi- 
 pals in the combat. 
 
 Near the river at the edge of the little city 
 a large enclosure had been built, about a 
 hundred and fifty feet in diameter. Inside of 
 this was a circle built with heavy posts, to 
 which four-by-four scantlings were spiked a 
 little distance apart. Between these the seats 
 were arranged, high enough to give a goo 1 
 view of the scene of carnage.* 
 
 *This brute battle actually occurred on the date and horn 
 named, in the same locality as given here, and precisely as 
 described. Those who were present on that memorable occa* 
 
 »ion will remember the scene. 
 
 3 
 
44 A BULL AND 0RI2LLY FIGHT. 
 
 Already people on the street were begin- 
 ning to exhibit a sort of feverish impatience, 
 as they always do on occasions of special 
 magnitude. The novel combat had been 
 much talked about and coin had been wag- 
 ered freely upon the result, so it was no 
 wonder that the people watched the sun to 
 see how the day wore away and the hour set 
 for the event (three o’clock), drew near. 
 
 The three men in whom we are the most 
 interested were seated in front of the hotel 
 shortly before the hour, watching the people as 
 they flocked to the corral. Though the coun- 
 try was comparativel}' new, there were a large 
 number of women in town, many of them it 
 is true of that class that are not supposed to 
 be worthy of respect, yet there were some 
 few who had accompanied their families, re- 
 solved to brave even the dangers of a mining 
 camp in the search for gold. 
 
 They had been discussing the contest, 
 and were just preparing to go with the 
 others to the corral, when a brilliant 
 couple were seen approaching from the 
 
A BULL AND GRIZZLY FIGHT. 45 
 
 distance ; a man and woman mounted on 
 a pair of buckskin mustangs, the fancy trap- 
 pings to the saddles catching the light of the 
 sun and throwing a brilliant glitter as they 
 rode by. The lady was clad in a rich Span- 
 ish costume, and as they passed the trio, she 
 turned her face, and Ritchie, at whom she 
 looked pointedly, fired up and bowed as if 
 impelled to do so. She let her large lustrous 
 eyes look down while a wave of color passed 
 over her cheeks, then she returned the salute, 
 but slightly. Her companion flashed a 
 look of anger at the bold stranger and mut- 
 tered a bitter invective. 
 
 “ There she is again, Harl,” cried Damon, 
 “ You can not escape her.” 
 
 “ Who is she?” asked Sexton. “ It seems 
 to me that I have seen that face before. 
 Somewhere in ’Frisco I think, perhaps a ‘look- 
 out’ at one of the gambling saloons.” 
 
 “ I hope not,” said Ritchie. “ She is too 
 beautiful for such a fate. We saw her once 
 before as that same man and herself took the 
 steamer at Acapulco. We tried to catch a 
 
4^ A 6UlL akd Grizzly fight. 
 
 glimpse of them afterward, but they remained 
 out of sight until we reached port, when we 
 again saw them for a brief time. It is my 
 opinion that there is some mystery in con- 
 nection with the whole affair. This fellow 
 seems distasteful to her.” 
 
 “That’s a lover’s argument,” said Damon, 
 winking slyly at Sexton. “You see how 
 badly he is hit.” 
 
 “ 1 should hope not seriously,” said his 
 Uncle, a little anxiously. “ I wouldn’t mind 
 a little harmless sport in that direction my- 
 self, but nothing serious, my boy, nothing 
 serious, if you love me.” 
 
 “ Come,” said his nephew, changing the 
 subject, “ we will be late for this Spanish 
 butchery, if we do not start soon.” 
 
 They had secured their seats in advance 
 and were therefore well provided for when 
 the sport, if such it might be called, com- 
 menced. In spite of himself Ritchie could 
 not help looking about in search of the 
 woman who had so interested him. He saw 
 her at last seated a short distance away and 
 
A BULL AND GRIZZLY FIGHT. 
 
 47 
 
 in the front as they were also. She perceived 
 him at once, even before he had discovered 
 her, and though she did not appear to recog- 
 nize him openly, he was.made aware by a flut- 
 ter at his own heart, that she felt his presence. 
 
 There was no time for sweet thoughts how- 
 ever, for the men in the pen were preparing 
 for the show, and there was a perfect babel 
 of voices about the enclosure. They had 
 fastened a long chain to one of the hind legs 
 of the monster grizzly, the other end being 
 staked into the ground by a long steel stake. 
 After taking this precaution they opened the 
 door to the cage, and several of the men 
 hauled it away until the twenty feet of heavy 
 chain came taut, when it drew the bear from 
 his confinement onto the sand of the arena. 
 
 As the huge animal was dragged out he 
 uttered savage growls, and turned and 
 snapped at his enemies as if he would annihi- 
 late them, at which that portion of the popu- 
 lace who had their money up on Bruin, gave 
 a loud cheer. As the cage was dragged away 
 Pruin tore at the ground in a rage and made 
 
48 
 
 A BULL AND GRIZZLY FIGHT. 
 
 a hole almost large enough for him to crawl 
 into, and then rocked from side to side and 
 contented himself with looking supremely 
 savage. 
 
 The bull was next led in and appeared 
 in no way less savage than his companion in 
 arms. He tore at the ground and appeared 
 enveloped in a cloud of dirt and sand. His 
 great eyes were blood-shot, and the breath 
 from his blood-red nostrils fairly smoked, as 
 he glared in a dazed sort of way at the huge 
 assemblage. 
 
 About the arena the people were beginning 
 to partake of some of the excitement that filled 
 the hearts of the beasts in its center. They 
 leaned eagerly forward and their cheeks 
 glowed with an unnatural color, while every 
 eye was fastened intently upon the center of 
 attraction. The three strangers were not 
 quite so carried away with anticipation and 
 were better able to enjoy a little study in 
 human nature ; all but Ritchie, who seemed 
 intent upon devouring the Chilian beauty 
 with all his eyes. 
 
A BULL AND GRIZZLY FIGHT. 49 
 
 It would hardly have been supposed that 
 the little city contained so many people, 
 especially of the female sex, but the bright 
 colors of their dress, principally worn in 
 Spanish style, brightened up the dark mass 
 of male humanity about the closely crowded 
 circle, which was now an anxious throbbing 
 body with but one common impulse, the wish 
 for the sight of blood. On this last morbid 
 object, the women seemed more intent than 
 the men, and uttered fierce little ejaculations, 
 urging the bull, who seemed their special 
 favorite, on to the charge. 
 
 The men left the arena, but, strange to say, 
 they failed to unfasten the chain which held 
 the bear. At this there was a decided mur- 
 mur that increased to a roar from the portion 
 of the audience that had wagered its money 
 on the sturdy brute who looked savage 
 enough to fight the whole assemblage. 
 Before the battle was over, however, it was 
 demonstrated that had the bear been at full 
 liberty the taller animal would have stood 
 but little show. In fact there is some doubt 
 
5^ A BULL AND GRIZZLY FIGHT. 
 
 if an animal lives that could get the better of 
 a full grown California grizzly. 
 
 For a short time the two brutes glared at 
 each other, and then there was a fearful bel- 
 low, a snort, and the bull charged, while the 
 crowd burst into a cheer and half rose to its 
 feet. As the fiery beast closed with its antag- 
 onist, the bear, rolled quickly over on its back 
 and crouched so that the sharp horns went 
 a little above his body, the bull passing com- 
 pletely over him in the mad rush. When the 
 brute recovered himself and turned, making 
 the ground tremble with the stamp of his 
 hoofs, the blood was streaming from the 
 gashes in his head, where the sharp claws of 
 the bear had torn the skin and flesh to the 
 skull. The bear had received a bad bruise 
 from the sharp hoofs of its antagonist, and 
 was in a frenzy of rage. 
 
 For a few moments the two glared savagely, 
 the roaring of the bull being nearly deadened 
 by the unearthly howling of the bear, a noise 
 that was too terrible to describe, and which 
 could have been heard for a great distance, 
 
A BULL AND GRIZZLY FIGHT. 5 1 
 
 Again the bull lowered his head and made 
 a rush. This time he succeeded in piercing 
 the bear’s side with one of his horns and a 
 fearful shriek went up from the wounded 
 animal. The sharp claws did their work, 
 however, and th«>bull left the ground d3’ed 
 with his blood mixed with that of his adver- 
 sary. Up to this time, the bear had been so 
 hampered by the chain that he had had 
 little chance to show the agility which he 
 really possesed. Now, however, the chain 
 was drawn taut as the brute tried to reach 
 the bull who held back ready for the charge. 
 It came at last, and the bear crouched and 
 allowed the bull to go over him. The length 
 of the chain now gave him forty feet to pur- 
 sue in, and quick as a flash the heavy brute 
 turned, and in a few swinging strides was 
 upon his enemy. The huge form raised itself 
 erect, and the right paw came down with 
 fearful force, catching the bull just above the 
 hip bone and bearing him half down with the 
 force of the blow. The bull leaped away, 
 and the sharp cruel claws of the mountain 
 
52 A BULL AND GRIZZLY FIGHT. 
 
 monster tore the flesh and smew sheer from 
 hip to hoof; the brbwn hide flecked with foam 
 Snd blood streaming behind where a deep 
 red trail of smoking blood glistened in the 
 afternoon sunlight. It was a fearful sight, 
 yet the people cheered and kerned to enjoy it. 
 
 All this had happenei^ in a flash, and the 
 bull turned in a perfect fury. He seemed to 
 realize that his fate was sealed, and that his 
 wound was mortal, for he would certainly 
 bleed to death. The bear was again ham- 
 pered with the chain, and the bull was upon 
 him, not with the fierce long rush that would 
 carry him over so that the bear could pursue, ■ 
 but down on top of him, goring into the great 
 body, taking the gashes and rips from the 
 powerful claws as if they mattered little. 
 
 The bear’s belly was pierced full of holes 
 and the legs of the bull were nearly stripped 
 of flesh, while the intestines hung out from a 
 deep rip in the side where the claws of the 
 bear had cut a§ clean as by a sword. The 
 sight was sickening, yet the people yelled and 
 encouraged tfieir fayorites, as if possessed, 
 
A BULL AND GRIZZLY FIGHT, 
 
 53 
 
 and nearly crowded over the sides of the en- 
 closure in their eagerness to lose not a tithe 
 of the conflict. 
 
 The battle could not last much longer, and 
 in a few moments the bull tottered away a 
 short distanee as if to gain strength, but the 
 great vitality was spent and his fore legs held 
 the shoulders above the ground while the 
 hind part of his body sank helplessly; still he 
 faced his enemy who struggled to meet him, 
 held by the chain. The great cries grew 
 weaker and the short giant frame sank crouch- 
 ing upon the ground. 
 
 “Kill them, kill them,” cried the crowd, 
 eager for slaughter, “they have done well. 
 Bravo, grizzly. Bravo, bull.” 
 
 The men entered the enclosure, and a bul- 
 let in the head finished the bull. The bear 
 showed more vitality, and it took several 
 shots to lay him quiet upon the ground that 
 was sticky with blood from the conflict. 
 Satisfied at last the crowd dispersed discuss- 
 ing the fight noisily, and quarreling over the 
 qierits of the animals. 
 
54 A BULL AND ORWZLY FIGHT. 
 
 The meat was sold to those who wished 
 to purchase, that of the grizzly bringing fifty 
 cents a pound. The giant brute weighed a 
 few pounds over eighteen hundred. A fear- 
 ful antagonist truly, for its claws measured 
 eight inches in length when cut from the 
 paw. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE MESSAGE ON THE FLASK. 
 
 The next day the slaughter formed the 
 chief subject for conversation, and was car- 
 ried on to such an extent that the three visit- 
 ors to the town grew heartily sick of it, and 
 retired to a saloon which was less frequented 
 than the more stylish ones, to get a little rest 
 from the ever same subject. To their minds, 
 the exhibition had been a brutal affair at the 
 least, and they were not ashamed to say so, a 
 freedom, however, that was liable to make 
 themselves disliked. 
 
 “ I suppose the liquor here is all of the same 
 quality,” said Damon, throwing himself down 
 on a rough wooden arm chair, and giving 
 himself up to supreme thoughts of disgust. 
 
 “ And all of it bad,” ventured Ritchie, with 
 a sigh. 
 
 “ Here, partner,” called Sexton to the hard- 
 ened character behind the rude bar. “ Have 
 you any good red-eye ?” 
 
 5S 
 
5® the message on the flask. 
 
 “ Good?” cried the man addressed, with an 
 oath, “ It’s all good. Who ever heard of a 
 bad drink of 'red-eye? You must be green, 
 partners. What do you say, boys ?” he said, 
 appealing to a small knot of tough citizens 
 who had just come in. 
 
 The new comers grunted a ready assent to 
 the bartender’s question, looking with greedy 
 eyes toward the trio seated about the table. 
 Of course an invitation to assist in the great 
 American habit was expected, and in fact 
 could hardly be neglected without fomenting 
 some rather unpleasant discord. So Sexton 
 invited them all to step up to the bar, while 
 his two companions looked on in disgust at 
 the way in which the rush followed. 
 
 “ What a set of men,” said Ritchie. “ They 
 look like a section of some band of outlaws, 
 fresh from the theatre of a crime.” 
 
 “ Granted,” said Sexton, “ but don’t take 
 any particular pains to tell them so, for my 
 sake. I don’t mind a bit of a row, but I al- 
 ways prefer that it shall be in a good cause.” 
 “ Harl wants a little practice in western 
 
THE MESSAGE ON THE FLASK. 
 
 57 
 
 discretion,” said Damon. “ He’ll soon learn 
 the diplomacy of the gold regions.” 
 
 While the friends had been conversing in 
 low tones, the invited company at the bar had 
 begun a noisy discussion that now threatened 
 to assume the shape of a heated argument, 
 and a heated argument in California during 
 those days meant trouble. The three at the 
 table began to wonder if it was not time to 
 be getting away from dangerous quarters, 
 and in fact had half risen, when one of the 
 disputants turned toward them and made a 
 direct appeal. 
 
 “ Look a hyar, stranger, what’s your opin- 
 ion?” the tough cried, looking directly at 
 Ritchie. 
 
 “ What does the tender-foot know about 
 it ?” growled one of the others. 
 
 “Well, I leave it to him,” cried the other, 
 doggedly. “ Come now, out with it. Me and 
 Bill’s made a bet and you’ve got to decide it.” 
 
 Ritchie was cornered, and his uncle whis- 
 pered to him to stand his ground and they 
 would see him out of it. 
 
5$ THS MESSAGE ON THE FLASK. 
 
 “ Well, what do you want me to decide?” 
 he said. 
 
 • “Who had the best of that fight yester- 
 day ? That’s what we’ve been disputin’ about. 
 There’s an ounce of dust up, and we want it 
 settled one way or ’nother.” 
 
 “ I’m afraid you’ll have to excuse me as 
 umpire,” replied the young man, calmly, “ for 
 I am no connoisseur in brutal exhibitions of 
 that sort. Ask me something easy." 
 
 The man looked at Ritchie in a manner 
 that showed the deepest astonishment. He 
 was evidently a little nonplused at the bare 
 idea that anybody could hold such opinions, 
 and for a moment it seemed as if he was in- 
 clined to treat the answer of Ritchie as a very 
 bad joke. This only lasted for a time, and his 
 brutal face begun to show traces of anger. 
 While his worst feelings were fermenting, the 
 clatter of hoofs was heard outside, and two 
 riders drew up at the open door of the place. 
 Ritchie and his companions saw them at 
 once, and a deep flush came to the face of the 
 former. It was the fair Chilian and her dark 
 iaced companion. 
 
fHf MtSSASE ON THE ftASK. 59 
 
 The man dismounted, — the maid taking 
 the bridle rein,— and strode into the bar room 
 just as the miner who had been trying to 
 think of something withering to say to the 
 young man who differed from him in opinion, 
 had prepared to. explode, 
 
 “You’re a sweet-scented tenderfoot, aint 
 yer ? ” he growled in a wicked voice, his 
 features working with rage. “ P’r’aps ye’ve 
 come ’bout hyar to sort ov rev’lutionise the 
 boys a bit. Have’nt got no Sunday school 
 book about yer~eh ? Look hyar, boys,” turn- 
 ing to the crowd that was lingering in sweet 
 expectancy. “ Jest watch me teach this yere 
 tenderfoot manners.” 
 
 He pulled from his belt a dangerous look- 
 ing pistol as he spoke, and toyed with it 
 lovingly. He was evidently in earnest, and 
 the little party were in for it. Just at this 
 juncture the newcomer interfered, by step- 
 ping half in front of the angry brute, and 
 without paying any attention to him, fixing 
 his dark eyes with an unmistakable look of 
 hatred upon Ritchie. 
 
6o THE MESSA6E 6N ThE ELASiC. 
 
 “ Harl seems to have made himself disliked 
 all around,” muttered his uncle with a little 
 chuckle to Damon. The two friends had 
 said nothing, but were prepared for action. 
 The old Californian had drawn his huge fire- 
 arm, and was fingering it playfully, where 
 the other faction could not see him. 
 
 “ I ask your pardon — ^you haf some trouble, 
 to dis man ?” waving his pointed fingers in 
 the direction of Ritchie, yet not taking his 
 eyes off his face. “ Again, once more I beg 
 pardon; if dere be any trouble with de 
 gentleman — dat is my affair.” 
 
 “The tenderfoot was cursing the bull fight, 
 and calling all the fighters brutes. He’d 
 ought to be taught a lesson,” growled the 
 former disputant, who was evidently con- 
 nected with the new comer in some way, for 
 he yielded his right to the quarrel grace- 
 fully. 
 
 “ May I ask de gantleman what es de objec- 
 tion to de bull fight ?” said the suave individ- 
 ual, bending his dark brows over his darker 
 eyes. 
 
tHR MESSAGE 6M TkE FLASlt. 6l 
 
 Up to this time Ritchie had kept his tem- 
 per. He knew that the surroundings were 
 dangerous, and that discretion was the better 
 part of valor. For that reason he had with- 
 held his usual disposition to fight it out 
 on the slightest provocation. The advent of 
 the new comer, and his evident eagerness to 
 quarrel angered him to a degree. He knew 
 what had engendered the hatred, and saw the 
 object of it all, through the doorway, where 
 the beautiful woman was even then bending 
 from her saddle to caress the neck of the 
 horse she was holding. A flush came to his 
 face, and deep anger to his eye. 
 
 “ 1 will give you a piece of advice,” he 
 said in a concentrated voice, fixing the other 
 with with a burning glance. “ Don’t meddle 
 in what does not concern you, and leave this 
 man and myself to settle our little affair 
 together — or you'll get hurt." 
 
 A rough crowd of men like that, which was 
 gathered in the room, are brutal and careless 
 of life ; but are ever ready to side with daring 
 and spirit ; therefore a loud guffaw of laugh- 
 
6a THE MESSAGE ON THE FLASK. 
 
 ter followed Ritchie’s speech, in which even 
 his former enemy joined. The dark face of 
 the foreigner grew livid, and with a move- 
 ment, snakelike in its quickness, he pulled a 
 pistol from his belt, and a report followed. 
 The smoke had hardly issed from the muzzle 
 of the weapon, before there was a louder de- 
 tonation from behind Ritchie, and with a cry 
 that was only half uttered the first assailant 
 threw up his hands and fell to the floor with 
 such force, that the glasses in the bar rattled. 
 At the same time Harlow pressed his hand 
 to his left side and, with hardly a groan, slid 
 from the edge of the table against which he 
 had been leaning, and fell in a heap to the 
 floor. 
 
 Sexton sprang over his body and faced the 
 party at the bar, swinging the huge pistol be- 
 fore him excitedly. “You all have heard of 
 me, if you don’t know me,” he cried. “ Jack 
 Sexton has held his own before now. Come — 
 scatter !” 
 
 Damon was at his side now, his massive 
 form quivering with excitement and a thirst 
 
THE MES3AGI ON THE FLASK. 63 
 
 for vcngcncc for the fall of his friend, and the 
 barrel of a leveled pistol gleamed in his hand. 
 The crowd cared little for him, however. In 
 that day it was reputation that traveled. 
 Sexton had made one for himself, in the 
 toughest of the early days. Some one cried, 
 “Vigilance Jack,” and a scamper followed 
 that cleared the room in short order. 
 
 Harry bent over his fallen friend the mo- 
 ment the party were alone,— -for all had fled 
 but the bartender— and raised him in his 
 arms, resting his head on his knee, while he 
 felt for the pulsation of the heart. 
 
 “ It beats,” he cried, joyously, as he tore 
 open the shirt and placed his hand on the 
 young man’s side. 
 
 “ It’s strange that there is no blood,” said 
 Sexton, searching rapidly for the wound. 
 “ He should have bled profusely.” 
 
 While the men bent over the body, the 
 door was darkened for just an instant, by a 
 vision. The woman had heard the firing, 
 and had only waited until the crowd had left 
 the place in such a hurry, when she had dis- 
 
^4 THE message on THE FLASK. 
 
 mounted and sprung to the door to see what 
 occurred. She paused at the entrance 
 for an instant, leaning a hand on either door 
 post, and gazed into the bar. 
 
 She saw the form stretched on the floor in 
 a pool of blood, the dark features drawn as if 
 m agony, and a look almost of relief passed 
 over the beautiful face. There was some 
 secret joy in his death to her. Then she saw 
 the two men bending over the prostrate form 
 and she stepped a pace into the room. Just 
 as she did so, the sun burst from a cloud and 
 a broad ray sped through the little window 
 and ht up the pale face of the young man’ 
 
 glinting the golden locks. . 
 
 She gave a little cry, and sprang forward 
 pressing her hand to her heart. The two’ 
 friends looked up, startled, as she hovered 
 over them, and their looks asked a question. 
 
 s IS he harmed ?” she panted. The voice 
 was music, and her English perfect. 
 
 I think so,” said Damon a little harshly, 
 i nis IS no place for a woman.” 
 
 “ Do not misjudge me,” she cried, » because 
 
THE MESSAGE ON THE FLASK. 6$ 
 
 I was with him,” pointing to the dark corpse. 
 
 “ Let me see.” 
 
 In a manner that there was no resisting, 
 she swiftly shoved Damon away, and took 
 the head of Ritchie upon her knees, at the 
 same time smoothing back the curling hair 
 from the forehead. The two men saw the 
 tender glance in the eyes as she did so, and 
 exchanged meaning looks. Her slender hands 
 deftly searched for the wound, and in a few 
 moments a delighted little cry escaped her. 
 
 “ You stupid men. He is only stunned.” 
 
 With an excited little laugh she drew from 
 his upper left vest pocket the heavy gold 
 watch he carried, and flung it on the floor. 
 The beautiful timepiece was a wreck, for the 
 bullet had pierced it in the center, and all 
 that remained was a debris of broken glass 
 and bent wheels. 
 
 “ We must have some brandy, quick,” she 
 cried. “Not that,” to the bartender, who 
 was about to reach down a bottle. “You 
 have nothing but whiskey in the place. Get 
 me a flask out of that pocket.” 
 
66 
 
 the message on the flask. 
 
 She pointed to the quiet body on the floor, 
 and Damon sprang to it and returned with 
 an old-fashioned oval glass flask, holding 
 nearly a pint. The woman held it to the lips 
 of the unconscious young man, filled his 
 mouth with the fiery liquid, and then gently 
 moved her hand over the throat, forcing it 
 down. She held him a moment and then re- 
 peated the performance, when a faint shud- 
 der in the form told that life was returning. 
 
 In a few moments a sigh followed, and the 
 eyes opened. There is something peculiar in 
 the returning to consciousness of one who has 
 suffered some sudden shock. The faculties 
 seem to settle upon one thing at a time, as if 
 a multiplicity of objects were too much to be 
 grasped at once. Strange to say, the first 
 thing that claimed his attention was not the 
 beautiful woman, bending over him with her 
 
 heart in her eyes, but the flask she held be- 
 fore him. 
 
 He seemed to study it with interest, and 
 his hps moved as if he was reading something 
 to himself. Then a startled expression crossed 
 
THE MESSAGE OK THE FLASK. 67 
 
 his features, and his eyes wandered to the 
 face that bent over him. fiis own colored 
 quickly, and a light came to his eyes that 
 made the fair creature tremble. 
 
 “ Please take him now,” she said, softly. 
 
 Damon and Sexton bent over him and 
 raised him up, while the lady sprang away 
 and watched with all her eyes. 
 
 “Can you stand, Harl?” asked his uncle. 
 
 The young man gathered his faculties, and 
 stood up, wavering an instant. Slowly his 
 strength returned, and he was able to stand 
 unaided, by resting a hand upon the table. 
 
 He turned to the fair girl, who had shown 
 such solicitude for his recovery, and the color 
 came back to his face. 
 
 “ Madam, I wish to thank you for your 
 kindness to a stranger, and almost an enemy.” 
 She made a gesture of denial, and flushed 
 painfully. “ Forgive me if 1 am mis- 
 taken.” 
 
 “ In being his enemy, you should be the 
 more my friend.” 
 
 “ You have been kind to me,” he continued, 
 
68 THE MESSAGE OK THE FLASK. 
 
 “Will you not be so still, and grant me a re- 
 quest?” 
 
 “ Yes— if I can, and not blush for it.” 
 “Give me that flask, you hold in your 
 hand.” 
 
 ■‘Only a poor little flask of glass. Cer- 
 tainly, if you wish it. I had hoped you would 
 have asked something of more moment,” a 
 little hurt, “ but it is yours if you want it.” 
 
 “ Do you not know what that little bottle 
 is?” he cried. “ Have you never read it?” 
 “Read it,” a little doubtfully, “No,-what 
 is there to read ?” 
 
 “ What is there to read? The Message 
 
 ON THE FLASK.” 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 A CORROBORATIVE TALE. 
 
 In a room well littered with masculine 
 eccentricities, the three men lounged in fron- 
 tier neglige, that is with a sole garment 
 between the upper portion of their anatomies 
 and the July weather. The windows were 
 opened wide, and the thick fumes from their 
 fragrant pipes gathered lazily in the still 
 atmosphere of the room, and then curled out 
 in a thick blue sheen beneath the window 
 frame, and was dispersed upon the outer 
 atmosphere. It was several days after the 
 excitement of their encounter, but it was evi- 
 dent that they had been engaged in animated, 
 not to say excited conversation. 
 
 “ It is rather strange that we can not find a 
 trace of the girl/’ said Sexton, as if following 
 up the thread of the discourse. “ I should 
 think that her curiosity would have been 
 aroused by your statement in regard to the 
 
 69 
 
70 
 
 A. CORROBORATIVE TALE. 
 
 flask ; enough at least to have called upon us 
 for an explanation.” 
 
 “ I fancy that Harl is the most disappointed 
 over her non-appearance,” said Damon, 
 laughing softly at the look of annoyance 
 which sprung at once to the face of his friend. 
 He reached over to the table as he spoke, and 
 posessed himself of the bottle which had previ- 
 ously called for such an outburst. 
 
 There was nothing extraordinary in this 
 bottle, which was much like other old-fash* 
 ioned flasks — a flat oval receptacle, of the 
 cheapest kind, with smooth sides, and a short 
 neck. It had been made for service, and was 
 such as hunters and prospectors could easily 
 stow away in their pockets. On these flat 
 sides, however, had been etched with some 
 sharp instrument, presumably a diamond, a 
 number of cabalistic characters, and some 
 scratches evidently intended fora crude map. 
 Damon scrutinized it narrowly, paying par- 
 ticular attention to the map. 
 
 ” You have been hinting improbable things 
 to US for some days,” he said to Ritchie, 
 
A CORROBOAATtve TALC. 7 1 
 
 “ Now that your Princess does not appear to 
 be ready to put in an appearance, why not 
 translate these shorthand characters? For 
 once in my life I am sorry that the study of 
 the phonetic writing was neglected by me, 
 for then we would not trouble you.” 
 
 “ It’s rather a Quixotic idea, that of Harl’s 
 keeping the secret to himself until the lady 
 should be present,” ventured his uncle. If 
 there isanything in it, we should know at once." 
 
 “ It is only proper that she should have a 
 hand in the discovery,” said Ritchie stub- 
 bornly. “It was her property, and she is en- 
 titled to a share in the result, if anything 
 comes of it.” 
 
 “ Well, nobody’s denying that,” answered 
 Sexton. “ Go ahead with your translation of 
 these heathen hieroglyphics, and we promise 
 to share. Besides, there’s no certainty that 
 the lady will ever be seen by us again.” 
 
 His nephew grew thoughtful fora moment, 
 while his companions watched him with no 
 little degree of interest. Their curiosity had 
 been awakened by his assertions that the mes* 
 
A CORROBORAttVE TALE. 
 
 sage was the key to something wonderful, and 
 they were anxious to be made parties in the 
 secret which the old piece of glass contained. 
 Finally Ritchie took the flask from his friend’s 
 hand, seized a pencil, and began to scribble 
 on the back of an old env^elope he took from 
 his pocket for the purpose. 
 
 “ The characters are not perfect,” he ex- 
 plained, “ some of them being broken in the 
 execution. They have evidently been cut 
 with either a ring or pin, which was set with 
 a diamond.” 
 
 When he had finished his work, this is what 
 his two companions read: 
 
 “Alone and sick unto death, I- leave to 
 posterity, the secret of the route to the 
 Devil’s gold : the wealth of kings, in one vast 
 mass. Seek and ye shall find. Eight days 
 march from where the Sacramento pierces 
 the Sierras, due northeast, are the brother 
 peaks. Follow the creek in the torrent bed 
 to the cave. Follow the white marks to the 
 goal. Riches beyond compare await you. 
 Pray for August Rutchek.” 
 
X COfcROfiOllXTtVB TAte. 
 
 "The map on the other side explains 
 itself," said the translator. " In the lower 
 left hand corner is a rough representation of 
 the range and the river. Across to the top 
 the route is shown. Those wavy marks 
 across the path are evidently rivers, these are 
 a couple of lakes and those parallel lines are 
 meant for either a swamp, forest or alkali 
 desert. In the upper right hand corner are 
 the mountains spoken of. Nothing could be 
 plainer.” 
 
 "Unless this whole affair was the rather 
 poor joke of some miner,” interrupted Sex- 
 ton. " It seems altogether too much filled 
 with the romantic to have any foundation.” 
 " I don’t know,” said Damon. “ I am in- 
 clined to believe that there is something 
 worth the while in the find. I can give no 
 reasons, but I feel a presentiment that the 
 gold is there. It is enticing, to say the least.” 
 "It is not only enticing, but it is true,” 
 cried Ritchie, his face lighting up with a glow 
 of excitement. " I tell you that if we search 
 as this message directs, we will find the 
 
74 
 
 A CORROBORATIV* TAL*. 
 
 wealth that is described, ‘ the wealth of kings, 
 in one vast mass.’ It is worth looking after.” 
 
 " Always providing that it is not the result 
 of the poor crazed brain of some disappointed 
 prospector, my dear boy,” was the somewhat 
 cold reply of the elder man. “ I have seen 
 many alluring things in my day turn out 
 trifles decidedly lighter than air in this min- 
 ing region. You are both tenderfeet as yet, 
 and will live to take less stock in these maps 
 and routes to vast riches.” To show how 
 little he was posessed by the feelings of his 
 young friends, he flung himself upon the bed 
 with a yawn, which seemed to settle the sub- 
 ject. 
 
 “ So you don’t think it worth while to start 
 out upon any expedition in search of this 
 treasure ?” ventured Ritchie, his tone reveal- 
 ing the disappointment his whole being had 
 undergone at the rebuff. 
 
 “ In search of fiddlesticks,” was the testy 
 answer. “ I gave you credit for a little more 
 sense. No 1 Unless you prove to me more con- 
 clusively than you have to date, that the vast 
 
A COkROBORAtIVE TALE. 
 
 treasure exists, I will not stir an inch. Be- 
 sides, I have never heard of this man Rut- 
 check, and nobody ever heard of the ‘ brother 
 peaks’ he mentions. Seriously, Harl, I would 
 do much to please you, but to follow up this 
 affair would be silly. Give it up. ” 
 
 “ Think it over,” ventured Damon. He 
 had seen that his friend was terribly disap- 
 pointed, and sought to appease the feeling. 
 “Perhaps you may change your mind, 
 arl and I came out here partly in search of 
 adventure, and what is a few hundred miles 
 more or less? We may find good shooting 
 on the way. Besides, we will be on an inter- 
 esting exploration at the same time.” 
 Matter-of-fact Sexton was about to give a 
 hasty negative reply, when he was interrupted 
 by a knock at the door, which was only par- 
 tially open. Instead of answering, he turned 
 his head lazily in the direction of the door, 
 and called ‘‘come in/* * 
 
 In answer to his summons, the door moved 
 s owly upon its hinges, as if pushed by a 
 timid hand, and a youth entered the room, 
 
y6 A CORROBORAIIVE tALE. 
 
 but remained standing by the door, ready to 
 beat a hasty retreat should circumstances 
 require it. The three friends looked upon 
 the intruder with glances in which won- 
 der was not unmixed with admiration. Nor 
 was their surprise extraordinary. The boy 
 who stood before them, in a timid, half ap- 
 pealing way, was one of Nature’s most strik- 
 ing pieces of handiwork. He appeared to be 
 about 17 years of age, and was slightly built, 
 yet there was a breadth of chest and hips 
 that while it was slightly efifeminate, seemed 
 to promise strength and activity. The hands 
 were trim and slender, and showed no trace 
 of having been accustomed to toil, while the 
 feet which were encased in a pair of riding 
 boots, were all too small for a youth of his 
 healthy proportions. His head was set high 
 upon a well-poised full-throated neqk, and 
 was surmounted with a crop of rather long 
 wavy gloss-black curls. The eyes were large 
 and earnest, and of a peculiar dun color,' 
 while the brows that arched above them 
 were as finely pencilled as the most stylish 
 
A CORROBORATIVE TALE. 
 
 society woman could desire. A nose slightly 
 Greek, red moist lips which trembled slightly 
 and parted before perfect teeth, small ears 
 set close to the head, a round dimpled chin’ 
 and an oliye complexion, so changeable that 
 It seemed as if the pink blood would mount 
 to the surface to meet a touch, completed 
 the wonderful picture. 
 
 He stood turning a Mexican sombrero nerv 
 
 looked about timidly, saying in a yoice so 
 
 chord had been awakened in their memories. 
 
 1 hope I haye not been rude. I asked for 
 your room down stairs, and was sent up here 
 I had some business-that is, a favor to ask 
 How hke-how like,” whispered Ritchie 
 hoarsely, to Damon, who nodded his head 
 emphatically, without taking his eyes from 
 the wonderful face. 
 
 Sexton seemed to be the only one tvho re. 
 tamed enough of his normal condition to be 
 
 t°h T !T visitor, and arose from 
 
 ed with a kindly smile. “You must 
 
A CORROBORATIVE TALE. 
 
 forgive my young friends, he said. They 
 are evidently wondering at your resemblance 
 to a lady friend with whom my nephew— that’s 
 the one over there, the one who blushed— is in 
 love.’’ 
 
 “ Perhaps you mean my sister,” said the 
 boy, softly, his cheeks reddening. 
 
 “ Ah ! your sister,” cried Ritchie, stepping 
 forward, a new interest in his tone. “ Where 
 
 is she nowr? ” . . . „ 
 
 “ She has gone back to the home^n Chili, 
 was the answer, and the flush deepened, as 
 the eyes drooped beneath his intent gaze. 
 « It was she who sent me to you.” 
 
 “ Come then,” cried Sexton, heartily, “ just 
 you sit yourself down here, and tell us all 
 
 about it. I suppose it’s about the flask. Have 
 a pipe? or hav’nt.you acquired the habit yet?” 
 “ I’ll roll a cigarette,” and the pretty fin- 
 gers deftly rolled a diminutive quantity of 
 tobacco into a paper, while they all took 
 seats about the table, prepared to listen. 
 “Why did your sister go back to Chili? 
 
 asked Damon. 
 
A CORROBORATIVE TALK. 
 
 79 
 
 “ She never cared to go from there. The 
 man you killed was her enemy. He had 
 been made her guardian, and by Chilian law 
 it gave him charge of her property, and com- 
 pelled her to do as he bid until she became 
 twenty years of age.” 
 
 “And her name?” asked Ritchie, softly. 
 
 “ Loie de Jantezao. Mine is Julian.” He 
 threw away his cigarette— Chilians seldom 
 more than light them — and reached over, pos- 
 sessing himself of the flask. “ You told my 
 sister that there was a message upon this. 
 How?*' 
 
 “ The little marks you see, are a manner of 
 writing,” said Ritchie, “called short-hand, 
 and which I luckily learned while attending 
 college. On the other side is a map. Here 
 is the translation of the characters,” handing 
 him the envelope. 
 
 “ I have often studied this bottle which has 
 been about our home for some years,” said 
 the boy, “and my fancy has often led me to 
 believe that there was something hidden 
 here.” He read the message through with 
 
8o 
 
 A CORROBORATIVE TALE. 
 
 heightened color — that message from the 
 dead. • 
 
 “ You will go, of course ? ” 
 
 Sexton laughed, and the others looked seri- 
 ous. The tone of the question had been 
 almost Sin appeal. “ I think not,” he said. 
 “ There is nothing tangible enough about this 
 little flask and short-hand affair.” 
 
 “ But if 1 tell you more ? ” asked the young 
 fellow, earnestly. “ For there is more to this 
 than you have heard.” 
 
 “ Tell uS, and we’ll see,” was Sexton’s curt 
 answer. 
 
 “ I have believed it from the first,” ex- 
 plained Ritchie to Jantezao. “I have never, 
 doubted its being genuine.” 
 
 “ For the first part of my story,” began the 
 narrator, with a flash of his glorious eyes at 
 Ritchie, “ I am indebted to my father, for 
 they occurred long before my birth. He 
 loved me^very dearly, and often beguiled me 
 when a child, with tales of his travels, which 
 I have since learned had been quite extended. 
 I remember that he had for a constant visitor 
 
■ A CORROBORATIVE TALR 8 1 
 
 at our house, a short, slim, wiry man, well-on 
 ih years, and of a nervous temperament. He 
 was with him very often, in animated discus- 
 sion, and often in my hearing they would talk 
 over their travels, while I listened with bated 
 breath drinking in the interesting stories. 
 This man was well learned in metallurgy, and 
 was a student of no mean ability on almost 
 every branch of science. 
 
 “ Before my father had met, loved and 
 wedded my mother, he, in company with the 
 other, had sailed to the western coast of 
 North America, in search of treasure, which 
 my father’s friend had insisted was to be found 
 there. For reasons which I never thought to 
 learn, they took a long march inland, over 
 mountains and rivers, and finally came to the 
 base of a group of peaks which seemed to 
 rise suddenly above the surrounding country, 
 like brother giants. In telling the story 
 they always spoke of them as the Brother 
 Mountains. Here their provisions ran low 
 and they were preparing to retrace their 
 steps without having discovered the treasure 
 
82 
 
 A CORROBORATIVE TALE, 
 
 they were in search of, when a faint human 
 cry was heard from beyond a ledge of rocks, 
 near which they had passed on the mountain 
 side. The cry startled them, yet they at 
 once sprang in its direction. Nearing the 
 point, a huge eagle bounded from the ground 
 and soared aloft, uttering shrill cries at being 
 disturbed from its prey. The two men rushed 
 to the spot, and raised from the cruel rocks 
 the form of a little babe, scarcely two years 
 of age. I can remember now how the.per- 
 ilous position of the child touched my tender 
 heart while the story was being told. The 
 little one had a dark skin of a peculiar shade, 
 and jetty hair. He was clad in a garment 
 of some peculiar fine material, made from 
 a variety of fibre that was unknown, even 
 to the man who was skilled in botany. This 
 garment was gathered under the arras, with 
 a girdle of beaten virgin gold. 
 
 “.They had some misgivings as to whether 
 or not it was not all a dream, but the evi- 
 dence remained with them, and was height- 
 ened by the cries of the child, which they 
 
A CORROBORATIVE TALE. 
 
 83 
 
 had laid tenderly upon a blanket. They 
 would have liked to stay longer and solve 
 the mystery, and my father’s friend was 
 beside himself at being obliged to leave the 
 hunt just as they were nearing the goal ; but 
 the food was in danger of giving out, and 
 game was not plenty, so they were obliged 
 to set upon their return journey to the coast, 
 resolved to make another trip at some future 
 time, and come better prepared. The girdle 
 upon the child led them to believe that gold 
 was abundant somewhere in the vicinity. 
 The child they concluded was of some In- 
 dian tribe, of which little was known. 
 
 “ Arrived at the coast, my father was taken 
 ill with a fever, the result of the hardships 
 he had endured, and they embarked at once 
 for home. The child was left with a party 
 who were traveling to the eastern coast of 
 North America by way of Cape Horn. 
 Thereafter my father engaged in business 
 pursuits, which accumulated wealth quite 
 rapidly ; he met my mother, and as the years 
 went on he gave up his purpose of returning 
 
84 
 
 A CORROBORATIVE TALE, 
 
 to the land of the hidden gold, and the Indian 
 ace. His companion, however, would give 
 him no peace, and after several years, to 
 please him, my father finally fitted him out for 
 a long journey, with money and what else was 
 necessary, and with that, August Rutcheck set 
 out for the land of promise.’’ 
 
 “ August Rutcheck,” cried Ritchie excitedly. 
 “ The same name.” 
 
 ” Yes, and the same August Rutcheck, the 
 Polish adventurer and refugee.” 
 
 “ But why didn’t you recognize something 
 strange in the strange appearance of this 
 flask ?” asked Sexton, who was beginning to 
 get interested in spite of himself, while Da- 
 mon calmly smoked his pipe, and seemed 
 equally well prepared to accept any consum- 
 mation. 
 
 “ Wait. That is but the beginning of my 
 story. I was old enough to be able to re- 
 member now, when my father, worried 
 because his friend did not return, set out to 
 find him. He with the man you killed 
 and two companions, traversed the same 
 
A CORROBORATIVE TALE. 
 
 85 
 
 route he and Rutcheck had been over years 
 before, and there, by the side of a stream, 
 found the body, where he had crawled to die, 
 stricken with the fever. He had been dead 
 for months, and details would be sickening. 
 In a pouch at his side they found a rough 
 . piece of gold of some size, which looked as if 
 it had been hacked from a mass of the same 
 precious metal. Lying beneath the grinning 
 skull, was the flask, and on the blackened 
 finger sparkled a ring my father had given 
 him, with one stone missing, as you see it 
 now.” 
 
 Julian drew from his finger the ring, set 
 with a cluster of brilliants in the shape of a 
 star. The three men, now ail excitement, 
 examined it eagerly, and noted that a stone 
 at one of the points of the star was gone from 
 its place. The narrative had impressed them 
 deeply, and the faces of the two younger 
 men were flushed, while Sdxton, the un- 
 believer, trembled as he held in his hand the 
 little jewel, that had undoubtedly scratched 
 that message from the dead, and left it as a 
 
86 
 
 A CORROBORATIVE TALE. 
 
 heritage to whoever might decipher the 
 meaning of the strange characters. 
 
 “Well?” questioned Ritchie, with along 
 drawn breath, “ Shall we go ?” 
 
 Sexton looked from one to the other of the 
 eager faces for a moment, read the clear eyes 
 of the narrator, in which truth was expressed 
 if it ever was spoken mutely in that manner, 
 and said : 
 
 “ Yes. I give in to you all. The proof is 
 too convincing.” 
 
 “And the boy?” asked Ritchie. “Do 
 you wish to go ?” laying a hand cordially on 
 his shoulder. He felt a tenderness for him 
 for his sister’s sake. 
 
 “Oh, if I may,” he cried. “ It is what I 
 should have asked— it is what I wish.” 
 
 Of course he can, said Sexton heartily. 
 
 “ Why, the discovery belongs to him, by right, 
 and if we get anything he should be there.” 
 
 And that is how the quartette was formed. 
 How different would have been the feelings 
 of three of them, could they have seen the 
 handsome boy, as he left them a half hour 
 
87 
 
 A Corroborative tale. 
 
 later, turn back towards the closed door, and 
 whisper softly as his eyes glowed with feel- 
 ing and his breast heaved : “ Bless you alb 
 and may the Virgin keep him, the man I 
 love. Forgive the lie, that permits Julian to 
 live by his side, for the sake of the love that 
 Julian’s sister bears him.” 
 
. CHAFER VI. 
 
 THE MASKED QUICKSANDS. 
 
 Sexton was a typical westerner, with whom 
 to think was to act. He had been slow to 
 believe the strange disclosures made by the 
 translation of the message, but after he had 
 become once convinced that there was 
 truth in it, he was as eager as the younger 
 men to reach scenes which promised, not 
 only untold treasures for the seeker, but 
 adventures as well. He had been in Cali- 
 since the early days of the gold fever, 
 and had prospected much, but he had never 
 heard of any Indian race aside from the some- 
 what primitive people who had inhabited the 
 coast, and he was anxious to seek out a race 
 that girded its younger scions with virgin 
 gold. He was filled with the prospector’s 
 fever, but in addition to this was the added, 
 and more insidious excitement which fol- 
 lows the idea of a possible discovery which 
 would be a revelation to the world. 
 
 88 
 
tttE masked quicksands. 89 
 
 Ritchie and Damon hurried on with the 
 preparations, and the boy Julian proved of no 
 little assistance. It was only about a week 
 later, therefore, when the quartette wended 
 its way out of Oreville, leaving the inhabi- 
 tants of that little city firm in the conviction 
 that it was some new prospecting party, 
 setting out on one of those wild goose chases, 
 upon which so many had wrecked health and 
 fortune many times before. Their departure 
 caused a little ripple of exitement for a few 
 days, and then the event was forgotten, as 
 well as the four people who had gone forth 
 upon the search for gold and adventure. 
 
 To the three younger members of the 
 party, the march to the north and through 
 the ever varying kaleidoscope of nature was 
 one continued narrative of the possibilities of 
 the great power of which they never tired. 
 Sexton had been through so much of this 
 mountain scenery, that there was nothing 
 new in it to him, and his whole thought was 
 concentrated upon the ultimate result of the 
 expedition. The others almost forgot the 
 object of the tramp, and gloried in the charms 
 
§6 tHE MASKED QUICKSANdS. 
 
 that Nature was ever unfolding before them 
 in a never ceasing change. The party was a 
 picturesque one in its way, and would have 
 made a pretty picture could it have been pho- 
 tographed as it made its way toward the 
 headwaters of the Sacramento. Each strad- 
 dled a sturdy burro, and behind were two 
 pack animals of the same breed, which fol- 
 lowed with the well known sagacity of this 
 much abused but intelligent race. 
 
 Sexton invariably rode in the lead, with 
 Damon often at his side, while a short dis- 
 tance behind, Ritchie rode'in close compan- 
 ionship with Julian. There seemed to be 
 some chord of affinity between the two, and 
 before many days travel had rolled behindj 
 this had grown to be an accepted order of 
 march. Even had there been no cause for 
 the trip, it would have been worth the while 
 of the party to have taken it, for it was a 
 sportsman’s paradise, through that wonder- 
 ful flora, with backgrounds often of frowning 
 rocks, from which ever and anon dashed into 
 view miniature cataracts, flinging the cooling 
 
 
THE MASKED QUICKSANDS. 
 
 9 * 
 
 spray on the wings of the summer breeze, 
 full in the faces of the party. Sometimes the 
 route fed by limpid pools, that glassed the 
 fleeting clouds overhead, while beneath, the 
 watchful eyes of the mountain trout stared 
 up at the strange beings who bent over the 
 vine-edged banks, to sip from nature’s own 
 goblet, the pure water of the mountain 
 streams. The burros always quickened their 
 pace when they scented these spots among 
 ’the foothills, and buried their tan noses deep 
 in the water, sometimes within a few inches 
 of the face of their rider. 
 
 Wild game was plenty, and many a shot 
 was taken at the mountain sheep, antelope, 
 or deer, and at times the springing jack-rab- 
 bit was not scorned, for it made a savory mor- 
 sel for the evening repast when the tired 
 party was ready to encamp for the night. 
 
 Damon was an inveterate angler, and he 
 
 had a line and book of flies in his pocket, 
 
 which he took great pleasure in using. He 
 
 would beg that they camp by the side of 
 
 some mountain stream, that he might try his 
 6 
 
0 THE MASKED QUICKSANDS. 
 
 luck with the fly in the early morning. Then 
 he w'ould cut himself a slight pole from some 
 young tree, and land a few of the finest trout 
 in the world, those of California, which a few 
 minutes later, would be simmering and 
 sputtering in the frying-pan for breakfast. 
 
 The long days of travel gave ample oppor- 
 tunity for extended conversations, and Ritchie 
 grew more aud more charmed with Julian, as 
 he grew to know the treasures which the 
 mind of his companion was ever making mani- 
 fest. He found that he could carry on a con- 
 versation on any subject, and that he had 
 mastered the contents of many a book with 
 which they were both familiar. He was 
 curious to know where Julian had received 
 such a really brilliant education, and how he 
 had acquired his perfect pronunciation of the 
 English language, which he had first noticed 
 in the speech of the sister. The boy informed 
 him that they had been under the tutelage of 
 an old English professor for some years, who 
 had taken up his residence in South America 
 for his health. They had made it a practice 
 
tHE MASKED QUICKSANDS; 
 
 93 
 
 to converse with him in his own tongue, until 
 he had pronounced them proficient in its use. 
 
 The three friends were quick to see that the 
 young fellow was possessed of little of the 
 coarseness peculiar to some young men of the 
 States, and his apparent innocence was such, 
 that he shrank and blushed whenever Sexton, 
 who had passed much of his life among a 
 rough class of men, gave vent to an oath. 
 They soon learned to favor him in that re- 
 spect, and were as gentle and careful that 
 nothing vile came to his ears, as if he had 
 been some innocent girl. He seemed to notice 
 it also, and it gave him a growing confidence 
 in them that soon ripened into real affection, 
 which was heartily returned on the other 
 side. 
 
 “ I can’t help liking the cub, in spite of his 
 girlish innocence,” said Sexton one day, » and 
 am not at all sorry that we have him with 
 us.” 
 
 “ I find him as refreshing as an iced mint 
 after a night’s spree,” Damon had answered, 
 heartily. 
 
94 
 
 THE MASKED QUICKSANDS. 
 
 This was the state of things when the party 
 had pierced the Sierras, and leaving behind 
 the inspiring rugged scenery of the great 
 mountains, began to wend its way among the 
 foothills of the eastern slope, to arrive shortly 
 after at the spot where was the real begin- 
 ning of the route mapped out on the flask, an 
 enlarged and more perfect copy of which 
 Sexton had made, and carried handy for 
 reference. Here one afternoon, eight days 
 after their start, having traveled about 125 
 miles, the latter part of the journey through 
 the mountains having been most tortuous and 
 slow, they camped for the balance of the day, 
 having relieved the burros of their loads and 
 saddles, allowing them to roam at will and 
 nibble at the grass, which grew in rich pro- 
 fusion where the land was well watered by 
 the mountain springs. 
 
 Sexton and Damon took their rifles, and 
 wandered out from the camp, to see what they 
 could find in the way of game, while Ritchie 
 and Julian remained behind, the former lol- 
 ling beneath the shade of a tree and enjoying 
 
THE MASKED QUICKSANDS. 
 
 95 
 
 his pipe, while the latter lay at his side, prone 
 upon his face, his pretty chin propped up on 
 his shapely hands, the eibows resting on the 
 soft grass. 
 
 “ Why is it that whenever I try to draw 
 you into conversation about your sister,” 
 Ritchie was saying, “you invariably try to 
 change the subjeet ?” 
 
 One doesn’t always want to be talking 
 about one’s sister,” was the reply, given with 
 a little tremble to the voice, and a startled 
 look in the great eyes. “ Would you ?” 
 
 “Did she have a lover?” questioned he, 
 unheeding the inquiry. 
 
 “ No-oh ! no-that is I never knew that she 
 ever preferred any young man.” The boy 
 was evidently ill at ease. 
 
 “Now look here, Julian,” said Ritchie, 
 earnestly. “You are not acting square with 
 me, to use a California expression. I have 
 taken a fancy to you, and treat you as if you 
 were my own brother. Why can’t you be 
 honest with me? You act as if you were try- 
 ing to conceal something from me. Are you ?’’ 
 
96 THE MASKED QUICKSANDS. 
 
 “ No. Why do you ask so much after my 
 sister? I never heard her speak much of 
 you.’' 
 
 Ritchie winced a little, and he looked the 
 disappointment he felt at the stab. “ I could 
 hardly hope that she would,’’ he replied after 
 a time. “ She had hardly seen me, to know 
 me. Let it pass. I apologize to the brother, 
 for having thought too much of the sister. 
 Women are not worthy of much thought at 
 the best.” 
 
 “Why ? 1 have always been taught to look 
 upon them as the lights and ornaments of 
 this world. What cause have you to speak 
 as you do of them ? ” 
 
 Ritchie blew a cloud of smoke into the air, 
 and reflected for a moment. He was in a 
 blue mood that afternoon, and felt that he 
 needed a sympathizer. In a hurried sort of 
 way he plunged, therefore, into a recital of 
 his wrongs at the hands of the worldly co- 
 quette, and told his listener the whole story. 
 It was as well that he did not watch his com- 
 panion narrowly during the recital, for he 
 
THE MASKED QUICKSANDS. 97 
 
 would have seen that which would have 
 caused him to wonder greatly. The express- 
 ive face was a study, in which anger, pity, 
 and jealousy were combined. At times the 
 small frame shook with some suppressed 
 emotion, and the breath came quickly from 
 the compressed lips. After Ritchie had 
 finished and turned his eyes upon his listener, 
 the remark came in a constrained, cold voice : 
 
 “You seem to expect a free heart from a 
 woman, and yet confess yourself calloused by 
 a deep and lasting wound. It is not so I 
 would approach the woman I could wish to 
 win.” 
 
 Ritchie looked up in surprise, as the boy 
 rose to his feet and turned coldly away. 
 Here were strange words to come from one 
 so young. Yet, perhaps these southern races 
 had a knowledge of such matters at an earlier 
 age than those of northern lands. Before he 
 could answer, the boy had left him, and was 
 out of hearing at the other side of the camp. 
 A coldness followed between the two friends, 
 which lasted some days, and resisted at 
 
5)8 THE MASKED QUICKSANDS. 
 
 first all of Ritchie’s well directed attempts to 
 patch it up. He looked upon it as a way the 
 boy had of championing his sister’s cause. 
 
 The next day the route was resumed, and 
 the morning of the second day they reached 
 the river marked upon the map. It was little 
 more than a creek at that point, and was 
 easily forded. A few miles further on it took 
 up its course running in an opposite direc- 
 tion to the Sacramento, and in the line of 
 their route, so they followed it for two days, 
 until the lake into which it emptied was 
 reached, with the other lake showing upon 
 the map, some miles to the right. At the 
 upper end of the lake could be seen two high 
 peaks of a group of mountains, while still far- 
 ther to the northeast, another cluster of points 
 pierced the hazy distance. Game was abun- 
 dant about this lake, and some hours were con- 
 sumed in procuring fresh meat for the larder. 
 
 A few miles further on, the banks of the 
 lake were left far in the distance, and the 
 party pursued its way over an arid desert. 
 They had bottled a sufficient quantity of 
 
THE MASKED QUICKSANDS. 99 
 
 water for drinking purposes, but the hot sun 
 shining upon the baking ground created a 
 raging thirst among the burros. They kept 
 to their course after sundown, in order to 
 pass over the inhospitable part of the country 
 as soon as possible, and just as dusk was ap- 
 proaching the intelligent animals pricked up 
 their ears, and those with the packs started 
 off at a brisk gallop. The riders followed as 
 closely as possible, and finally in the distance 
 a field of long green grass spread over the 
 plain, beyond which was a lagoon. Julian 
 was now in advance with his burro, and 
 shouting merrily for the rest to come on, he 
 urged the little animal still harder. On went 
 the beast and rider, the balance of the party 
 following as rapidly as they could. The 
 leader reached the edge of the green carpet 
 of verdure, rushed into it, staggered, and 
 nearly fell from the softness of the earth, 
 struggled again, sprang ahead a short dis- 
 tance, snorted, floundered on once more, and 
 finally, with a piercing bray, caught and sank 
 up to its belly. 
 
lOO THE MASKED QUICKSANDS. 
 
 In an instant Sexton had snatched a lariat 
 from his saddle-bow, and crying, “ The quick- 
 sands I" rushed out upon the treacherous 
 earth as far as he could with safety. “ Roll 
 off ! ” he yelled to the now thoroughly startled 
 boy, who with quick intuition obeyed him, 
 having the sense to roll over several times, 
 out of the way of the floundering, braying 
 ill-fated burro. Damon and Ritchie had their 
 hands full with keeping the pack animals 
 from rushing out on the treacherous soil 
 after the enticing water which gleamed in 
 the distance. Ritchie’s heart was a huge 
 lump in his throat as he saw the boy’s plight, 
 and was powerless to assist him. “ Watch 
 out !” yelled Sexton to the boy, and with all 
 the force of his sinewy arm, the lariat flew, 
 its noose well within reach of the young 
 fellow. “ Grab it !” called the miner, and in 
 a twinkling the boy had pulled it to him, and 
 passed the noose over his shoulders, just as 
 his body was beginning to settle in the fearful . 
 depths. The strong arms of the sturdy man 
 hauled firmly but tenderly, and in a few 
 
THE MASKED QUICKSANDS. 
 
 lot 
 
 moments the boy was safe in the arms of his 
 friends, though a little moist and begrimmed 
 with the soft mucky earth. Meantime the 
 shrieking burro had disappeared from sight, 
 the last bray from his throat sending the mud 
 into the air as he sank from view. 
 
 By skirting this grass and muck-covered 
 Quicksand for a short time they reached a 
 puny stream running into the lagoon, through 
 the grass, which furnished sufficient water to 
 satisfy the famished stock. Sexton was in 
 favor of giving his burro and saddle to Julian 
 for the balance of the journey, but that youth 
 insisted that he had often ridden with a 
 blanket. So the packs were taken apart and 
 divided, making a load for one animal, the 
 balance being left where it might be of use on 
 the return. Julian was given a thick soft 
 blanket, and the march was resumed. The 
 event cast a gloom over the party for some 
 days, however. It was their first accident. 
 Did it bode ill for the future? 
 
 Ritchie remarked that there could be no 
 doubt but what they were on the right road, 
 
103 THE MASKED QUICKSANDS. 
 
 for he averred that the quicksand was marked 
 upon the map by the parallel lines. The 
 fifth day’s march brought them to the last 
 lake mapped out, and they skirted this keep- 
 ing it on their left, the ground growing, rapidly 
 higher as they approached the mountains 
 which rose before them. A glance at the 
 map showed that these were not the ones 
 they were in search of, so on the morning of 
 the eighth day, after taking a six' hour’s rest, 
 they turned off a few points to the east, and 
 made for the peaks which rose in the dis- 
 tance, and two days after, tired but hopeful, 
 encamped at the foothills of the Brother 
 Peaks, which towering far above their heads, 
 seemed to pierce the clouds. 
 
 There was little sleep that night, and the 
 time was passed until far into the morning, 
 listening to the stories of Sexton, who 
 revived all the tales he had ever heard of 
 fabulous finds of gold, and fortunes made in 
 an hour by the persevering and undaunted 
 
 miner. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 PROBING earth’s SECRETS. 
 
 Nature in all her primitive and overwhelm- 
 ing grandeur, as she appears before the ruth- 
 less hand of man blasts her handiwork forever, 
 confronted the party as the next day dawned, 
 showing them the frowning mountains be- 
 yond the single line of abrupt foot hills, 
 which was all that broke the surface of the 
 lovely plain, until their sides were reached. 
 High overhead a pair of huge eagles soared, 
 awakened by the early dawn, searching with 
 their piercing eyes from that dizzy height for 
 their morning repast. A wind had arisen 
 during the night, and dark clouds hovered 
 over all, the trees on the mountain side send- 
 ing down a moaning sound, as the infant tem- 
 pest swayed their tall tops and pierced every 
 canyon on the mountain-side. It was a weird 
 day, and Julian, excited as he was at the near 
 approach to the fulfillment of the quest, shiv- 
 
I04 PROBING earth's SECRETS. 
 
 ered with an undefined dread, and involun- 
 tarily turned to Ritchie for the support of his 
 courage. 
 
 “ The bed of the mountain torrent should 
 be about the base of these hills,” said Sexton 
 “ It must pierce them somewhere.” 
 
 “We might divide the party, and skirt 
 them, in opposite directions,” suggested Da-' 
 mon. “ It would be the quickest way.” 
 
 “Why can’t we all go together?” asked 
 Ritchie. “ It is lonely enough about this 
 forsaken country, and the day is dismal. 
 Besides, a storm might arise, and separate us.” 
 “We have plenty of time,” mused Sexton, 
 after a pause. “ Besides, the young fellow 
 seems frightened at the prospect of the sep- 
 aration of the party, so I guess we had better 
 keep together.” 
 
 “ I am not frightened,” insisted Julian, 
 ashamed that they should have noticed any * 
 timidity on his part. “You may do just 
 as you think best about it.” 
 
 “ Well, come on,” said Damon, who had 
 been an amused spectator of the exhibition 
 
P&OBlNG earth’s secret! !6^ 
 
 of uneasiness on Julian’s part, throwing one 
 leg over his burro’s back, and sliding himself 
 after it. “ We are wasting time,” 
 
 So off the party started with him in the 
 lead, and Sexton following him soon after, 
 toward the north, keeping the foot hills to 
 the right of them as they passed along their 
 bases. The way grew more broken as they 
 kept on their course, and the country had 
 more the aspect of a rocky desert, save for 
 the giant trees, the roots of which must have 
 drawn their moisture from deep down in the 
 ground. Care had been taken to fill a cask, 
 on the back of the pack mule, with fairly 
 good water before they started, so that they 
 could give the animals sufficient to quench 
 their thirst, which was not great, as the morn- 
 ing was cool. 
 
 It was the second day after (they had trav- 
 eled but slowly, owing to the difficulty of go- 
 ing in a direct course), that they came upon 
 a deep ravine which burst upon their view 
 after passing around a precipitous cliff. Out 
 from this ravine was a gulch that wound far 
 
Io6 PROBING earth’s SECRETS. 
 
 away to the left, and to the right appeared to 
 pierce the hills, to the very base of the raoun- 
 tain itself. At its bottom was a winding, 
 pebbly way that had evidently been traced 
 by a small stream, but it had dried up long 
 since, except for here and there a little spring 
 that bubbled from the cliff side, and after 
 running for a few feet, was swallowed up by 
 the parched and thirsty earth. 
 
 They could not repress an exultant shout 
 as this proof of the correctness of the message 
 burst upon them, and they at once turned the 
 burros down the most inclining side of the 
 gulch, into the bed of the dried torrent, and 
 then made their way toward the hills 
 through which it pierced its way, the gravelly 
 footing making a fairly good road. Once 
 through the hills the cut became more steep, 
 and the climbing was difficult, even for 
 the mules which are accustomed to such 
 work. 
 
 On and on, still mounting, the party wended 
 its toilsome way, until a turn in the gulch 
 gave to view a solid cliff wall, at the base of 
 
PROBING earth's SECRETS. 
 
 107 
 
 which the gulch seemed to break itself, to be 
 pursued no further. The wall as it rose be- 
 lore them was of a white glittering granite 
 substance, several hundred yards in area in 
 which no crevasse appeared, giving it the 
 appearance of one huge rock, lying imbedded 
 in the mountain side. The junction of the 
 gulch with this wall was filled with trees and 
 other verdure, of a size which showed that 
 ages must have elapsed since a torrent had 
 dashed down that rocky bed to the plains 
 and valleys beneath. 
 
 They glanced at each other in undisguised 
 disappointment, and seemed to think that they 
 were either on the wrong track or else there 
 was nothing in the whole quest. They has- 
 tened on, however, and finally halted their 
 tired steeds in the edge of the thick growth. 
 They dismounted, and looked blankly at each 
 other. The clouds had thickened, and hung 
 in lowering masses overhead. The wind 
 sighed and whistled through the canyons, and 
 often the noise of a cracking branch was fol- 
 lowed by the echoing reverberation caused by 
 
108 PROBING earth's SECRETS. 
 
 the dislodging of a stone as it was hurled tv 
 unknown depths beneath. Below for miles 
 stretched the foothills and valleys they had 
 left behind them, and in the dim western dis- 
 tance the plains stretched away for miles, 
 They looked abroad, and solitude greeted 
 them everywhere. The soaring eagles had 
 disappeared, they were the only living 
 creatures in that vast uninhabited domain. 
 
 Damon was the first to break the oppressive 
 silence. “We are here,” he said, sententiously. 
 “ But the cave does not seem to materialize. 
 Evidently the latter part of this programme 
 has miscarried somewhat.” 
 
 Ritchie was disappointed, and Julian hung 
 near him in youthful sympathy; though he 
 did not speak, his great eyes looking ques- 
 tioningly at the face of his favorite. Sexton 
 seemed undismayed. The last to be possessed 
 of the desire to fathom the mystery of the 
 flask, he was the first to take new courage. 
 “ Now we are this far, I intend to go to the 
 very end. Wait here, and I will penetrate to 
 the wall.” He seized his rifle, and disappeared 
 
PROBING earth’s SECRETS. 109 
 
 beneath the shadow of the trees, They seated 
 themselves upon convenient rocks, and 
 waited. No word was spoken. The disap- 
 pointment was too keen. They could hear 
 the crackling of the twigs as Sexton worked 
 his way deeper into the gloom, then for a 
 time all was silent. Presently they heard a 
 shot, and then a shout from him. Ritchie 
 and Damon sprang to their feet, and broke 
 into the dense growth, but they heard Sex- 
 ton s cry for them to wait, and he soon ap- 
 peared, rifle in hand. 
 
 The cave! the cave!” he cried excitedly 
 “ I have found it. The torrent bed pierces 
 the mountain. The stream once came from 
 the mountain itself.” 
 
 “ What made you fire?” asked the three in 
 a breath. 
 
 “A grizzly disputed the right to possession,” 
 he answered with a laugh, “so I ended the 
 dispute by shooting him. I was lucky enough 
 to find a vital spot with the first fire. More 
 luck than anything else, for I was too excited 
 to aim to a nicety.” 
 
no 
 
 PROBING earth’s secrets. 
 
 There was little more attempt at conversa- 
 tion. The discovery of the cave on the very 
 verge of disappointment filled each member 
 of the little party with a repressed excite- 
 ment, which could only find vent in immedi- 
 ate action. The pack mule was at once re- 
 lieved of his burden, the saddles taken from 
 the others, and they were turned loose upon 
 the mountain side, to get such scantly pick- 
 ing as they could before their masters should 
 again emerge from the cave. The cumber- 
 some rifles were left behind, with the excep- 
 tion of one carried by Sexton, who was the 
 best shot, to guard against the possibility of 
 another bear being in the cave. All took 
 their navy revolvers, Iiowever, and a pros- 
 pector’s hatchet hanging from their belts. A 
 coil of rope, a lantern for each, and a few 
 pilot biscuits to munch on, with their water 
 bottles, and a miner’s pick and shovel, com- 
 pleted the outfit. Hardly stopping to glance 
 at the world they were leaving behind them, 
 the party penetrated the dense growth in 
 feverish haste. Damon paused a moment at 
 
PROBING earth’s SECRETS. Ill 
 
 the mouth of the cave to look at the body of 
 the huge bear, remarking that he would have 
 the feet of the brute for a roast that evening, 
 then disappeared to follow his companions. 
 
 The entrance was low and narrow, and in 
 the past, if the torrent had rushed from its 
 mouth, as they thought, it must have come 
 with a rushing, foaming force that should 
 have been grand could it have been seen. 
 Once inside, probably a hundred feet, a high 
 vaulted cavern reflected their shadows in 
 fantastic shape against its black walls, the 
 upper confines of which were lost in distance. 
 Their voices seemed hollow, and filled with 
 a multitude of echoes, yet the place was dry. 
 Three hallways opened from this cavern, and 
 upon examination, the one to the left was 
 found to be marked with a white cross, with 
 some chalky substance, with the consistency 
 of gum, probably some rock from the inner 
 caverns. 
 
 “ The sign,” said Sexton, in a matter-of- 
 fact way. 
 
 The others examined it, and then followed 
 
112 
 
 PROBING earth’s SECRETS. 
 
 him as he led the way, stooping to avoid 
 hitting his head against the low ceiling. It 
 was a fearful journey, often leading through 
 narrow corridors where they were obliged to 
 almost squeeze through, at times crawling 
 upon hands and knees through low causeways, 
 then skirting a subterranean chasm, down 
 which the crumbling rocks would fall, the 
 rumblings echoing until they had passed out 
 of hearing. 
 
 “ It’s lucky none of the party are troubled 
 with a superabundance of avoirdupois,” re- 
 marked Damon, with a laugh ; but the laugh 
 was echoed in a mocking way, which killed 
 any smile which might have been coming at 
 its birth. 
 
 Sometimes they were confronted with a 
 multitude of diverging openings, but always 
 that white cross, which glittered in the light 
 of their lanterns pointed out the right way. 
 After fully an hour of this toilsome journey, 
 they emerged into corridors of a different 
 formation. The black walls were left behind, 
 and a most beautiful sight was presented to 
 
PROBING earth’s SECRETS. II5 
 
 view. Walls and domes of this wonderful 
 place were a mass of glittering^ stallactites, 
 while their way had to be picked among the 
 multitude of pyramids of the same formation, 
 which had piled up with ages of that constant 
 dripping. Fantastic shapes, often like huge 
 birds and beasts, were made by the action of 
 the lights upon the masses, and when some 
 of the metallic substances at their belts struck 
 against one of the hanging crystals, a musical 
 ring was the result. 
 
 Once they came to a low place, where a 
 ditch had been dug in the clay (the work of 
 Rutcheck) to allow of a passage beneath a 
 huge overhanging rock that dropped in a 
 menacing manner from the heights above. It 
 was a startling sensation to crawl beneath the 
 mass, that seemed ready at any moment to 
 fall and crush them. The hearts of the men 
 had a bad way of coming into their throats, 
 and it was no wonder that Julian choked a 
 little, and trembled as he kept close to the 
 side of Ritchie. “ Keep up your courage, 
 my boy,” he said, “ there is no danger,” and 
 
114 PROBING earth’s SECRETS. 
 
 Julian would answer by a pressure of the 
 cold little hand, which trembled with the 
 effort to keep calm. 
 
 The time passed swifter with the ever vary- 
 ing kaleidoscope of magnificence, for there 
 was ever something new to rest the eye. 
 Caverns and chambers were passed through 
 which the hand of Nature, unseen by man for 
 ages, had fashioned fit for a King’s occupancy. 
 No mortal power could have conceived, or if 
 conceived, have fashioned such marvelous 
 things. Chambers covered with mineral 
 flowers, in every hue of the rainbow, were 
 there in numberless profusion, and no two 
 presented the same aspect. The imagina- 
 tion could never depict a scene of such 
 magnificence and grandeur as was presented 
 to the view of the daring travelers. If for 
 no other than this splendid scene of natural 
 beauty, they were well repaid for their toil- 
 some march. 
 
 Several times they grew tired and were 
 obliged to stop and rest. The air seemed 
 oppressive. There was that sense of numb- 
 
PROBING earth’s SECRETS. 1 15 
 
 ness that comes to men in such confined places. 
 Then they grew hungry, and ate a few of the 
 crackers which they had taken with them. 
 The time wore on, and still they were appar- 
 ently no nearer the goal than before. Their 
 eyes grey tired of the sights, and a vague fear 
 oppressed them. Sexton looked at his watch. 
 It was ten hours since they had penetrated 
 into the cave, and still that inevitable white 
 cross confronted them wherever the cavern 
 diverged. 
 
 “ There must be an end somewhere,” 
 growled Damon. The excitement was wear- 
 ing off, and a fearful sense of fatigue crept 
 over them. They wished they had brought 
 blankets, and more food. It must be night 
 now, outside, and there were ten hours before 
 them on the return. At last, when even Sex- 
 ton was beginning to get a little frightened, 
 they emerged from along corridor, into a vast 
 circular cavern, with a floor of fine gray clay, 
 and the lights flashed about the walls. There 
 was no outlet. The fluttering of wings came 
 to their ears, and a dark object passed over- 
 
1I6 PROBING earth's SECRETS. 
 
 head. They held their lights high above 
 their heads, and saw glittering in color, out- 
 lined in stalactites against the wall, the form 
 of a huge devil as he is pictured in human 
 cartoon, his form bent over, one huge arm 
 with extended finger pointing to the floor at 
 the very center of the cavern. Speechless 
 with awe, the eyes of the four human beings 
 turned in that direction; and there in the cen- 
 ter of the floor, which was hollowed out like 
 a huge basin, arose a dead yellow mass, that 
 sparkled like diamonds in places. Every 
 form shook with excitement, and they stood 
 as if rooted to the spot. Then the lantern 
 Julian held fell to the ground, and with a little 
 moan, he swayed, and would have fallen had 
 not Ritchie caught him in his arms. He had 
 fainted under the nervous strain. 
 
 Sexton rushed forward and sank upon his 
 knees before the mass, passing his hands over 
 it feverishly, while his eyes glittered in the 
 lantern light. 
 
 “The Devil’s Gold I” he cried, hoarsely. 
 
PROBING earth's SECRETS. I17 
 
 “ It was no dream. The Devil’s Gold at last. 
 The wealth of kings, in one vast mass.” 
 Damon said nothing. He stood there with 
 his brows knit, and looked from the boy in 
 Ritchie’s arms, to Sexton, He was thinking. 
 Was this the true philosopher’s stone — the 
 secret of all joy, or was it the touchstone to 
 all human crime and misery. The Devil's 
 gold. Was it lying there, a buried lesson, 
 telling in huge cartoon, the story of the world, 
 telling in its true hideousness the real story 
 of life, love and power ? or was it all a dream, 
 like that world itself? 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE devil’s gold. 
 
 For some moments there was silence in the 
 depths of the mountain cave. Damon still 
 stood with his arms folded, while Sexton 
 gloated over the heap of precious metal, and 
 Ritchie busied himself with the effort to 
 bring the boy back to consciousness. The 
 light from the lanterns, still alight, threw the 
 shadows of the human occupants of the 
 cavern in fantastic and grotesque outlines 
 against the gleaming walls, and the silent 
 but huge form seemed to rear itself, and ' 
 bend over them in a menacing way, as if 
 gloating over the accession to its domains of 
 the party of mortals. Finally Julian was re- 
 stored to consciousness, and speech sup- 
 planted the term of silent wonder and sur- 
 prise in the breasts of the three men. Da- 
 mon and Ritchie seated themselves on the 
 floor of the cavern, but Sexton would not be 
 11 ? 
 
THE devil's gold. 119 
 
 content until he had made some investiga- 
 tions as to the extent and quality of the huge 
 nugget which protruded from the clay and 
 sand, in an irregular mass, fully five feet in 
 height, and about five times that in circum- 
 ference. 
 
 “Well,” said Damon, at last. “It is here. 
 There is no question about that.” 
 
 “ Here ! ” cried Sexton, with sparkling eyes, 
 “ 1 should think it was. This is the biggest 
 mass of virgin metal the world has ever seen.” 
 “What is it worth, do you think?” asked 
 Ritchie. 
 
 “ Now there is a child’s question for you,” 
 cried his uncle, fondling the rich mass before 
 him. “To answer that would require a 
 problem in mathematics, at which you are 
 much better than I am.” 
 
 “ Get out your note-book, Harl,” said Da- 
 mon, “and let us estimate the enormousness 
 of our find.” 
 
 “ Can’t you guess at it ? ” queried Julian, to 
 whom a problem loomed up as a wearisome 
 matter. 
 
lao 
 
 THE devil’s gold. 
 
 ** Hardly, my son. Come, Harl, get. out 
 your pencil, and do some figuring for us.” 
 
 “ Bring the lantern a little closer, Julian,” 
 said Ritchie. “ Now fire your figures at me.” 
 They all gathered closely about him, the 
 lantern-light bringing the faces out in bold 
 relief against the blackness of the cavern. 
 Ritchie poised his pencil above the paper, 
 and waited for his uncle to speak. 
 
 “To begin with,” said Sexton, “gold is 
 worth a fraction over $20 an ounce. That 
 bare assertion will hardly give you an idea 
 of the value of this mass, will it ? Make a 
 guess at the number of cubic feet in the part 
 exposed.’’ 
 
 Ritchie figured for a moment, and ans^ 
 wered, “ Something over fifty, I should 
 judge.” 
 
 “A cubic inch of gold,” continued his 
 uncle, “weighs about ten ounces, and is 
 worth a little over $209. Will that give you 
 a sufficient basis for figuring ? ” 
 
 “ Plenty,” was the answer. “ Wait a mo- 
 ment,” and the pencil flew rapidly over the 
 
THB devil’s gold. 
 
 I3I 
 
 paper. Suddenly he looked up with an awed 
 expression, and said in a husky whisper: “ It 
 is impossible. My figures give the sum of 
 $18,057,600. You are joking.” 
 
 '* Not in the least,” chuckled Sexton, while 
 the others seemed awed by the magnitude of 
 the sum. “ It is safe to say that the Devil’s 
 Gold is worth at least $20,000,000. About 
 two-thirds of the product of the world for 
 the past year.” 
 
 “ Are you sure it is gold ?” asked Julian, 
 after an eloquent pause. 
 
 “ It isn’t copper,” chuckled Sexton, “and I 
 am too old a bird to be caught with any other 
 chaff. No it’s gold safe enough.” 
 
 “ Do they find chunks like this very often ?” 
 asked Damon. 
 
 “Not much,” cried the old miner. “I 
 have in my mind now some of the larger 
 ones. Xhere was the Blanch Barkley nug> 
 get, found in Australia. It weighed 146 
 pounds. One was unearthed at Ballaratt, 
 weighing 184 pounds 8 ounces, and paid 
 $41,000. One was discovered in North 
 
taa 
 
 TH* DEVlt’S GOLD. 
 
 Carolina, weighing 37 pounds troy, and 
 lately at Carson Hill, California, a mass con- 
 taining part quartz, was dug out, weighing 
 160 pounds. Compared to this they were all 
 pigmies.” 
 
 “ How in thunder did this immense mass 
 come here?” added Damon. 
 
 “Gold is queer stuff,” volunteered the 
 miner. It is distributed all over the world, 
 in different quantities. “ It is in the clay of 
 the east in small proportions, and even the 
 sea salt is filled with it, to the extent of one 
 grain to a ton. My theory is, that water has 
 flown through these caverns at some time, 
 and this one has acted as a reservoir to 
 catch in its clay basin, the gold that has 
 washed from the inner crevasses. There 
 has been a circular motion here, which has 
 piled it in a heap in the center, where it has 
 been subjected to the action of natural 
 chlorines, followed by intense internal heat 
 at some time, to melt it together. One can 
 only guess at such secrets of Nature.” 
 
 “ Well, we can’t take it with us now,” said 
 
THE devil’s gold. 
 
 123 
 
 Damon, rousing himself. “We had better 
 get out of this place, and make some prepara- 
 tions for removing quantities of the metal 
 some other time.’’ 
 
 The others prepared to heed his advice, 
 
 and make preparations for returning, but 
 
 Sexton was not satisfied. “ I’ll not leave 
 
 until I have a piece of this to take to the 
 
 light of day with me.’’ With this he seized 
 
 his hatchet, and began to hew at a projecting 
 
 corner of the huge mass. At every blow the 
 
 sharp steel dented it, and as the hammering 
 
 ceased the light glistening on the shining spot 
 
 revealed that two converging gashes had 
 
 been made, and in a moment a good sized 
 
 piece would become loosened. There was a 
 
 fluttering of wings overhead, and again the 
 
 dark body they had observed before, passed 
 
 m the shacks above ; then came a peculiar 
 
 hissing sound, and as Ritchie raised a lantern 
 
 above his head, to discover its cause a huge 
 
 bat circled above them, the extended arm of 
 
 the weird figure against the wall seeming to 
 
 urge him on. Twice the huge form revolved 
 e 
 
124 the devil’s gold. 
 
 among the shadows and then flew directly at 
 Sexton. 
 
 He had seen it in time, and aimed a blow 
 at it with his hatchet. The keen blade gashed 
 deep, and the hiss of the animal grew 
 louder as it drew away. A few drops of 
 blood spattered the floor of the cavern, but 
 the fearful beast did not seem to mind it. 
 Again it came at him, like the guardian of 
 the treasure, seeking to punish the depreda- 
 tion, but this time Sexton had seized his rifle, 
 and as it approached him, fired point blank 
 from a distance of less than six feet. The 
 animal fell with a heavy thud, and the detona- 
 tion following in that close air was fearful. 
 It seemed to shake the rock beneath their 
 feet, and rumbled away into distant caverns 
 and depths, and the four human beings 
 cowered at the fearful noise. 
 
 Suddenly an explosion more fearful than 
 the rest followed, the cavern shook to its 
 walls, the lights flickered and went out, and 
 the cave was filled with a fine dust which 
 made it almost impossible to breathe. The 
 
TilE devil’s gold. 
 
 “5 
 
 men flung themselves on their faces, Ritchie 
 recoiling as his hand came in contact with 
 the cold body of the winged reptile Sexton 
 had killed. The reverbration continued, un- 
 til it was lost in the distance. 
 
 “ Are you all here?” whispered the voice of 
 Sexton, finally. 
 
 They all answered at once. No one was 
 missing. 
 
 “ Strike a light, somebody,” he continued. 
 
 There was a movement in the inky black- 
 ness. J ulian was seized with a fit of cough- 
 ing, but somehow his hand had found that of 
 Ritchie, and he clasped it tightly, trembling 
 violently. “ Don’t be frightened,” whispered 
 he to the boy. 
 
 “No! You are here.” There was a world • 
 of trust and thanksgiving in the one word. 
 
 A match flared in the darkness, and Damon 
 was groping for a lantern. He found and 
 lighted it. The flame sputtered for an instant 
 while he was adjusting the chimney, and then 
 blazed up brightly, blinding the eyes of the 
 startled adventurers by its contrast to the 
 
126 
 
 THE devil’s gold. 
 
 dense gloom which had preceded it. Sexton 
 found the other lantern and lighted it, and 
 then they gathered together their scattered 
 wits as best they could, and began to look 
 about them. The dust had settled gradually, 
 so that respiration was much easier, and 
 mutual exchanges of questions and answers 
 elicited the fact that no bodily injury had 
 resulted as a consequence of the explosion. 
 
 “ This dirty reptile has caused us a scare,” 
 growled Sexton, kicking the loathsome car- 
 case with his foot, and turned it over on its 
 back. “ Here’s something new to me in the 
 way of winged rodents.” 
 
 It was indeed a fearful creature, much the 
 same in appearance as an ordinary animal of 
 its kind, except that the hair on its body was 
 reddish brown in hue. The head was long 
 and peaked, and long twin fangs protruded 
 fjom either side of the jaw. The ears were 
 longer than in any known species, as were 
 also the nails to the toes. The wings, spread 
 out upon the ground would measure six feet 
 from tip to tip, and the body was as large as 
 
THE devil’s gold. 
 
 127 
 
 that of a jack rabbit. Sexton poked it into a 
 corner of the cavern beneath the form of the 
 Satan who might have been his master. 
 
 “ Come,” cried Ritchie, let’s hurry out of 
 this place. I am pining for the light of day, 
 and we have hours of tramping ahead of 
 us.” 
 
 Sexton finished the work of securing his 
 sample, and then the four human beings were 
 prepared to retrace their steps to the outer 
 world, from that weird cavern of horrors in 
 which lay the treasure they had sought with 
 so much fatigue. Damon had gone on in 
 advance, and the others had started to follow, 
 when they were startled by a horrified cry 
 from him. They hurried on, and saw him 
 standing a short distance from the opening of 
 the corridor, his lantern above his head, peer- 
 ing at an apparently impenetrable wall in 
 front of him. At his feet was scattered a 
 quantity of debris of rock and clay. 
 
 “ Trapped !” he cried, before they could 
 grasp the situation. “ T rapped like rats in 
 this fearful hole.” 
 
128 
 
 THE devil’s gold. 
 
 They looked at the black wall, and then 
 back at each other in dismay. It was too 
 true. The whole truth of their terrible posi- 
 tion burst with full force upon them. Deep 
 in the bowels of the earth they were hemmed 
 in on all sides by the forbiding walls, with no 
 apparent outlet. 
 
 “ Is this the right corridor?” asked Ritchie. 
 
 “ It is the only one,” groaned Sexton. 
 “ There was but one corridor leading into the 
 last cavern.” 
 
 “ The rock has been dislodged by the con- 
 cussion from the explosion of the rifle, said 
 Damon, “ and has fallen from the walls above, 
 cutting off our escape.” 
 
 “ There’s no use standing here cursing 
 fate,” cried Sexton, vehemently. “We must 
 get to work. ” 
 
 “ What time is it now ?” asked Ritchie. 
 
 “ One o’clock,” answered Damon, looking 
 at his watch. ‘‘ That must mean the first 
 hour of the next day.” 
 
 Few words were spoken after that. The 
 picks and shovels were taken in hand, and 
 
THE devil’s gold. 
 
 129 
 
 they attacked the mass with a will at the 
 point where it appeared the most vulner- 
 able. The work was slow, for the clay was 
 hard and unyielding. They labored in turn 
 at the task, two working while the others 
 rested, Julian toiling with the rest, though 
 the handles of the tools blistered his tender 
 hands, and his strength was soon spent. They 
 had worked above an hour in this way, when 
 the picks struck against the living rock, and 
 a new point had to be sought. After several 
 hours of hard labor, it was apparent that the 
 fallen mass had completely hemmed them 
 in. They dropped the tools, and seated 
 themselves upon the rocks in the corridor, 
 wiping the cold perspiration from their fore- 
 heads. 
 
 “ It’s no use,” said Sexton, at last. “ We 
 are gone up.” 
 
 The others did not speak, but a sob broke 
 from Julian. Fear had been supplanted in 
 the breasts of the others by a silent despair. 
 Hope was dead. This was to be the end of 
 the search for the Devil’s gold. There they 
 
13© THE devil’s gold. 
 
 would die, in that fearful natural dungeon, 
 where ages after, only their whitening bones 
 would be left to tell of their sufferings. 
 Ritchie placed his arm about the form of the 
 young friend, and tried to comfort him. 
 Time wore on, with only now and then a sen- 
 tence from one or the other. Finally they 
 left the corrider, and went back to the cavern. 
 Sexton stretched a Navajo blanket upon the 
 floor near the huge mass of gold, and they 
 seated themselves upon it, leaning their tired 
 backs against the mass. 
 
 After a time the lights flickered and went 
 out. They had forgotten to save their oil, 
 by extinguishing one of them. This made 
 matters more terrible.- Soon they grew 
 hungry, and ate a few pieces of pilot biscuit. 
 Sexton had warned them to be sparing of 
 them. There was no comfort to be found 
 anywhere, and they had prepared themselves 
 to die. Then they grew sleepy, and dozed 
 "off at intervals.. While in one of these short 
 sleeps, Ritchie dreamed a beautiful dream, 
 and thought he was awakened by a woman’s 
 
THE devil’s gold. 
 
 13 1 
 
 kiss. He was half awake when it was re- 
 peated. A pair of warm, quivering lips clung 
 to his. He reached out his arms to the 
 dream friend to find that it was Julian, who 
 had crept close to his side. 
 
 “ I thought that I was dreaming,” he said, 
 “ and that I felt angels’ kisses upon me.” 
 
 A low sob reached him. “Don’t cry, 
 Julian,” he groaned. 
 
 “ Will we die here?” came the answer, m 
 the form of a question. 
 
 “ I fear so, my boy.” 
 
 “ Promise me something. Promise me, on 
 your honor, that if I suffer from starvation, 
 you will kill me.” 
 
 “ Don’t talk so,” he moaned. 
 
 “You must. 1 am not brave enough to 
 suffer.” 
 
 Just then there was a faint glimmer of light 
 high up above them. The two watched it, 
 and it grew longer and broader, until objects 
 became faintly visible, when with a sudden- 
 ness that was startling, a brilliant ray shot 
 down upon them, and lit upon the mass of 
 
13* 
 
 THE devil's gold. 
 
 gold, touching it with fantastic beauty. It 
 was a sunbeam from the dome of the cavern, 
 hundreds of feet above. A cry from Ritchie 
 awakened the others, and they gazed upward, * 
 spellbound. Only for a few minutes did it 
 glorify their prison, then disappeared as sud- 
 denly as it had come. Damon struck a match 
 and looked at his watch. It was five minutes 
 past twelve. Noon in the great world they 
 had left only the day before. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 RESCUED BY CHANCE. 
 
 Two days of horrible captivity in that cav- 
 ern of gloom followed, and twice more the 
 sunbeam pierced the heavy blacl?^ess, light- 
 ing upon the golden heap at exactly the same 
 time. Hunger and thirst had attacked them, 
 and their bodies were cramped and weak 
 from the lack of a place upon which to rest 
 them. The water was consumed from the 
 bottles, and the last piece of pilot biscuit had 
 been disposed of. Julian was the weakest, 
 and Ritchie had taken from his pocket the 
 cabalistic flask which he had carried filled 
 with brandy in case of need. As he pressed 
 it to the boy’s lips it fell upon the hard floor, 
 and was shivered to atoms. He absorbed the 
 brandy with his handkerchief, and squeezed 
 a few drops between his young friend’s 
 parched and swollen lips. It was all the liquid 
 they had left. Julian gradually grew weaker, 
 
 *33 
 
134 RESCUED BY CHANCE. 
 
 and Ritchie pressed into his hand a small piece 
 of the biscuit which he had secreted for that 
 purpose. 
 
 “ No,” cried the boy, in a whisper, “ you eat 
 it yourself, I cannot last long.” 
 
 “ You must, to please me.” 
 
 Without a word he took the proffered mor- 
 sel, and devoured it eagerly. It was a fear- 
 ful condition of things, to be slowly dying so 
 near each other, with no way to surmount the 
 inevitable. Sexton arose and stretched him- 
 self, walking about the confined space. Me- 
 chanically he picked up the miner’s pick with 
 which his hand came in contact in his grop- 
 ing, and swinging it aloft in his frenzy, he 
 muttered, “ Curses on the gold, and the day 
 we sought it. It has been the death of us all. ” 
 
 With a hoarse oath he let its point come 
 down with a crash upon the floor of the cav- 
 ern. Instantly there was a rumbling from 
 beneath their feet, which echoed for half a 
 minute. Sexton struck it ag^in, and the same" 
 noise was repeated. “ There is another cav* 
 ern underneath !” he cried. 
 
RISCUED BY CHANCE. 
 
 *35 
 
 “ Well, what of it?” growled Damon, who 
 up to this time had taken matters as philo- 
 sophically as he could under the effects of 
 hunger and thirst. “What do we care for 
 that ?” 
 
 “We may find release in that way,” 
 answered the old miner. 
 
 “How?” whispered Ritchie, eagerly. 
 
 “ There is one way,” said Sexton, gloomily. 
 “ We are doomed to die here any way, what 
 matters it if we reach death a few hours 
 sooner. It is a heroic measure, but cannot be 
 worse than our present condition.” 
 
 “ What will you propose?” asked Ritchie. 
 
 “We have powder, I propose to blast 
 through.” 
 
 “ And blast us all into eternity, in this con- 
 fined space,” ventured Damon with a hollow 
 laugh. “ Well, go ahead. Who cares. As 
 you say, it is sooner or later. Let it be sooner 
 then by all means.” 
 
 “ Are you agreed. Had ?” asked the miner. 
 
 “ Yes,” wearily. 
 
 “ And the boy ?” 
 
136 
 
 RtSCUED fiV CHANCfi. 
 
 “Whatever he says,” was Julian’s weak 
 reply, indicating Ritchie by a pathetic glance. 
 
 Sexton needed no second invitation. He 
 proceeded to sink a hole into the floor at the 
 edge of the gold, as deep as the pick would 
 penetrate, and into this he poured a quantity 
 of powder from a flask. Tearing a strip of 
 his handkerchief, he moistened it with his lips, 
 and rolled in it a quantity, making a fairly 
 good fuse. This he dropped into the hole, 
 letting its end project from it a few inches, 
 placing a stone upon it to keep it in place. 
 As best he could with the sense of touch, 
 he placed a train of the powder about the 
 edge to the other side of the gold, and all was 
 ready. 
 
 “ Now all crawl as close to this side of the 
 nugget as possible,” he said, “and perhaps 
 the gold will save us from flying rock. It is 
 but a chance, and even if we escape unhurt, 
 the cavern below may be too deep to descend 
 into.” 
 
 They crawled as close to their shelter as 
 possible, and then bade each other a tearful 
 
ResCUED BV CHANCE. I37 
 
 good-bye, as if that moment was to be their 
 last. Ritchie felt a pair of arms about his 
 neck, and knew that Julian was lying close 
 to his breast. He drew him closer, and then 
 he felt a pair of trembling lips against his 
 own. 
 
 “ Good-bye, love,” said the tearful voice, 
 “We will die together,” 
 
 In the excitement of the moment he did not 
 heed the words, nor think them strange. 
 Afterwards he studied them with new light, 
 and they comforted him. Sexton lighted a 
 match, and the feeble flame sprung into life 
 against the gloom. Slowly he touched the 
 end of the train, and it leaped along the edge, 
 emitting a bright blue flame. They looked 
 at each other hastily, in the unearthly light, 
 and the glances of the doomed men were a 
 mute farewell. The fuse sputtered, then 
 there was a shock, and they all seemed to be 
 thrown together. The floor of the cavern 
 trembled, and then the mass of gold against 
 which they crouched drew itself away from 
 them, the clay and rock cracked beneath 
 
RESCUED BY CHANCE. 
 
 138 
 
 them, there was a faint cry from Julian, a cry 
 of despair, and the earth seemed to have left 
 them, as they were hurled into space. Then 
 there was a bright light, a glimpse as of 
 heaving and moving forms, a shock, and then 
 unconsciousness. Was it the shores of the 
 great unknown that had opened before their 
 eyes ? and had death come to end their agony ? 
 
 Julian was the first to regain consciousness. 
 Being the lightest, the fall had not been so 
 much of a shock to him as to the others, and 
 beyond a slight shaking up, he was uninjured. 
 He clambered to his feet, rubbed the dust 
 from his eyes, and the first object which 
 caught them, blinded as they were with the 
 flood of light around him, was the form of 
 Ritchie, partially hidden beneath the heap of 
 dry clay which had fallen with them. In a 
 moment the boy was at his side, and had 
 raised his head to his knees. A feeling of 
 agony was within him, as he saw the closed 
 lids, and tenderly wiped the grime from the 
 face. The action caused the eyes to open, 
 and Julian gave a little cry of delight as he 
 
RtSCtntB BY CHAMCB. 
 
 135 
 
 saw recognition in them. With difficulty he 
 arose to his feet, and pressed the hand of his 
 young friend, in thanksgiving. The unaccus- 
 tomed brightness blinded them, and it was 
 some moments before they could look about 
 them. 
 
 It took but a glauce to tell them that they 
 were in a cavern some fifteen feet in height, 
 and of some considerable extent. A wide 
 cathedral shaped entrance let in a flood of 
 light from the open air, which their nostrils 
 inhaled in great gasps. Near this entrance, 
 gazing at them in wonder, were outlined the 
 shapes of four human figures, clad in flowing 
 robes. Their backs were to the light so that 
 their features were not distinct. The sight 
 told them that they were at least among 
 human beings, and thus that they must be 
 out of their past dangers. 
 
 “ Let us look to the others,” said Ritchie. 
 
 ” I hope they are no worse off than we are 
 from the fall,” 
 
 Sexton and Damon were lying near, the 
 former with one leg under several pieces of 
 
146 RESCUED BY CiiA.NCfe; 
 
 broken rock, and the latter flung toward the 
 farther side of the cavern wall. It was the 
 work of but a few moments to drag them 
 to the smooth portion of the floor, and 
 examine into their condition. Damon was 
 rather badly bruised about the hands and 
 face, while it was feared that Sexton had 
 been injured internally. Both were breath- 
 ing faintly though they were unconscious. 
 
 Ritchie turned to the robed figures, who 
 had hardly moved in the interim, and spoke 
 in a hurried manner. “ Get us some water, 
 quickly.” 
 
 The forms looked at each other, and spoke 
 hurriedly in some unknown tongue, which 
 Ritchie did not understand. With a quick 
 instinct, he moved his hand to his lips and 
 tipped back his head in a manner indicative 
 of a man taking a deep draught of water. One 
 of the men instantly stepped to a long stone 
 table against one of the walls, and secured a 
 vessel, advancing a few steps toward them, 
 and placing it upon the floor of the cavern. 
 Ritchie seized it, and found that it contained 
 
RESCUED BY CHANCE. 
 
 141 
 
 -water. He bathed the face of Sexton with it, 
 Julian performing the same duty for Damon, 
 and in a short time they had the satisfaction 
 of bringing them both to consciousness. 
 Damon was able to rise, though he admitted 
 that he felt sore from his fall, but Sexton 
 growled out that he was hurt, and would be 
 obliged to lie quietly a little while. 
 
 The three companions secured several skins 
 with a soft fur, and made a comfortable bed 
 for him, and then took slow and careful sips 
 of the life-giving liquid of which they had been 
 deprived for so many hours. A series of 
 signs sufficed to make the men, who were evi- 
 dently a little frightened, understand that 
 they were hungry, and food was offered them 
 in the same manner as the water. It consisted 
 of some queer tasting bread, rather dry, sev- 
 eral large plum-like pieces of fruit, and a 
 quantity of cold fish. Everything had a 
 queer taste, but hunger knows no plaint, and 
 they partook eagerly, at the same time taking 
 a casual view of their new quarters. 
 
 The strange men first claimed their atten- 
 
142 
 
 RESCUED BY CHANCE. 
 
 tion. They were large of frame, and each 
 wore robes of a creamy white, made of some 
 coarse material, which hung in not ungrace- 
 ful folds, though ample in fullness. Their feet, 
 which projected from the hem, were encased 
 in clothing, half shoe, half sandal. As they 
 moved about, it was seen that the robes were 
 caught at the waist with a metal girdle, and 
 that they flung open at the side, exposing the 
 foot, ankle and part of the leg of the wearer. 
 The sleeves were loose and seamless, being 
 caught at the wrist in a metal band. As the 
 arm was extended, it gave the sleeve of the 
 garment the appearance of a wing. Their 
 faces were slightly swarthy, the hair black, 
 curly and glossy, as was also a not ungrace- 
 ful beard which each wore in the same fashion. 
 The eyes were large, the features prominent, 
 and the face inclined to be handsome. On 
 the breast of each glittered a round plate of 
 gold, about half the size of a saucer, set with 
 countless gems of various colors. 
 
 The cave was partly carpeted with the 
 skins of animals, but the walls in places were 
 
RESCUED BY CHANCE. 
 
 *43 
 
 hidden from view with curtains colored richly 
 in various designs, and seemingly of a fine 
 texture. At each side of the room toward 
 the entrance were numbers of various-sized 
 vessels, arranged on stone ledges or tables, 
 set against the walls, but the strangest sight 
 of all was this : In the centre of the cavern, 
 directly beneath the spot whence they had 
 fallen, was a marble base elaborately carved. 
 Upon this, as though in sacrifice upon its des- 
 tined altar, the Devil’s Gold had poised in its 
 descent and now lay gleaming dully in weird 
 harmony wit^ its surroundings. While the 
 adventurers were taking in all these particu- 
 lars, the four robed figures were holding a 
 low-tpned conversation with each other, after 
 which they all advanced nearer to where the 
 others were seated or lying upon the fur rugs, 
 and the tallest of the group advanced a few 
 steps from before his fellows, and began a dis- 
 course in a full musical tongue, interspersed 
 with many eloquent gesticulations. He 
 paused after a time, and waited, apparently 
 for an answer. 
 
144 
 
 RESCUED BY CHANCE. 
 
 » He expects us to talk, I suppose,” said 
 Ritchie. “ Does anybody here understand 
 him?” 
 
 “ I should rather think not,” said Damon. 
 “This is no earthly language. We have 
 passed to the beyond.” 
 
 The strange men again engaged in animated 
 conversation, and the others watched them 
 narrowly, and not without apprehension. 
 Their actions and countenances appeared any- 
 thing but peaceful. They were not kept long 
 in doubt. Three of the men drew from 
 beneath the folds of their robes long slender 
 knives, and were about to advance on the four 
 adventurers, when the taller of them seemed 
 to expostulate in an earnest manner. The 
 others evidently would not hear his advice, 
 and came slowly forward. Damon looked 
 about for the rifle, but it had been crushed 
 beneath the mass of gold. 
 
 “Give it to them if they want fight,” 
 growled Sexton, who had recovered suffi- 
 ciently to sit erect, as he pulled his long navy 
 from his belt. The others followed his cx 
 
RESCUED BY CHANCE. 
 
 145 
 
 ample, and were prepared to make short work 
 of their assailants. 
 
 The three robed men advanced closer, and 
 the four comrades were drawn closely to- 
 gether, awaiting the attack. Suddenly the 
 same ray of sunlight which had visited them 
 in the cave above, burst through the ragged 
 orifice in the roof of the cavern below, and 
 after flickering on its sharp edges, burst full 
 upon the edge of the Devil’s Gold, and then 
 lit up the curls upon the head of Ritchie, en- 
 circling them with a halo of living gold, while 
 one stray ray fell upon the chiseled ear of the 
 boy who was close by his side. The approach- 
 ing men dropped their knives apparently in 
 awe, and with the quickness of thought spread \ 
 their arms and bowed their heads, as if in 
 obeisance to some higher power. 
 
 The attacked party lowered its weapons, 
 and gazed in wonder. There was a concerted 
 cry of “Gosah! Gosah!” from the strange 
 men, and then another consultation in that 
 strange tongue of which the others could not 
 understand a word. The result of thq ani' 
 
ttSSCUED BV CRANCI. 
 
 X46 
 
 mated talk was, that they withdrew softly 
 from the cavern, making a low obesiance as 
 they did so, and passed into an inner recess, 
 returning shortly with a small flaming lamp 
 of the antique Oriental pattern, which one of 
 them swung slowly to and fro. This the leader 
 moved to the front of the pedestal upon 
 which the huge block of gold lay, and pass- 
 ing the lamp close to it, a small fire was 
 kindled, which soon filled the cavern with a 
 sweet smelling incense. Then they withdrew 
 to the outer air, leaving the lamp and fire be- 
 hind them, allowing a richly embroidered 
 curtain to swing back into place, closing the 
 entrance. 
 
 “ Well, what do you think of that?” asked 
 Damon, with a relieved laugh. “ We are not 
 to be mince-meat just yet, are we ? ” 
 
 “We can only have patience, and wait,” 
 remarked Ritchie. “It is a hard matter to 
 tell what will come to us later on.” 
 
 “ That sunlight seemed to scare them,” said 
 Sexton. “ Evidently it has something to do 
 with their form of worship.” 
 
RESCUED BY CHANCE. 
 
 147 
 
 “They are Sun-worshippers,” explained 
 Julian, “such as used to be natives of Peru. 
 There are many of their descendants in South 
 America, to-day ; lineal descendants of the 
 old Incas. The sunbeam was a token from 
 their deity.” 
 
 “ But how on earth came they in this part 
 of the country ? ” asked Eitchie. 
 
 “It s a conundrum,’’ replied Damon. “ We 
 have not heard the last of the old priests yet. 
 Let us wait and see.” 
 
 “ Or lift yonder curtain, and look out upon 
 this country that breeds antediluvian speci- 
 mens of humanity,” added the irrepressible 
 Damon. 
 
. r- 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 NAHAECO, AND THE FORGOTTEN RACE. 
 
 T'he rescued men passed out beyond the 
 curtain, and found themselves upon a natural 
 stone platform, the rock overhead projecting 
 so as to form a natural roof above them. 
 From this platform steep steps of granite 
 passed below between green shrubbery to 
 another landing, from which, turning to the 
 left, and passing along the side of the steep 
 declivity, still another flight coold be seen, 
 leading to the depths below. It needed but 
 a glance to reveal this much, and then the 
 eyes of the beholders passed in wonder to 
 the sight that unfolded itself before them in 
 the distance. 
 
 Stretching to the right and left the cliffs 
 upon the side of which they stood, broadened 
 into the distance. Fully three hundred feet 
 below them stretched a verdant valley. Close 
 beneath them were the white walls of a city, 
 148 
 
NAHAEOO, AND THE FORGOTTEN RACE. 149 
 
 here and there rearing from its midst minarets 
 and small domes. At one point a huge dome 
 that glittered like polished gold in the sunlight 
 supported a small ball that twinkled and scin- 
 tillated as if encrusted with gems. Far away 
 in the distance were other groups of build- 
 ings, which might be small towns, and be- 
 tween them lay cultivated fields, and feeding 
 flocks. The faint noise of a cataract was 
 borne to them from the depths below, and 
 the glitter of its spray could be seen rising 
 from the tree tops, near the cliff to the right. 
 As far as the eye could see in the bright dis- 
 tance the warm sun illumined the surface 
 of what seemed to be a sea of molten gold. 
 This brilliant expanse they afterwards 
 learned was a sea of quicksands, vast, bottom- 
 less and impassible, shutting the people from 
 the outside world on that side, as effectually 
 as the cliffs on the other. Behind it dimly 
 stretched a low, rugged shore, which no 
 dweller in that prison country might ever 
 hope to reach. 
 
 The §ound of voices came to them from 
 
nahaeco, and the forgotten race* 
 
 below, constantly growing louder, and m a 
 short time the forms of the four priests ap- 
 peared at the lower landing. They came up 
 the long steep steps, followed by a dozen or 
 more men, clad in a different manner, but in 
 other respects much resembling their pre- 
 lates, The style of dress was somewhat 
 alike. A sort of tunic, large and low at the 
 neck, was laced at the shoulders, and after be- 
 ing crossed over the breast a line of laces 
 followed the border of the right fold. This 
 was pulled up through a woven gold girdle, 
 until the lower edge hung evenly about the 
 limbs, a short distance below the knee. The 
 material was finely woven, and clung in 
 graceful folds, in spite of the fact that it ap- 
 peared a trifle heavy. Some of the garments 
 were of a bright yellow, whileothers were blue. 
 All wore the half sandal, half shoe, which came 
 a short distance above the ankle, and was 
 strapped about the front of the foot and limb. 
 
 Following them came a quartette of men, 
 evidently guards, for they wore armor com- 
 posed of vertical strips of a greenish hued 
 
NAHAECO, AKD THE FORGOTTEN RACE. Ijl 
 
 metal, fastened close together, and deftly 
 bent to the form, covering them from the 
 shoulders to the hip, where it was edged 
 with pendants of the same metal. Each wore 
 over his shoulders a short shoulder cape of 
 spotted fur. A low helmet, terminating in a 
 prong at the crown, and a huge spear, to- 
 gether with a broad naked blade at the left 
 side, completed the outfit. This formidable 
 party mounted the steps slowly, and when 
 near the landing halted for a moment to hold 
 a short consultation. Then the priest who 
 had appeared the most friendly some time be- 
 fore, advanced a few steps toward them, and 
 moved his hand over toward the distance, at 
 the same time opening his arms, as if in wel- 
 come. Then he motioned to his fellows, and 
 nodded his head, as if to say that they too 
 welcomed them. At this the others also 
 nodded their heads vehemently. 
 
 *• Quite a sociable lot, are they not ? ” joked 
 Damon. 
 
 “Wait,” admonished Sexton, “until we 
 see what’s in the wind.” 
 

 152 NAHAECO, AND THE FORGOTTEN RACE. 
 
 The priest came silently up the steps, and 
 neared the party. Then he pointed at him- 
 self, and said the single word, “Umrro,” and 
 spread his hands above their heads as if in 
 blessing. 
 
 “ That is plain enough,” said Ritchie. “ His 
 name is Umrro, and he has no hard feelings 
 against us.” 
 
 “ He seems to be the right sort of a fellow,” 
 ventured Damon, “and I rather like him. I 
 am not particularly fond of that other trio, 
 though.” 
 
 “ They want us to follow them,” said 
 Julian. 
 
 Such was the case. Umrro took Ritchie 
 by the hand, and led him solemnly down the 
 stairs, and the others followed. The four 
 guards drew themselves to the side of the 
 stairway until all had passed, and then 
 brought up the rear. The way led down a 
 seemingly endless flight of steps, which at 
 times ran along the side of the mountain, 
 and then at right angles. They were steep, 
 fully a foot to each, and Damon averred that 
 
MaHAECO, AN’D tHE FORGOTTEN* RACE. 153 
 
 he counted 384 of them. The foot of the 
 flights ended in a fairly wide and well kept 
 street, on either side of which were beauti- 
 fully ornamented fronts of stone buildings, 
 with a lofty lower story and entrance, and 
 another very low story above it. None of 
 the houses appeared to be of any great height. 
 As they were led along, the populace gazed 
 upon the strange visitants with wonder, often 
 breaking into loud converse among them- 
 selves. One or two of them greeted the men 
 of the party, in a dignified manner, and after 
 exchanging a few words, passed on. 
 
 “ I hope this is not a funeral procession, 
 with ourselves as the principals,” remarked 
 Damon, airily. 
 
 “ I feel like a prospective funeral,” growled 
 Sexton. “ That tumble pretty nearly used 
 me up.’’ 
 
 The tramp ended in front of a pretentious 
 looking front, and the party entered through 
 an elaborate doorway, into a hallway or 
 lobby ornate with carving. Through this 
 they passed into an inner court, which was 
 
154 KAHA8CO, AN© THE FORGOTTEN RACE. 
 
 roofed about its edges with the projecting 
 stone of the roof, but with its centre open to 
 the sun. In the middle of this court, a foun- 
 tain was tossing its water into the air, which 
 fell in a cooling spray into a huge curbed 
 basin. From this court which was amply 
 supplied with low stone seats, opened numer- 
 ous doors, which they afterward learned led 
 into the sleeping apartments, and other rooms, 
 which were used in bad weather. As a 
 general thing, the people dined and passed 
 most of their time in the court. 
 
 This they were given to understand was 
 to be their future abode, and Umrro went 
 about making nimself at home, with an alac- 
 rity which proved that he was to lodge with 
 them. They made their selection of rooms, 
 Ritchie picking out one for himself and Ju- 
 lian, but strange to say, that young man re- 
 fused with an embarrassed air, and asked that 
 he be allowed a room by himself. Ritchie 
 felt a little hurt, not knowing what had come 
 over his favorite. The lad saw the look, and 
 could not answer it, except with a boyish 
 
NAHAECO, AND THE FORGOTTEN RACE. I55 
 
 blush, so Julian was allowed to follow out his 
 peculiar whim and room alone. 
 
 These apartments were as cosy as one could 
 wish. The beds were of granite, and low on 
 the floor, but were so aptly carved to the 
 shape that with a few skins thrown over 
 them they were as soft as down. Huge rugs 
 beautifully woven in colors covered the stone 
 floor, and the barrenness of the hard walls 
 was relieved by paintings upon their sur- 
 face, which, though rather brilliant in color- 
 ing, were not badly executed. They repre* 
 sented various scenes in the life of the strange 
 people of which the new comers learned 
 more later on. The house had no opening 
 on the outside, except at the entrance door, 
 and all the light came in through the win- 
 dows opening in on the court. A stone stair- 
 way led to the floor overhead. The lower 
 ceilings were about fourteen feet high, but 
 those of the upper rooms were scarcely seven 
 feet, and were for the purpose of lodging the 
 menials of the household. 
 
 From the ceilings of the lower rooms hung 
 
1S6 NAttAEfcO, AND TttE FORGOTTEN kACB. 
 
 a huge brazen lamp by chains. At night 
 when lighted, a peculiar bright bluish light 
 was given from them, the smoke that came 
 from the flames having a faintly pleasant per- 
 fume. The fountain in the centre had a large 
 bronze basin above the lower stone one, and 
 it was in this that the drinking water was 
 caught as it fell, and was carried to the curb 
 in a metal trough. The curbed basin was 
 used to wash the household clothing and also 
 for bathing purposes. Every morning drapery 
 was hung about the fountain to the height of 
 several feet, and at certain hours the men of 
 the household, and then the women were al- 
 lowed to take their morning bath. A1 together, 
 it was a convenient arrangement. A drain 
 pipe kept the water pure at all times, and it 
 was never corrupt enough to harm the quan- 
 tity of bright-hued fish, which were one of 
 the chief pets of the house. 
 
 Umrro, it seemed, had been allotted them 
 as a sort of chief preceptor, and he selected a 
 pair of the chief savants of the land to instruct 
 the new comers in the strange language of 
 
Nahaeco, ano The eorgottek race. 157 
 
 the people. It was a difficult task at first, for 
 the reason that there was hardly a base upon 
 which to start, the words Umrroaud Gosah 
 being the extent of their knowledge in that 
 respect. The former was the name of their 
 priest, and the latter of the deity, or the Sun 
 Power. Little by little, however, they learned 
 the rudiments, and the rest was not so hard. 
 
 It was a little awkward at first to master the 
 pronunciation and Damon averred that it * 
 would result in lockjaw before he had ac- 
 quired a hundred words of the vocabulary. 
 Strange to say Julian was the most apt pupil, 
 probably from the fact that many of the words 
 had the characteristics of the Spanish. 
 
 One of the first things they learned was 
 that the land they had discovered was called 
 Nahaeco, meaning the walled country, and 
 the inhabitants were Dumachas, or the 
 prisoned people. Meantime, the friends, 
 while they were anxious as to the ultimate 
 end of their exploit, were so relieved by their 
 escape from the fate which had awaited them, 
 that they were almost ready to accept any- 
 
158 NAHAECO, AND THE FORGOTTEN RACE. 
 
 thing. They had learned early in their captiv- 
 ity (if such it might be called), that there was 
 no escape from the land into which they had 
 penetrated, for it had been cut off from the 
 rest of the world, ages and ages ago, when 
 the whole land had been peopled with the 
 forefathers of the Dumachas. According to 
 tradition, and what records had been kept, a 
 convulsion of nature had come upon them 
 when they were a great race, and had cut off 
 one of the principalities from the rest. Per- 
 haps the remainder of the nation still lived 
 about the outer walls of the confined people. 
 That was something they could not tell. 
 
 Damon was appointed astronomer in chief 
 to the outfit, and kept account of time and 
 season. Months passed by, and still there 
 was no change in their life. They lived well 
 upon fruits, a quality of bread, a kind of meat 
 they could not guess at, and any quantity of 
 roast goose. There could be no mistaking 
 the latter dish, even without the sage and 
 onions. After a time they began to be able 
 to understand and converse a little, and then 
 
NAHAECO, AND THE FORGOTTEN RACE. Igg 
 
 it was that Umrro began to give them an idea 
 of their surroundings. One of the hardest 
 things was to learn the system of figures in 
 use by the Dumachas, but they finally mas- 
 tered them, and until they did they could not 
 learn of the extent of the race. 
 
 Their numerals were arranged something 
 like the problem of the horseshoe nails, so 
 dear to the youth of every school boy. The 
 numerals numbered but seven, and were a 
 somewhat complicated set. Here they are 
 with their corresponding value in decimals : 
 
 ■A-lta. Tujay. Rahte. Menha, Rabo. Sinle. Bratcbin. 
 
 124 8 16 32 64 
 
 - V A 2 S O 3 
 
 The Bratchin corresponded to the decimal 
 hundred. The people were divided into small 
 principalities, with A 3 , or 256 souls under 
 the head of a subordinate ruler, or prince. 
 There were sixty-four of these governors of 
 tribes, so that aside from a few priests and 
 the higher rulers, there were in the valley 
 A 3 3 , or 16,384 souls. 
 
 As the supply of means of sustenance io 
 
x6o NAHAECO, AND THE FORGOTTEN RACE. 
 
 such a confined country, which was only 
 about seventy-five miles long, by fifty wide at 
 its fullest breadth, must necessarily be lim- 
 ited, and as the natural increase of population 
 would soon create a famine, a strange and 
 rather terrible state of affairs prevailed in the 
 estimation of the visitor who might drop 
 casually among the Dumachas. They had 
 often noticed that aged men were scarce, and 
 the custom explained it. In no case was the 
 population to exceed the sixty-four tribes, 
 each with their alloted number of souls. 
 Each tribe kept its record, and the head gov- 
 ernment kept a record of each tribe, and the 
 older ones were killed off as the young grew 
 up. At sixteen years of age, a person became 
 a citizen, or worthy of being numbered, and 
 a brand giving his or her date of birth was 
 burned with a gold brand upon the left 
 shoulder. Then the most aged person in the 
 tribe was worked out of the way to make 
 room. 
 
 Young married couples were only allowed 
 to rear two children, and if more were born 
 
NAHAECO, AND THE FORGOTTEN RACE. l6l 
 
 to them, they were put out of the way with 
 due pomp and ceremony. If a child died of 
 disease, another might be raised to take its 
 place. On the whole, it was a system calcu- 
 lated to work 'sure destruction to a crop of 
 grandparents, and in fact they were scarce 
 in Nahaeco. 
 
 The country was governed by a monarch, 
 who was selected in turn from one of the 
 tribes, as the term of the other expired, which 
 was only with death, but here the tulers of 
 the kingdom were in no wise better off than 
 their subjects, for when their time came they 
 too must succumb to the law of the land, and 
 be put out of the way to make room for the 
 new comers. Each prince of a tribe had a 
 voice in the councils, and passed by vote 
 upon questions of state, previously hearing 
 the wishes of his tribe in meeting assembled. 
 Each tribe shared the products of its indi- 
 vidual work in common, and the tribes traded 
 together, the money accruing from sales being 
 equally divided among the people of that 
 tribe in proportion to the amount they had 
 
i 62 nahaeco, and the forgotten race. 
 
 originally produced. Gold was the medium 
 of value, and was issued by the general ' 
 government, for the people. 
 
 There was a tax for the support of the 
 royal house, which was levied per capita 
 upon the tribes, and settled among them- 
 selves, the invariable rule being to levy the 
 assessment upon the amount of gold each 
 individual posessed. In order that no one 
 might be tempted to make a false report of 
 his riches, the proof that he had made a false 
 return of his store of gold was followed by a 
 forfeiture of the amount not reported, to the 
 general government. There were few tax 
 dodgers, it was said, in Nahaeco. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 AT THE ROYAL PALACE. 
 
 It was April in the City of Sharrai, the chief 
 place in the land of Nahaeco. The weather 
 was balmy and beautiful, and the life led by 
 the newcomers to the land was an indolent 
 one. They had so applied themselves to 
 their study of the language under Urhrro 
 and his associates, that they were enabled to 
 carry on a conversation with some ease with 
 their preceptors. They had not known a 
 care since their advent in the strange land, 
 except such as might come with thoughts as 
 to their future, at each reference to which 
 Umrro "was reticent, and would take means 
 to change the subject. They had been 
 allowed to travel about the city under the 
 espionage of their guide, and had found much 
 to interest them, and more to excite wonder. 
 
 The country they found was walled in with 
 overhanging cliffs, which were unsurpassable 
 163 
 
164 AT THE ROYAL PALACE. 
 
 barriers to the world outside. Far to the 
 west, where the sun sank, was a sea of quick- 
 sands, which stretched almost as far as the 
 eye could reach, and was as impassible as if 
 it was a sea of fire. As far as they could learn, 
 there was no avenue of escape. They were 
 as completely shut off from the outer world 
 as if they had passed out of it, and were con- 
 fined in the last resting place. Damon took 
 it philosophically, and Julian, for some reason, 
 was not worried over the state of affairs. The 
 others fretted not a little, and often talked over 
 schemes for reaching the outer world again. 
 
 The friends were reclining in the court of 
 their abode enjoying the balmy afternoon, 
 and Damon was having a political argument 
 with Umrro, trying to prove to him that the 
 national banking system of Nahaeco was 
 below par, when a messenger drew near and 
 spoke a few words to the priest. A per- 
 plexed look came into his expressive face, 
 and he nodded his head, at the same time dis- 
 missing the youth, who withdrew at once to 
 carry back an answer. 
 
AT THE ROYAL PALACE. 165 
 
 “ The hour has come, oh my pupils,” began 
 he in the musical language of the strange 
 race, “ when a member of the royal house 
 summons you hither, Namona, daughter of 
 Checides, the king, calls to you, that you 
 lend her your presence. Speak, my pupils. 
 Shall it be so ?” 
 
 “ We are ready,” answered Damon, in the 
 same manner. “ Is it not so, my friends ?” 
 
 “ It shall be even as the princess wills,” 
 assented Ritchie. 
 
 Umrro arose, and pressed the hand of each 
 solemnly, and with a visage so long as to breed 
 a little uneasiness in the breasts of his listen- 
 ers. Bidding them follow him, he arranged 
 his robe more carefully than was his wont, 
 and led the way out of the abode, and into 
 the street. From there he piloted them to a 
 portion of the city which was new to them, 
 and before a massive structure, arrang^ed in a 
 main building higher by far than its fellows, 
 u ith two wings, which were somewhat low'er. 
 It was a magnificent structure, built of huge 
 hewn stone, relieved with polished blocks of 
 
i66 
 
 AT THE ROYAL PALACE. 
 
 various varieties of granite, and round pillars 
 of what looked like lava. 
 
 Through a high arched entrance he led 
 the way into the left wing, and through an 
 elaborate corridor, in which the carving was 
 wonderful, to a draped waiting room. Here 
 Urarro whispered to a couple of female at- 
 tendants who quickly disappeared, returning 
 soon with the information that the party was 
 expected. With the attendants leading the 
 way they passed into a court of immense 
 size, the wonderful elegance of which fairly 
 took away their breath. There was the usual 
 fountain, but far more elaborate than that in 
 theirown humble quarters. The basinassumed 
 the size of a miniature lake, upon the surface 
 of which sailed a number of sacred swans, to 
 whom someone concealed behind a m^s of 
 flowered foliage was tossing some food, which 
 they sailed up to and devoured majestically. 
 There were flowers everywhere, and low 
 couches, covered inches thick with furry skins. 
 
 The party passed close to the walls on the 
 side, and as they neared the further margin 
 
AT THE ROYAL PALACE. 
 
 167 
 
 of the basin a picture presented itself which 
 burned itself upon their memory. A woman 
 had been seated upon a canopied couch, sur- 
 rounded by several female attendants, and 
 arose as they approached. There for the first 
 time, they? saw that brilliant dark beauty, 
 which was celebrated over the land of Na- 
 haeco, so grand in its womanly majesty that 
 the men from civilization could only look and 
 wonder. Umrro plucked Damon by the 
 sleeve, and made a stern motion, which they 
 understood was a command for them to kneel- 
 They did so for a moment and at a sign from 
 their guide arose and stood before the couch 
 upon which Nanona had again seated herself, 
 but at some distance away. Umrro did not 
 kneel, a point of honor accorded the priests. 
 
 She was a picture impossible to describe. 
 Her dress was in the main like that of the 
 women of her people, but more elaborate. 
 
 ^ The flowing robe was of a deep creamy hue, 
 and as glossy as the finest silk, in spite of the 
 fact that it appeared more heavily woven 
 than the modern product of the silk worm. 
 
l6& At THE ROYAL PALACfi. 
 
 The garment was arranged with its edges 
 crossed low on the breast, showing a perfect 
 neck down to where the swell of the bust 
 begun. From this point to the waist it was 
 fastened by golden balls, thrust through gilt 
 loops, and surrounded with gilt embroidery. 
 The sleeves were flowing and ample enough 
 to have reached to the wrist had they been 
 allowed to do_so, but instead they were laced 
 to a point midway between the shoulder and 
 elbow, from whence they dropped in wavy 
 folds about the waist line. The brilliant 
 though simple garment was confined to the 
 form at the waist with a gold girdle, worn 
 somewhat in the form of a corsage, and 
 shaped like a Spanish belt. From beneath 
 this hung the skirt portion in graceful folds 
 to a point between the knee and the foot in 
 front, while behind it swept the ground in a 
 short train. The border of the front of this 
 skirt was heavily embroidered with different 
 colored gems, of the quality peculiar to the 
 Rockies, not especially valuable in trade in 
 civilization, but making the most beautiful 
 
At tH£ ROYAL PALACE. 169 
 
 trimming imaginable. The weight of the 
 gems drew the garment close to the form, 
 and disclosed outlines which would have 
 rivaled the statues of the Greeks. The feet 
 were encased in dainty sandals with a low 
 heel, and cross-laced with gem-embroidered 
 bands, reaching nearly to the hem of the skirt. 
 
 A wealth of raven hair was caught up a 
 little forward from the back of the queenly 
 head, held in place by a sparkling band, and 
 then fell in a rich profusion over the left 
 shoulder, until it mingled with the embroid- 
 ery of the skirt. Her face one would fail to 
 describe. It had the perfection of feature of 
 the large type of the Romans, with eyes and 
 lips glowing with all the expression and fire 
 of the women of the tribes of Israel. In so- 
 ciety, she would have driven men mad and 
 women wild with envy. In the palace of 
 Sharrai she shone like a lovely gem, blinding 
 the eye, and showing what was possible in 
 beautiful femininity. 
 
 Nanona tossed the last scrap of food from 
 her hand to the swans, and gazed intently 
 
170 
 
 AT THE ROYAL PALACE. 
 
 upon the men before her. Their strange 
 manner of dress interested her nx)t a little, 
 and the peculiar whiteness of their faces made 
 her wonder. Her look wandered from . Da- 
 mon to Ritchie, then to Julian, and a puzzled 
 expression came over the beautiful counte- 
 nance. Then she looked at Sexton for a 
 moment, and the sturdy old miner blushed. 
 Then back again to Damon, who was devour- 
 ing her with all his eyes, and there her 
 glance rested for a moment, and their eyes 
 met. Then a troubled expression came Over 
 her face, and she colored slightly. 
 
 “Nanona, the daughter of the people, has 
 sent for the strange men who come from 
 above the cave of protection, that she may 
 see with her own eyes, that of which hei 
 serving women have so often conversed with 
 her,'^ she said, in a full musical voice. ‘‘Let 
 the strangers speak to ^anona, and tell her if 
 we are to be friends — the daughter of the 
 people, and the strange visitors, who come 
 from the great unknown. Thou of the pale 
 face and golden hair, and thou of the gray 
 
AT THE ROYAL PALACE. 
 
 locks, who are as rugged as the cliffs, and 
 thou of the soft eye that looketh like a woman 
 (Julian blushed and trembled), and thou, oh 
 princely one, who hath the face of mine own 
 people.” 
 
 The four friends looked at each other as if 
 each expected the other to speak. Finally 
 Damon, upon whom her eyes were riveted, 
 roused himself from his stupor, and answered 
 her in the musical language of her own people. 
 
 “ Pardon us, oh princess, who are awed by 
 the beauty of thy presence. The boon that 
 we could crave is that we may claim as our 
 friend the princess of the people, Nanona, 
 the daughter of Checides. Smile not at our 
 poor attempts to use the language of her 
 ■people, which we have but poorly mastered 
 in spite of the attempts of our friend Umrro 
 to instruct us." 
 
 “ He doth traduce himself, oh Nanona,” 
 said the priest with a smile, “for thou wilt 
 perceive that they use our speech fluently.” 
 
 “Ill would it become me to smile at the 
 stranger,” continued Nanona, “for what 
 11 
 
172 At tttE roVaL palace. 
 
 saith the law of the Dumachas? ‘ Thou shalt 
 treat the dependent kindly, and smile not at 
 their woes.’ Tell me your names, oh strang- 
 ers, that I may know in what manner to ad- 
 dress you apart. Fain would I learn who 
 and what are our visitors, and whence they 
 come.” 
 
 They told her their names, each in turn, 
 and she reflected a moment. 
 
 “ Some of them I fear I will fail to master,” 
 she said, “ and must needs name you to suit 
 myself. ‘ Damon ’ and ‘ Harlo,’ accord with 
 mine own tongue. I perceive that you pos- 
 sess more names than one, therefore I will 
 call thee Damon, and thee Harlo. The rug- 
 ged one with the grizzled locks I would name 
 again. He shall be Rusta, meaning the rock, 
 and the frail one shall be henceforth Truila, 
 meaning the man-maid. Now, oh strangers, 
 and friends of Nanona, tell the princess of the 
 people whence ye came, and how ye have 
 penetrated to the land of the Dumachas. 
 Seat yourselves, I pray, and stand not upon 
 ceremony with Nanona.” 
 
AT THE ROYAL PALACE. 1 73 
 
 Thus adjured Damon constituted himself 
 spokesman, and gave the beautiful listener a 
 brief running account of their adventures 
 from the time of the discovery of the message 
 upon the flask. The princess was an inter- 
 ested listener, no less than the women of her 
 retinue, who remained seated about her. 
 During the recital her expressive countenance 
 was a study, and showed the deep feeling of 
 which she was capable. At the most inter- 
 esting points her face would grow animated, 
 and her bosom heave with emotion, and when 
 the tale of the agony in the prison cavern 
 was reached, moist tears gathered in her 
 eyes, and it seemed as if Damon alone was 
 the object of her pity. 
 
 The conversation lasted well on toward 
 evening for she plied her visitors with ques- 
 tions as to the world outside, and it seemed 
 as if she would never tire of the recital of the 
 wonders which were all so new to her. When 
 the audience was at an end, she gave each 
 her hand in parting and assured them of her 
 undying friendship. Then she led Damon a 
 
174 
 
 AT THE ROYAL PALACE. 
 
 little aside, and looking into his eyes ear- 
 nestly, said ! “ Tell not the others the tales 
 you have told me. It is for your interest, in 
 the days to come. The laws of my people 
 are not the laws of the land you have left and 
 ill would have befallen you ere now, but that 
 the priests believed that Gosah had thrown 
 about you the sign of protection. Trust all 
 you see here about us, for they are true, but 
 believe not in the friendship of others.” 
 
 She turned as if to go, and then halting, 
 said in a low voice, intended for his ear alone; 
 
 Come to me when the others know it not, 
 I would have speech with thee again.” Say- 
 ing which she gave a sign to her waiting 
 women, and they departed into the inner 
 rooms. 
 
 After that day Damon was often missed by 
 his friends, and it was at such times that he 
 was in the company of the princess, where 
 they fed the swans together in the basin, and 
 exchanged ever growing confidences, Damon 
 telling her more of that great outer world, 
 which she had never seen, and Nanona telling 
 
AT THE ROYAL PALACE. 175 
 
 him in turn many of the queer beliefs, habits 
 and customs of her people. Love is the same 
 the world over» and though Damon would 
 hardly have dared to speak to the princess of 
 such a theme as the divine passion, their eyes 
 told to each other the tale their hearts dared 
 not admit. Once Nanona and Damon drifted 
 into the subject of the social relations of the 
 sexes in Nahaeco. It appeared that when- 
 ever two young people saw each other upon 
 the streets of a city, or in the public places, if 
 they thought by mutual glances that they 
 would be suited to each other, the young man 
 was allowed to go to her parents, and apply 
 for an acquaintance with her and her family. 
 If his prospects were acceptable to the 
 parents, he was at once led into the court, and 
 presented to her, and an acquaintance began. 
 This was deemed a proper plan for enlarging 
 the circles of acquaintance, so that each young 
 man or woman would have a larger field to 
 choose a life partner from, than a certain pre- 
 scribed set, immediately about them. It also 
 brought the making of these new acquaint- 
 
176 AT THE ROYAL PALACE. 
 
 ances directly beneath the eye of the 
 parents. 
 
 There was no false modesty in Nahaeco. 
 The woman was perfectly at liberty to con- 
 fess her love at any time, as well as the man, 
 though in this respect and in the affairs of the 
 household, her province ceased. The subject 
 was a dangerous one for two fiery hearts, al- 
 ready well on toward the gulf of mutual con- 
 fessions, and did more to draw them together 
 than months of ordinary intercourse. The 
 waiting women of the princess were present 
 on all the occasions, yet seemed to pay little 
 attention, as if the will of the princess on the 
 matter were paramount. 
 
 Damon’s companions noticed the change in 
 him, and were not far from guessing the 
 reason. 
 
 “ Such going on is pretty good for a woman- 
 hater,” said Ritchie to him one day, while 
 they were enjoying a loll in the court. 
 
 “ Ah ! but how do you know that Nanona 
 is a woman?” was the apt reply of the infatu- 
 ated 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE SHADOW OF SUSPICION. 
 
 As time wore on, the strangers in the land 
 were often visited by many of the higher men 
 of the tribes, who were not a little curious to 
 gaze upon the strange beings whose fame had 
 gone abroad in the land. The major portion 
 of these were satisfied with a look, while 
 others would hold short conversations with 
 them, but never unless Umrro was present. 
 He seemed to have been constituted their 
 guardian, and the visitors were allowed only 
 such latitude as he willed. Often they 
 brought with them the female members of 
 their families, and in some cases, where these 
 were more than usually beautiful, Ritchie 
 would cultivate their acquaintance, and regale 
 them with interesting tales of himself and 
 friends, not always, sad to relate, strictly in 
 conformity with exact truth. 
 
178 THE SHADOW OF SUSPICION. 
 
 Damon was too much preoccupied with 
 thoughts of his own love affair to notice them 
 much, although the majority of the women of 
 the country were more than passably good 
 looking. They lived and grew up in the 
 school of nature, knowing not the confine- 
 ments and injuries of modern society, and 
 were the better for it. During all these calls, 
 it was noticed that Julian, although of an age 
 when youth is apt to be impressionable, held 
 aloof, and would have little to do with the 
 handsome maidens, although many of them 
 cast inviting glances at his fresh, boyish 
 beauty. Instead, boy-like, he preferred to 
 look jealously and uneasily at Ritchie, as if 
 he feared that some of the women of the land 
 would succeed in winning the affections of his 
 favorite. Gradually a coldness sprung up 
 between Ritchie and himself, which pained 
 the older man as he noticed it, and he watched 
 a certain growing uneasiness on lulian’s part 
 with some misgivings. 
 
 Julian grew more morbid and inclined to 
 solitude, and finally his friends took to watch- 
 
THE SHADOW OF SUSPICION. 179 
 
 ing him quietly. They feared that something 
 was wearing upon his mind that might drive 
 him to some extreme. One beautiful evening, 
 after nightfall, when the moon flooded Na- 
 haeco with its cold, chaste light, Damon was 
 so filled with thoughts of his last meeting with 
 Nanona, that he drew apart from the rest who 
 were holding a lengthy argument in one of 
 the rooms, and finally wandered unseen into 
 the court, where the moon shed a silver sheen 
 of brightness through the mists of the foun- 
 tain, and sent little sparkles into his face from 
 the surface of the rippling waters of the basin. 
 He seated himself in the shadow and was 
 soon lost in reverie, until he was startled by 
 seeing a long shadow thrown across the court, 
 in front of him. 
 
 Rousing himself, he looked in the direction 
 from whence it came, and saw Julian steal 
 along the edge of the shadow cast by the 
 other side of the court, and move rapidly to- 
 ward the exit to the building. Remember- 
 ing the fears held for the young man, he 
 Started to his feet, and followed him at a safe 
 
l8o THE SHADOW OF SUSPICION. 
 
 distance, taking care at the same time not to 
 be seen. The youth sped stealthily along 
 the deserted street, and toward the palace, 
 the way to which Damon now knew so well. 
 Arrived at the entrance to the left wing, he 
 paused a moment to look back. His pursuer 
 had hidden himself in the shadow of a column, 
 and was not perceived, so Julian passed 
 rapidly in. Damon followed him, and was 
 just in time to see the young man disappear 
 in the shadows at the side of the court where 
 the princess lodged. 
 
 A pang shot through Damon’s heart. What 
 meant this nightly visit to the door of his 
 beloved? The boy had gone there directly, 
 and with all the assurance of a rendezvous. 
 Could it be that he and Nenona had a secret 
 understanding, and that he was but a fool, to 
 be gulled by a woman? Was this glorious 
 creature but a counterpart of the deceitful 
 women of the world whom he had so long 
 ago learned to hate ? These thoughts roused 
 the demon of jealousy within his breast, and 
 ^ feeling of hatred caine over hint for the 
 
THE SHADOW OF SUSPICION. l8v 
 
 youth who had been his friend. No basilisk 
 is more alert than a jealous man. This one 
 drew nearer to be within sight of the door- 
 way, from within which came the soft chords 
 of some musical instrument, accompanied by 
 the words to a song— her voice. 
 
 “ Be still, my heart, that doth so wildly beat, 
 
 “ Why throbb’st thou, with a feeling vague and 
 new ? 
 
 “ That finest with an essense softly sweet, 
 “Nanona's soul. Ah! love, 'tis love, 'tis love 
 for you! 
 
 “As falls the dew on Nature’s night, 
 
 “ As Sarde floods the eve with light, 
 
 “ As Gosah spreads his brilliant beams 
 “ Afar, o’er mountain, fields and streams, 
 
 “ So did’st thyself, mine own soul meet, 
 
 “ ’ Til from that contact, passion grew, 
 
 “ False one ! ” cried Damon, beside himself, 
 “ So might she have sung to me, had her eyes 
 read true.” 
 
 “ I know not if thy heart has answer made, 
 
 “ And yet Nanona readeth in thine eye, 
 
 “ That at her feet, affection thou hast laid, 
 
 “ As deep as love, as boundless as the sky. 
 
1 8 a THE SHADOW OF SUSPICIOH. 
 
 “ Where art thou now, my heart’s own king ? 
 
 “ Ah! will my song an echo bring, 
 
 “ Unto thy heart, that lieth bare, 
 
 “ For me to read, and nestle there. 
 
 “ ’ Tis only to herself, the maid 
 “ Doth loose her hearty and heed its cry. 
 
 The song ceased, and there was a move- 
 ment within. Then a presence came between 
 the light that streamed from within, out into 
 the shadow, and approached the entrance. 
 How well he knew that form. It was she, 
 Nanona, the princess of the land, the queen 
 of his heart. He could not hear the words, 
 but he saw the greeting between the two, and 
 ground his teeth in rage. He would not 
 harm the boy. Even in that bitter moment 
 he could not blame him. It was she who was 
 at fault, and he who was the dupe. There 
 was an embrace, something which appeared 
 like terms of endearment, a few soft words, 
 and then what seemed like a stifled sob from 
 the boy. Then she kissed him, and Damon 
 bit his lip until the blood came and ran slowly 
 down upon his under lip. He had never 
 
THE SHADOW OF SUSPICION. 183 
 
 dared, and she had never caressed him thus, 
 and he had thought she loved him. Women 
 were women the world over. 
 
 Then the pair passed into the inner room, 
 and the curtain was drawn about the entrance. 
 Damon flung himself down upon the cold 
 stones, and gave himself up to despair, then 
 be began to feel that he must rouse himself 
 in some way. He crawled to the edge of the 
 basin, and bending over, bathed his hot 
 temples in the cooling liquid. A white swan 
 that had been sleeping near, heard the splash 
 of the water, and lifting its long neck from 
 beneath its wing, sailed farther away, after 
 an inquisitive glance at the strange intruder. 
 How long he remained there he knew not, 
 but long enough to satisfy himself that the 
 interview was a prolonged one, and probably 
 of the most loving kind. Could she be guilty } 
 He hardly dared ask himself the question. 
 
 Soon again he heard that voice, and in his 
 rage he sprang erect, and stood with folded 
 arms where the moonlight shone full upon 
 him. She should see that he knew all, should 
 
184 THE SHADOW OF SUSPICION. 
 
 she come out with her paramour. Slowly the 
 curtain was thrust aside, and with arms twined 
 about each other two female forms came 
 through the doorway and toward him. One 
 was Nanona, but the other he knew not. 
 Where could Julian be? The question did 
 not trouble him long, for his whole thought 
 was concentrated upon the approaching form 
 of the woman he loved, the woman who was 
 false to that great love. Slowly she drew 
 near, and then she lifted that queenly head, 
 and her eyes met his. For a moment she 
 looked perplexed, and then she seemed to 
 realize all. She drew herself to her full 
 height, and looked at him, but without a 
 quiver of guilt upon the beautiful features, 
 which had frozen as she saw him standing 
 there with the frown upon his face, his arms 
 folded like a statue of justice. Even then a 
 faint glow of pride came to her face as she 
 took in his commanding presence. 
 
 “ Damon has timed his visit ill,” she said, 
 coldly, “or hath Sarde (the moon), with her 
 brilliant face so transformed the night that 
 
THS SHADOW OF SUSPICION. 185 
 
 he has perceived in it the day. Speak, that 
 Nanona may know if the riddle hath been 
 rightly read.” 
 
 “Speak me no subterfuges, oh, Nanona, 
 princess of the Dumachas,” replied Damon 
 in a stern voice, while the woman who had 
 accompanied Nanona drew a few steps away 
 into the shadow. “ Thine own acts may 
 solve to thee the riddle.” 
 
 “ Mine acts are mine own,’’ said the prin- 
 cess slowly. “Who dares question the ac- 
 tions of the princess of the people? Is it 
 Damon who was my friend ? A trespasser 
 in the land of the Dumachas, who has stolen 
 like a thief of the night into my apartments, 
 and does thus dare to read the law to 
 Nanona ? ” 
 
 “ The princess of the people was not so cir- 
 cumspect when Truila was the offender,” 
 cried Damon, throwing prudence to the 
 winds. “ Is it thus that Nanona, princess of 
 the royal house, receives her lovers ? ” 
 
 “ By what right does the subject of Nanona 
 question?” asked the now angry woman. 
 
j8« th» shadow or susriciOH. 
 
 “ Does he not know that at this place, and at 
 this time, his life is at her bidding ? ’’ 
 
 “ He knows not, and heeds not,’’ cried Da- 
 mon. “ He only knows that he has loved a 
 coquette, and cares not for life. She may 
 complete the injury she has already caused 
 him.” 
 
 Nanona flushed at the words, and for a 
 moment a thrill went through her as she 
 heard the confession, but an angry woman 
 who has been the victim of an injustice is not 
 to be easily appeased. Taking a step toward 
 him she extended her arm in a queenly man- 
 ner, and spoke. 
 
 “ Know, Damon, that it needs but the light- 
 est word to have thee seized and punished for 
 thy bravado, but as ye have erred through 
 ignorance, and claim to love Nanona, princess 
 of the people, she will take the fittest punish- 
 ment that can be meted to a noble man who 
 says he loves, and will prove she has been 
 wronged by him who has professed that love.” 
 
 Damon stood like a statue of unbelief, 
 while she turned to the other figure, and said: 
 
THE SHADOW OF SUSPICION. 187 
 
 “ Come forth into the light, oh my sister, 
 thou whom I have named Losaia, the masked 
 one, and have taken to my heart. Come 
 forth, to confound this rash man, who has 
 lost forever the love of Nanona, she for whom 
 suitors come from afar over the land of the 
 Dumachas. Not that I desire to boast of such 
 poor beauty as 1 possess, but that I do wish 
 to show to him the prize that he has forfeited. 
 For now that he has lost it, Nanona, she who 
 is a princess of the royal house, confesses to 
 you both, what she had long ago confessed 
 to herself, that she had given her heart to the 
 stranger, he with the face of her own people, 
 and whom she thought more worthy than the 
 princes of the Dumachas. Come forth, oh 
 Losaia.” 
 
 With that she turned her glorious eyes 
 now filled with scorn, full upon her lover, 
 and there stepped into the light one robed in 
 a gown of exquisite richness, with the form 
 of a lovely woman, but with the features of 
 that Julian, whom he thought his rival. 
 
 “ Oh, ye dullards. Ye thoughtless ones,” 
 la 
 
l88 THE SHADOW OF SUSPICION. 
 
 cried Nanona, with grim humor. “ Ye who 
 have travelled with my sister whqm I have 
 taken to my heart, for many visits of Sarde 
 (months), with her close by your side, and 
 have never guessed her true sex. Ye have 
 but one excuse, and that is that ye are men, 
 and therefore dull. What ye had never sus- 
 pected, Nanona divined from the first. Come 
 with thy new sister, oh, Losaia. Thou shalt 
 abide with me this night. Come, while we 
 leave this suspicious, this unjust man to the 
 punishment of his own thoughts.” 
 
 Damon had sunk from the judge to the 
 most abject penitent during the recital, and 
 now stood with bowed head, the picture of 
 contrition. He would have spoken but she 
 waved her hand for silence. 
 
 Speak not,” she cried, “ or Nanona, who 
 has been thy friend, will only remember that 
 she is a princess, and can punish an of- 
 fender.” 
 
 “ His punishment lies more in the loss of 
 Nanona than in a threatened death,” said he, 
 brokenly. 
 
THE SHADOW OF SUSPICION. 1 89 
 
 “See how he suffers,” whispered the one 
 the princess had named Losaia, softly. “ Give 
 him some sign of forgiveness.” 
 
 “ Not so,” was the stern reply. “ He is 
 dead to me forever. One who truly loves, 
 should disbelieve even his own eyes, against 
 the woman his heart holds as its queen.” 
 
 With this they left him standing there 
 alone, and without a backward glance, Na- 
 nona passed through the door, and the heavy 
 curtain shut her from his sight. 
 
 He stood there for some moments like one 
 in a dream, and then slowly turned and 
 passed out into the street, toward his own 
 apartment, cursing in his heart the hour he 
 had dared to doubt the noble woman who 
 had confessed too late her love for him. 
 
 Meantime, the princess, alone with her new 
 found friend, broke down completely, and 
 found relief as her weaker sisters of modern 
 civilization have ever done, in a flood of tears, 
 while the other sought to comfort her as best 
 she could. 
 
 It is probable that the bond between these 
 

 190 T«E SHADOW OP SUSPICION. 
 
 two was their great love for an undeserving 
 man, Nanona had suspected the boy of being 
 unsexed, and after Ritchie had begun paying 
 a little attention to other women, the other 
 had sought out the princess, and confided all 
 to her. How she had first met and loved 
 Ritchie, and had come to the men with the 
 story of her being a brother of Loie de Jan- 
 tezao, in order that she herself might accom- 
 pany them on their search for the Devil’s gold. 
 The story of so much devotion had won the 
 heart of the princess at once, and she had re- 
 solved to take her to her heart and under her 
 immediate protection, before Ritchie had be- 
 come entangled with some native beauty. 
 After that she had learned to love her for 
 herself, when she had seen Loie in her proper 
 apparel. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHAS. 
 
 After that evening, Nanona refused to see 
 any of the three men, and though she often 
 went so far as to enquire of Umrro how it 
 fared with them, she steadfastly refused to 
 heed the messages Damon was constantly 
 sending her, asking for an audience. As 
 Loie, or Losaia, as the princess insisted upon 
 calling her, was constantly by her side, she 
 also remained invisible to them, except upon 
 one occasion, when the royal party was 
 passed in the streets, and then Nanona kept 
 her head another way, though her companion 
 allowed a blushing glance to follow Ritchie, 
 who gazed upon her with some interest, and 
 more reproach. He remembered all the little 
 confidences that had passed from him to her, 
 and was aware that she knew that he had 
 thought of her almost as a lover dreams of 
 
192 TCHINCUIIiAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHAS. 
 
 his mistress. He remembered the kisses in 
 the cave, and knew that her love was even 
 greater than his own. The thought made 
 him less lonelv in that walled-in and forgotten 
 land. 
 
 Damon was poor company, brooding as he 
 was over the fate that had befallen him, and 
 his grief seemed so heartfelt, that his friends 
 refrained from joking him about his affection 
 for the princess. Ritchie was not a little pre- 
 occupied, so the two older me«, Sexton and 
 Umrro, were usually left to carry on the con- 
 versation together, lengthening their argu- 
 ments for hours at a time. The priest had 
 been much interested in the pistols carried 
 by his new friends, and noted with much sur- 
 prise the attention they paid them at times. 
 It had been agreed that the use of the fire- 
 arms should be kept a secret, until such time 
 as they should become useful in defending 
 their lives, if matters ever came to that pass, 
 so the kindly' priest was told a story to the 
 effect that they were a talisman from the 
 deity of the strangers, all of which he aq. 
 
*Vj» 
 
 TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHAS. 193 
 
 cepted in good faith. He had wished to 
 handle them, but was refused, on pain of dire 
 disaster. 
 
 So matters stood, when one day Umrro 
 came to them with a long face, and bade them 
 prepare for an event which he had dreaded 
 for some time past, 
 
 “In the beginning,” said he solemnly, “know 
 that Umrro is the friend of his pupils, and 
 would fain do his utmost for their welfare. 
 You will remember the time when myself and 
 the other priests were surprised in the cave 
 of protection, by the strange entrance of the 
 visitants from above, which were yourselves, 
 my pupils. At every change of Sarde, it is 
 the custom of the priests of Dumacha, to re- 
 pair to the cavern, and offer up sacrifices to 
 appease Saghah, the prince of evil, and thus 
 protect the land from his wicked influences. 
 You will also remember that it was the priest 
 Ilhama, and his fellows, Hasumaand Vetzuma, 
 who were about to take the lives of my 
 pupils, when Gosah sent down his ray of fire, 
 in token of protection. This ray fell upon 
 
194 TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHAS. 
 
 the heads of Harlo and Losaia, she who is 
 now the friend of the Princess Nanona, so 
 that they were hereafter sacred from the 
 wiles of my brothers. With Damon and 
 Rusta, here, it is different. An audience was 
 held with Checides, he who is king of the 
 Dumachas, and his princes, and it was agreed 
 that the priests should take council for a cer- 
 tain time, while they studied the will of Gosah 
 in the heavens, and even I, Umrro, a priest 
 of the people, was given for your instructor, 
 for the ever just Checides willed that nothing 
 should be done until ye could speak for your- 
 selves. And while I taught you, my pupils, 
 I, even Umrro, learned to love you, and so 
 now that the time has come when the great 
 council shall assemble in the grand room of 
 the palace, Umrro will lead you thither, and 
 will lend his poor assistance in your behalf, 
 though I much fear that trouble is in store.” 
 
 “ I care not, so far as 1 may speak for my- 
 self, oh Umrro,” said Damon, moodily, “for 
 whatever fate befall me is of little conse* 
 quence.” 
 
TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHAS, I95 
 
 “ I must confess,” said Sexton, emphatically, 
 “that I have a considerable care what befalls 
 me, or either of my friends, and it shall go 
 hard with your fellow priests should they at- 
 tempt any harm to either of us,” and the 
 sturdy miner capped his pistol, significantly. 
 
 “I doubt not, friend Rusta,” said the priest, 
 shaking his head dubiously, “ that yon talis- 
 man is a very strong one, and I hope it may 
 be able to confound those who may wish you 
 ill.” 
 
 After a few admonitions from Umrro to 
 the effect that they should especially beware 
 of Ilhama, who was the main spirit in the 
 movement against them, the party set out for 
 the palace, Umrro walking in the lead. On 
 the streets they noticed a more than usually 
 large number of people, so much so as to give 
 to the city of Sharrai a holiday aspect, and it 
 was noticed that the little party came in for a 
 large share of interest at their hands, their 
 appearance calling up quite an amount of dis- 
 cussion, some of the opinions being adverse, 
 while others argued vehemently in their favor. 
 
196 TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHAS. 
 
 The main, or throne, room of the palace was 
 an enormous affair capable of accommodating 
 a large gathering. It was built directly 
 beneath the high dome, which covered over 
 what would be the court in the residences of 
 the city. Light was admitted from huge 
 openings built in filagree directly at the base 
 of the dome itself. No provision was made 
 for seats, aside from a few about the throne, 
 the gathering remaining standing. All about 
 this hall, which was circular in form , were a 
 double row of massive polished pillars, which 
 supported the dome. Behind these, at the 
 points of the compass, were four square wait- 
 ing rooms, which were provided with couches 
 covered with furs. The floor was of polished 
 granite, laid in huge irregular blocks, and 
 covered at the front of the dais upon which 
 the throne stood with a quantity of the 
 spotted skins of the mountain lion. 
 
 It was the throne itself upon which the 
 whole wealth of artistic genius has been ex- 
 pended. It was in the form of a hugh couch, 
 with a back fully twenty feet in height, The 
 
TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHAS. I97 
 
 affair had apparently been constructed from 
 every quality of stone and petrified wood the 
 land afforded, polished in places, in others 
 carved in an elaborate manner. There were 
 beautiful specimens of cameo, goldstone, 
 tiger-eye, sardonyx, crocidolites, ribbon, 
 jewel, moss and green agate, and satin spar. 
 In the carvings, beautifully encrusted, were 
 the mountain diamond, ruby, emerald, and 
 every other gem, which sparkled in the mass, 
 as brilliantly as the precious stones of which 
 they are the pattern. 
 
 Reclining upon the skins of dressed grizzly 
 and mountain lion, was Checides, the ruler of 
 the people, a strongly built, handsome 
 featured man, with a stern aspect. He was 
 not old. No one was old in that land. His 
 age might have been above forty -five, and he 
 was a handsome specimen of manhood. At 
 his side was seated his daughter Nanona, 
 eclipsing all with her peerless loveliness. At 
 her feet was the beautiful Chilian, looking regal 
 in her splendid robe. Standing at each side 
 were several of the ministers, or confidants 
 
198 tchincuilaa, prince of the dumachas. 
 
 of the king, and at the base of the dais, on its 
 first step, a dozen of the armed men of the 
 household, six on a side. 
 
 The princes of the land were standing about 
 the walls, together with the principal noble- 
 men of their tribes, and in the center the three 
 priests, Ilhama, with a wicked look upon his 
 face, in close consultation with his two col- 
 leagues. 
 
 As the strangers entered, led by Umrro, a 
 hush fell upon the assembly, and they were 
 the centre of attraction, for many of the 
 chiefs and princes from distant tribes had 
 never yet looked upon the strange men who 
 had set all the land to talking. As they passed 
 up the room, toward the throne, Ilhama gave 
 Umrro a fierce look of hatred, which was re- 
 plied to with a steady gaze of determination 
 by the friendly priest. Nanona paled a little 
 at first, then assumed a haughty air, and ap- 
 peared unconcerned, turning to one of the 
 lords at her side to speak with him. The 
 beautiful Chilian glanced tenderly at Ritchie, 
 who returned the look so intently as to bring 
 
TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHAS. 199 
 
 an answering blush, while Damon bit his lip, 
 and looked sullen. Sexton bristled with 
 fight from crown to heel, and fondled his 
 huge navy. At a point about twenty feet 
 from the first step to the throne, Umrro 
 stopped, the others following his example. 
 Here the priest bowed low before Checides, 
 who inclined his head in welcome. 
 
 “ Greeting, oh Checides, just ruler of the 
 Dumachas,” said the priest, in a solemn voice. 
 “ Thou see’st how well Umrro hath kept his 
 charge. He promised that should the 
 strangers be delivered to his keeping he 
 would deliver them into thy hand at thy 
 oidding. Behold, they are here^they who I 
 am proud to call my friends, and whom I 
 have taught to speak for themselves ; Rusta, 
 the rugged one, and Harlo, he of the grace- 
 ful form, and even Damon, he of the face 
 of our own people, all are here, even to 
 Truila, who had deceived us all, and who, 
 now called Losaia, sits by the side of Nanona, 
 the princess, and thy daughter. So now, ye 
 see,” he continued, turning to the three 
 
56o tCklNCUilAA, PfeiNCE of TME duMachaS. 
 
 priests, and the crowd of listening noblerfien, 
 and drawing himself to his full height, “ how 
 well Umrro keeps his promises.” 
 
 “ ’Tis well, oh Umrro,” said the king. 
 “ May Gosah deal with thee, as thou dealest 
 with thy king and his people. Now, oh, ye 
 priests of the Dumachas, what would ye of 
 our visitors ?” 
 
 “ Hail, oh King, Checides, called the Just,” 
 cried Ilhama, striding to the foot of the 
 throne, and turning so as to partially face his 
 sovereign, and also the concourse of princes 
 and lords. “ Ye, even ye, hath set a time when 
 the intruders shall receive the will of the 
 priests of the Dumachas. The time has come. 
 I, even Ilhama, have consulted with Gosah 
 and his hosts in the heavens, and together 
 with the priests of the people, have we seen 
 by signs the will of the Most High made 
 manifest. Ye all have heard how the earth 
 tottered in the dome of the cavern of protec- 
 tion, and how the four fell headlong even 
 upon the altar of sacrifice, together with the 
 mountain of gold poured also upon the altar 
 
TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACIIAS. 20i 
 
 itself. That sign spoke for itself, but even as 
 we, the priests of the people were about to 
 slay them, and give them to the flame, Gosah 
 sent a beam of protecting fire, upon the heads 
 of two, thereby marking his preference. 
 Who can doubt the will of Gosah? Who, I 
 say ? Is it Umrro, that hath made himself 
 the friend of the intruder, and thus merits 
 the punishment of the people? 
 
 He ceased, and as he ran his questioning 
 eye about the room, a murmur arose, 
 and many eyes were turned upon the 
 friendly priest, who stood unmoved, with 
 scornful mien. 
 
 “ What then, is the will of the priests of the 
 Dumachas ?” asked the king quietly. 
 
 “It is that the will of Gosah be fulfilled. 
 Let the two men perish by the casque, and 
 be given to the flames,” 
 
 There was a stir about the room at the 
 words, and Nanona pressed the hand of 
 Losaia and bent to hide the startled expres- 
 siim of her face. The brow of the king con- 
 tracted, and Umrro started as if to speak. 
 
202 TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DTJMACHAS. 
 
 when he was silenced by a look from 
 Checides. 
 
 “ Speak, oh strangers in the land of the 
 Dumachas,” said Checides in a loud voice, 
 
 “ and let the princes of my people hear your 
 defence.” 
 
 The friends looked at each other in a doubt- 
 ful way. That trouble was in store was appar- 
 ant, but the time had not yet come for action. 
 Ritchie knew that he was to be spared, but 
 that did not deter him from a determination 
 to perish with his friends, in a gallant fight, if 
 necessary. 
 
 “ You state the case, Damon,” said Sexton. 
 “You are somewhat of a lawyer, and can 
 make a good plea. Meantime keep your 
 fingers upon your pistols, all, and prepare for 
 action. We will show these fire-worshippers 
 how Americans can fight, when it comes to a 
 pinch. I fancy we will make this pretty place 
 look like a slaughter house for several con- 
 secutive minutes.” 
 
 “ Greeting, oh Checides,” cried Damon in 
 ringing voice, stepping forward a few paces. 
 
TCHIKCUILAA, ^KIKCX OF THt DtTMACHAt. 30^ 
 
 “and peace be with ye, oh princes of Na- 
 haeco. We come not here of our own ac- 
 cord, but from that land without, of which ye 
 know naught, kave we been hurled within 
 the land of the Dumachas, by the will of 
 Gosah, whom under different names we all 
 worship. We have no quarrel with the Du- 
 machas, and would depart hence were it pos- 
 sible. We but ask to live at peace with all, 
 and dwell yet a little while in this land. May- 
 hap Gosah, who has cast our lot among you, 
 will open up a way for our de{>arture. Peace 
 to you, oh people.’’ 
 
 There was another murmur among the 
 princes as he finished. It was apparent that 
 he had made a good impression, and that the 
 strangers had friends among them. But II- 
 hama was not to be robbed of his prey so 
 easily. He scowled grimly as the king turned 
 to him. 
 
 “They speak fair,” said Checides. “What 
 hath Ilhama to say further in behalf of the 
 will of the priests of Nahaeco?” 
 
 “ It is the will of Gosah that they perish,” 
 18 
 
3£>4 TCHlNCUtLAA, PfetNCfe O? THE bUitACttAl 
 
 cried the priest stubbornly. “ Who dares 
 dispute the will of the Most High?” 
 
 “ A word, oh king,” cried Umrro, who had 
 remained quiet, noticing that Nanona was 
 about to rise, and signing for her to be seated. 
 “Ye have heard the statement of Ilhama, 
 who contrary to the laws of Gosah, thirsts 
 for blood. Is it not written, ‘ Ye shall not 
 take the life of My children, except it be law- 
 fully, according to the written law ? There- 
 fore, 1 say they shall not perish. Who is it 
 that would make for the people of Nahaeco a 
 new law ? Is it Ilhama, the stern ? Ilhama, 
 the false reader of the heavens ? The one 
 who deals in dark secrets, and who is sus- 
 pected by many of the people of being in 
 league with Saghah ? ” 
 
 The countenance of the king brightened for 
 a moment, and thenhelookedsternlyat Ilhama. 
 
 “ Well spoken, oh Umrro,” he said. “Truly, 
 Ilhama, they can not perish, according to the 
 written law.” 
 
 Nanona gave him an eloquent look of 
 thankfulness, which he perceived, and knew 
 
TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHAS. 305 
 
 that his daughter was the friend of the 
 strangers. A murmur went about the room 
 again, and Ilhama bit his lip with anger. For 
 a moment he spoke in secret with the other 
 priests, and then one of the princes, he who 
 was next in line of succession to the throne, 
 Hatesta, a man of heavy frame and evil as- 
 pect, joined them and whispered a few words. 
 Ilhama again drew near the foot of the 
 throne, and raised his hand on high. 
 
 “Well hath Umrro spoken in the eyes of 
 my king,” said he. “Truly, well hath he 
 spoken for his pupils. The law of the land 
 shall not be violated. Therefore we, the 
 priests ot the Dumachas, will that they, the 
 two who have not received the sign of Gosah, 
 be branded with the highest brand, and be- 
 come the next in order for the hand of death, 
 according to the written law. Well have 
 they named thee the Just, oh king. You will 
 see that this is justice.” 
 
 “ Hearken, oh king and princes,” cried 
 Ritchie, stepping forward, and facing the as- 
 semblage. “ I will have none of the protec- 
 
2o6 TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHA8. 
 
 tion of Gosah, that doth not include my 
 friends. What? Are we not brothers, and 
 are we not protected alike? Ye shall not 
 touch them, or woe be unto you, for the 
 strangers have a sting that ye shall feel, even 
 to your death, I boast not, therefore tempt 
 not the wrath of the people of the outer 
 world.” 
 
 “ The speech of Ilhama is just,” cried the 
 king, rising. ” Threaten not, oh white faced 
 man. Checides would even do ye all a jus- 
 tice. He wills it not that ye die, but ye shall 
 be received with the brand, even as one of 
 the people of the land of Nahaeco.” 
 
 At this point Ilhaipa and the priests hurried 
 into an adjoining room, and returned with a 
 brazier in which was burning a bed of coals 
 from which blue flames were emitted. Then 
 Nanona, who had been struggling with her- 
 self for some moments arose and strode to 
 where Checides stood. 
 
 “ Oh ! my father,” she cried, “ If they harm 
 them, they harm also your daughter, the 
 princess of the people, for know that Nantffla 
 
TCHINCVILAA, PRIKCE OF THE DUMACHA8. E07 
 
 has given her heart to Damon, he with the 
 face of our people. If thou strikest him, 
 thou strikest me also. Spare him.” 
 
 Checides folded his daughter to his breast, 
 and whispered to her. “Thou should’st told 
 thy father this matter before,” he said in a 
 troubled voice, “ for now his will has gone 
 forth and can not be withdrawn.” 
 
 Nanona cast a heartrending glance at Da- 
 mon, whose heart leaped at the confession 
 which he had overheard, and then sank upon 
 the skins beside Losaia. Hatesta, the prince, 
 drew his blade, and stood ready for the word 
 from Ilhama, who was heating a small set of 
 brands in the coals. 
 
 “ W ell,” cried Sexton in his own tongue. 
 “ Is the time come for battle ? ” 
 
 “ Not yet,” cried Damon. “ Let them take 
 me first, and as the brand approaches the 
 flesh, one of you fire from a point at the side, 
 so as not to hit me. This branding will only 
 give us a short time to live and we might as 
 well fight it out now. They are going to give 
 us the lowest number, so that it is our turn to 
 
2o8 tchincuilaa, prince of the dumachas 
 
 pass in our checks next. Besides, they brand 
 us on the left shoulder, and I have a suspicion 
 that mine will surprise them. It is something 
 I have not yet told you of for fear you would 
 laugh at me, but wait and see.” 
 
 Ilhama approached, and Damon stood out 
 at the foot of the throne, gazing with glowing 
 eyes at Nanona, who was watching him with a 
 look of terror. 
 
 “ Let them take Damon first,” he said in 
 loud tones. “ He fears not for the brand of 
 the Dumachas.” 
 
 Hatesta approached him and cut away 
 from his shoulder the jacket and then the 
 coarse woolen shirt. Giving them a pull with 
 his hand, the rent opened, showing the 
 shoulder, girded with muscle and sinew. The 
 dark flesh was marred with a crimson stain. 
 Umrro saw it, and bent closer. Then with a 
 cry he raised himself aloft. 
 
 “ Hold, oh king,” he exclaimed. “ A mira- 
 cle, a miracle. Bring hither the great book, 
 that contains the records of the brands of the 
 royal house of Nahaeco.” 
 
TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHAS. 209 
 
 Checides stepped down from his throne, and 
 Nanona looked on in wonder which was no 
 less than thatof the Americans. The great book 
 with coarse leaves of parchment was brought, 
 and Umrro turned over the leaves rapidly. 
 
 “ Behold, oh princes of the nation,” he 
 cried, excitedly, placing his finger upon a 
 page, and waving the other hand aloft. 
 “ Here lieth the record. Behold, Gosah 
 hath performed a miracle, for here standeth 
 Tchincuilaa, prince of the Dumachas, next in 
 line of the royal house. Tchincuilaa, child 
 of the eagle. The young prince who was 
 stolen from ye by the giant bird when yet a 
 babe. Shout, oh ye princes and chiefs, a mira- 
 cle ! a miracle ! The records can not lie." 
 
 Hatesta bent forward, and the princes 
 drew closer to look upon the scar, and then 
 upon the book. 
 
 “Tis Tchincuilaa ! ’tis Tchincuilaa,” they 
 shouted. “ A miracle, a miracle.” 
 
 Hatesta drew apart, and a scowl of deep 
 hatred over-spread his countenance. He was 
 the next in line, and the new-comer would 
 
aiO TCHINCVILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHAS. 
 
 usurp his place. With a sudden impulse he 
 drew back his arm, and the keen blade flew 
 from it with fearful force full at the back of 
 Damon. Umrro saw the motion, and threw 
 himself upon his loved friend, dragging him 
 aside just in time, but the keen blade sped on, 
 and pierced deep the breast of Checides, who 
 was about to speak. He threw up his hands, 
 and fell upon the steps of the throne, thence 
 rolling to the granite floor, dead. 
 
 For an instant there was a hush upon the 
 scene, while the assemblage looked in horror 
 upon the act of the mad prince, there was a 
 slowly rising murmur, and Ilhama drew close 
 to the side of the murderer, drawing his 
 blade also, while he pressed another into the 
 hand of Hatesta. Nanona bent for a brief 
 moment over the prostrate form of Checides, 
 and closed the eyes, then with quick instinct 
 she seized Damon by the arm, and led him 
 with rapid strides to the throne. 
 
 “ Quick, on thy life,” cried Ilhama to 
 Hatesta, “ Assert thy claims, or thou art lost. 
 Thy followers stand irresolute.” 
 
TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHAS. 211 
 
 " All hail, oh princes and chiefs of the peo- 
 ple,” cried Nanona as she drew herself to her 
 full height, and stretched a beautiful hand to- 
 ward Damon. “ All hail Tchincuilaa, king 
 of the Duraachas. The king, my father is 
 dead. Long live the king, Tchincuilaa. The 
 king, Checides is dead. Avenge his murder, 
 according to the written law.” 
 
 There was a movement and a swelling 
 shout among the assembled men, and then 
 Hatesta strode to the centre of the hall, and 
 swinging his blade above his head, he cried 
 in a loud voice. 
 
 “ All hail, ye princes of the people, ye who 
 are my sworn friends and followers. All 
 hail Hatesta, king of the Dumachas. Checides 
 is dead, not slain by this hand, but by the 
 will of Gosah, who sped the weapon to the 
 breast of Checides. Seize ye the usurper, 
 the stranger in our land.” 
 
 From the movement which followed, it ap- 
 peared that the followers of the wicked men 
 were many, for from all quarters they pressed 
 toward him, and crowded close. 
 
212 TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHAS. 
 
 “ All who are subjects of the rightful king, 
 assemble here by Tchincuilaa,” cried Nanona. 
 “ Oh speak to them, Damon, now king of the 
 people, that the faithful may assemble.” 
 
 “Here, let the faithful gather,” exclaimed 
 he, to please her. “ Here gather all who are 
 abiders by the law, and subjects of the royal 
 house.” 
 
 The friends of the new king drew closely 
 about him, and at once the assemblage split 
 up and began to separate. At a command 
 from Hatesta, a party of princes started for 
 the throne on the run, with blades drawn. 
 Sexton has been thirsting for fight, and with 
 a grim look, he singled out the leader of the 
 party, and leveling his never failing navy, he 
 sent a bullet crashing through his skull. The 
 man stumbled in his rush, and striking on 
 his head upon the granite floor, lay all in a 
 heap. For a moment the people were 
 stunned by the sight and the report, and then 
 Umrro, cried : 
 
 “See ye not how Gosah deals with the 
 enemies of the royal house. Woe» woe t9 9iU 
 
TCHINCUILAA, PRINCE OF THE DUMACHAS. 213 
 
 who oppose the reign of Tchincuilaa. Room 
 — room here for the friends of the king.” 
 
 The circumstance brought many more 
 princes to the floor about the throne, but 
 fully half assembled about the traitor prince 
 at the other end of the room. Then Hatesta, 
 strode to their front, and shaking his blade 
 full in the faces of his foes, yelled defiance. 
 
 “We depart, oh usurper, but will come 
 again. I even I, Hatesta, rightful king, will 
 assemble and prepare for bloody war against 
 mine enemy. Keep thine eye open for the 
 coming of Hatesta and his hosts.” 
 
 “ And when ye come," cried Damon defi- 
 antly, “ watch for the eye of Tchincuilaa, and 
 read in it that it seeks out the form of 
 Hatesta. Read in it also, thy fate, for on that 
 day thou diest, even by the hand of Tchincu- 
 ilaa, king of the Dumachas.” 
 
 “ And a mighty good kind of a king, too, 
 come to think of it, for our purpose,” chuckled 
 Sexton, giving his pistol a look of §ati§fag- 
 tion. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 BETWEEN MARS AND VENUS. 
 
 In the day that followed, there was no lack 
 of stir and excitment. The life that had been 
 led by the adventurers up to that time, had 
 been such a totally uneventful one, that they 
 were prepared for anything, and were more 
 than delighted with the preparations for war, 
 in spite of the fact that it was liable to be 
 serious in its consequences. Damon’s friends 
 of course required an explanation of the 
 strange brand upon his shoulder, and he re- 
 plied that he knew as little about it as they 
 did. When the supposed Julian had recited 
 his story about the discovery of the strange 
 child in the mountains, he had only remem- 
 bered as a coincidence the fact of what he 
 supposed was his birth mark. He had been 
 adopted by a wealthy family, which had re- 
 moved in his infancy to Harrisburg, Pennsyl- 
 vania, and they had never told him of his 
 
BETWEEN MARS AND VENUS. 315 
 
 parentage. They had died, the wife and 
 husband in turn, and left to him a large for- 
 tune, which he had enjoyed in his taciturn 
 way. He admitted his strange resemblance 
 to the people they were thrown among and 
 could not doubt Umrro’s assertion, that the 
 records could not lie. It must be therefore, 
 that he was the prince, Tchincuilaa, now 
 king of that land. At any rate he assumed 
 the ermine with all the sang froid of one born 
 to the throne, and issued his commands in a 
 manner which bred respect, not to say awe, 
 among his vassals. 
 
 Hatesta had withdrawn with all speed from 
 the city of Sharrai, taking with him the three 
 priests, and thirty of the princes. It was 
 learned after they had departed, that there 
 had been a plot on foot to dethrone Checides, 
 with the guilty prince and Ilharaa as the 
 leaders. This left to rally to the arms of the 
 new king 33 principalities, his own being in 
 doubt, as it was the one ruled over by Hatesta 
 himself, who was the prince who had suc- 
 ceeded to its rule, after the loss of the infant 
 
2i6 
 
 between mars and VENUS. 
 
 Tchincuilaa. One of the first matters attended 
 to after the rebels had fled from the palace, 
 was the work of Umrro, who was ever on the 
 alert. Knowing the value of having all the 
 forces possible at command, he had dis- 
 patched a trusty messenger on one of the 
 fleetest horses in the country, to the tribe 
 governed by Hatesta, that they might be in- 
 formed of the state of affairs, and that their 
 true prince had come to them again. 
 
 Sexton was given the fortifications to look 
 after, and Ritchie had in hand the arming 
 and equipment of the forces. Damon, or 
 Tchincuilaa, as he must be called in the future, 
 under the advice of Umrro, busied himself 
 with the mobilization of the army at his com- 
 mand. The faithful princes hurried at once 
 to their cities, and were ordered to report 
 with all speed with what men they had at 
 command. Umrro had thrown aside his 
 priestly robes, and appeared in warrior’s garb, 
 and right well did he appear, and like a brave 
 man, as he was. Sexton took workmen, and 
 constructed trenches about the town, where 
 
fefetWEfiN Mars and VENUS. 217 
 
 it was exposed to the foe. In its rear there 
 was no danger, for there and at both sides 
 were the impassable cliffs. Then he caused 
 the water from the cataract to be turned into 
 the wide trenches, and a deep moat was the 
 result. Inside of this again, a wall was built 
 of granite blocks, ten feet in height. This 
 was the bulk of the work. 
 
 Ritchie visited the forges of the armorers, 
 and found there a great number of men, busy 
 making the large blades used by the people. 
 He found that the greenish metal in use, the 
 nature of which he could not analyze, was 
 peculiar to that country. It was as light as al- 
 luminum, and was more susceptible to heat 
 than tin, so much so in fact, that it melted al- 
 most with the contact of flame. The knives 
 were of no use in striking a blow, on account 
 of the lack of weight, and had to be driven 
 point forward by main force to have any 
 effect. 
 
 It took him but a short time to improve 
 upon this, and although he met with much 
 opposition from the old armorers, he sue- 
 
ai8 BETWEEN MA.ES AND VENUS. 
 
 cceded in persuading them to adopt his im- 
 provement. The metal was in itself capable 
 of many times the resistance of steel. A small 
 strip of it, as narrow, and much thinner than 
 the blade to a pocket knife, was impossible to 
 break, and would hold a point like a needle. 
 He had them make sword blades, heavily 
 weighted with copper, and then, the edges 
 were sharpened by welding in the metal, 
 which was called sutaya. This was done by 
 joining a cold strip of the metal with the 
 heated blade, when it was easily welded. 
 These swords were to be carried in addition 
 to the ordinary knives. 
 
 The workmen were adepts, and labored 
 rapidly, so that when they became accustomed 
 to the new work, they turned out several 
 hundred a day of the new and really danger- 
 ous weapon. He also had constructed a 
 dozen huge pieces of ordnance, after the pat- 
 tern of the ancients, worked by levers and 
 huge springs of pliable wood. These would 
 hurl a stone weighing fifty pounds with great 
 force, and were calculated to work havoc 
 
BETWEEN MARS AND VENUS. 219 
 
 among a concentrated enemy. Thousands of 
 the stones were carried to the top of the wall, 
 to be precipitated by hand upon the enemy, 
 should they attempt to scale it. They worked 
 n:ght and day, but the task was a long one, 
 and it was not fully completed before the time 
 for battle arrived. 
 
 Umrro had insisted that the three men as- 
 sume the dress of the Dumachas, directly 
 Tchincuilaa was king, a line of action they 
 were not sorry to pursue, for their vestments 
 were somewhat frail and worn from long use 
 and repeated washing. When they appeared 
 together for the first time in their new ap- 
 paral, they were inclined to make sport of 
 each other. They had no mirrors, and were 
 forced to depend on the opinion of their com- 
 rades. While they laughed much at their per- 
 sonal appearance, that they were a noble 
 looking trio could not be justly denied. The 
 robe and sandals gave them a still more im- 
 posing presence, and they looked even more 
 sinewy than in their civilized dress. 
 
 It was when they donned their armor, and 
 
 14 
 
aiO iET^EEN RiA&S ANb VENUS. 
 
 placed on their heads the helmets of sutaya, 
 fretted with gold, a long blade of Ritchie’s 
 make by their side, that they looked truly 
 noble, and like the crusaders of old. The 
 helmet of Tchincuilaa was also encrusted with 
 a multitude of mountain gems, and at its 
 peak was the spread tail of an eagle, based 
 by the head of the same animal, in which two 
 eyes, made of rubies, shone like fire. Nanona 
 had designed the decoration, selecting the 
 feathers with her own hand. This she did 
 for him, though she still held aloof, and would 
 not grant him an audience, stating, when he 
 would ask to see her, that if the king com- 
 manded, she would obey. He never pressed 
 such claims, so as yet, there was a coldness 
 between them. She had thought it proper 
 that he bear the crest of the eagle, to remind 
 his followers of the manner of his disappear- 
 ance from them in his youth. 
 
 While all these preparations for war had 
 been going on, there were other occurrences 
 more or less exciting. On the day that Ha- 
 testa had departed with the rebel princes, it 
 
Between Mars and venUs. gjt 
 
 appears that Ilhama, enraged at not being 
 able to work evil in the royal house, had hid- 
 den himself in the temple of Gosah, until after 
 the shades of night had fallen. There, in a 
 room adjoining his own, he had kept for some 
 time, a huge mountain lion, of the size of a 
 mastiff dog. This animal he had captured 
 when a cub, and had taught it to obey his 
 slightest wish. With him the brute was 
 gentle, from terror. Ilhama had trained it, 
 on its fiist attempts to combat his authority, 
 with a rod of copper, heated to a white heat, 
 and ever thereafter it had feared him. Now 
 he drew near to where the animal was chained 
 to the wall, and spoke soothing words in its 
 ear, at the same time feeding it bits of the raw 
 flesh of the tame mountain goat. At every 
 mouthful the wiry brute would snort and the 
 fur would rise like bristles upon its back, 
 while Its spotted sides moved in ecstacy at 
 the tasty morsel. 
 
 When all was quiet in Sharrai, Ilhama 
 'oosed the fierce brute, and taking him by the 
 tnetal collar, led him softly toward the palace, 
 
223 
 
 BETWEEN MARS AND VENUS. 
 
 dodging stealthily from shadow to shadow, | 
 
 to escape observation. Thinking that Hatesta J 
 
 and the rest had gone, no sentries had been ^ 
 placed, so the way was clear. The evil priest _ ^ 
 
 crept silently through the entrance to the 
 apartments of the princess, and drew aside 
 the ' drapery cautiously. The occupants 
 slept, with no thought of danger. Ilhama 
 drew aside the curtain, and pushed the head 
 of the beast inside. Nanona was lying in ^ 
 slumber on the further couch, her long hair j 
 
 sweeping the floor at its side, her classic j 
 
 bust rising and falling in regular respira- j 
 
 tion. The dim light from the lamp over- | 
 
 head was just sufficient to enhance her > 
 
 beauty. The lovely Chilian lay nearer the | 
 
 entrance, on another couch, as soundly ^ 
 
 sleeping. ^ 
 
 An expression of diabolical hatred came ; 
 
 over the features of the priest, he bent and j 
 
 placing his lips close to the ear of the lion, ^ 
 
 emitted a peculiar hissing sound. The fur of ^ 
 
 the animal arose on its hide like bristles, and 1 
 
 its tail switched nervously. Then Ilhana | 
 
BETWEEN MARS AND VENUS. 33J 
 
 loosed him, drew the curtain, and fled 
 through the shadows of the night. 
 
 The brute sniffed the air, but never took 
 its eyes off the sleeping women. Its worst 
 passions had been aroused, and the blood 
 from the raw meat, still clinging to its nos- 
 trils, maddened it the more. With a snaky 
 movement it slowly drew nearer to them 
 creeping more lowly as it went. Losaia 
 moved uneasily on her couch, and her arm, 
 fair and round, fell from its edge. The move- 
 ment wakened her, and her eyes opened. 
 The beast, startled for a moment crouched 
 lower, and its moving tail swept back and 
 forth on the stone floor. 
 
 Losaia, daughter of a hunter as she was, 
 realized her danger. She knew that to arise 
 was to precipitate the brute’s spring, so she 
 was as quiet as possible. She had always 
 kept the pistol she had carried, strapped to 
 her aide, and it now lay on the floor beneath 
 the dangling hand. Stealthily she moved her 
 fingers, until they felt the case, and her hand 
 closed about the grip. As stealthily she 
 
224 BETWEEN MARS AND VENUS. 
 
 cocked it, but the click had roused the enemy. 
 She knew by the sudden drawing back of the 
 haunches that there was not a moment to 
 spare, and she drew the weapon from its case, 
 and raised it erect just as the spring came. 
 
 The beast flew straight at her and the re- 
 port followed at the same instant, so closely 
 that the muzzle of the brute was nearly in her 
 face. She crouched, and the heavy body fell 
 across her, blood spattering every were. 
 There was a move. The heavy bullet had 
 done its work. She lay beneath a dead car- 
 cass. The ball had torn a hole in the lion’s 
 breast, piercing the heart. 
 
 Nanona woke with a shriek, and attendants 
 were on the scene at once. The brute was 
 dragged away, and the frightened women 
 crowded about Losaia, who still held the 
 smoking pistol in her hand. Nanona realized 
 it all in a moment, and flung herself upon the 
 neck of her friend, bursting into thankful 
 tears and kissing her fondly. 
 
 “ Oh noble one,” she cried. “ Well hast 
 thou proved thy love for thy sister. Hence- 
 
BETWEEN MARS AND VENUS. 325 
 
 forth we shall never part, until the heart of 
 Nanona is cold in death. Oh, brave one. It 
 is LfOsaia who has frustrated the villiany of 
 Ilhama.” 
 
 “ It was but a little thing,” said Losaia, 
 modestly. “ He should never have harmed 
 one whom Losaia loves.” 
 
 When the news of the affair reached the 
 men, they were affected differently. Tchin- 
 cuilaa grew pale, at the thought of the danger 
 that had beset the woman he loved, while 
 Ritchie flushed with pleasure, at every word 
 of praise heaped upon Losaia. The show of 
 heroism on her part carried away his last 
 doubt, and he knew that he loved the beauti- 
 ful woman with a wealth of affection he had 
 never felt for Bernice, or any woman in New 
 York society. Umrro and Sexton were en- 
 raged at the priest, and the city was scoured 
 to find him. He had made a successful 
 escape however, and had a start of many 
 hours. 
 
 The princess's lover sent a messenger tell- 
 ing her of his anxiety on her account, and 
 
226 
 
 BETWEEN MARS AND VENUS. 
 
 Ritchie begged an audience from Losaia, with 
 the permission of Nanona. 
 
 “Shall Losaia grant him his wish?” 
 asked the fair girl, timidly. “ Oh shall she 
 hold aloof, until Nanona frowns not upon the 
 lord of her heart ?” 
 
 “ Speed not thy wooing by the ill aspect of 
 mine own,” answered Nanona, kissing her 
 with fervor, though there was a tear in the 
 dark eye as she did so. “ Thy lover is a loyal 
 man, and if he be sweet in thine eyes, speak 
 him fair, even in the halls of Nanona, who is 
 thy sister.” 
 
 So it came about that Ritchie received an 
 answer that he might attend at once if he so 
 wished. As he was about to hurry to her 
 side, Tchincuilaa stopped him for a moment. 
 
 ‘-‘ I say, old fellow,” he said. “ Speak a word 
 for me to the princess. I know that I was a 
 brute to doubt her, but I think that I have 
 been punished enough to satisfy even a prin- 
 cess, and queen of the Dumachas in beauty.” 
 
 “ That I will, dear boy,” was the answer, 
 accompanied with h sympathizing pressure of 
 
BETWEEN MARS AND VENUS. 22 ^ 
 
 the hand. “ I think she is treating you rather 
 shabbily, but it virill all come right in the end, 
 and she is worth twice the trouble.” 
 
 Ritchie burst into the apartments of the 
 pretty pair, and received a smiling and cordial 
 welcome from the princess, and a burning 
 blush from Losaia. 
 
 “ Welcome to my Lord Harlow, he who is 
 arming the men of the royal house with 
 swords of might,” cried Nanona. “ But there 
 is another who welcomes thee yet more, and 
 who would fain see thee alone. Therefore 
 will I withdraw to the inner apartment.” 
 
 And she did so immediately, in spite of the 
 rather weak assurances from the pair that she 
 was not in the least in the way. Ritchie ad- 
 vanced toward Losaia with a smile. 
 
 “ Was it just, to treat your friend in such a 
 manner ? ” he asked. “ After we have been 
 side by side for weeks, through trials that 
 might wreck the stoutest hearts, was it kind 
 to keep me from you ?” 
 
 ” I was afraid,” she said, blushing deeply, 
 f will admit that my actions were anipal4« 
 
228 
 
 BETWEEN MARS AND VENUS. 
 
 enly, and I feared that you would never for- 
 give the deception. How could I tell that 
 you would overlook so many falsehoods ? ” 
 “You should have known me better. Your 
 bravery alone through all our adventures 
 fully prepared me for such a grand and he- 
 roic act as that of last night. Had I no other 
 cause, the beauty of your womanhood alone 
 would amply plead for forgiveness. But then 
 I have nothing to forgive.” 
 
 “ You have much to forgive,” she said 
 softly, blushing at the lovelight in his eyes. 
 
 He drew nearer, and sunk half on his knees 
 at her side, taking one trembling, but unre- 
 sisting hand. 
 
 “ Do you not remember the confessions I 
 made to Julian?” he said, bending closer to 
 the beautiful face. “ Many times as great is 
 the love I bear to Losaia. Why should we 
 stoop to subterfuge? Can I ever forget the 
 kisses in the cavern? They cling to my lips 
 yet in sweet memory, and tell me the tale I 
 long to hear repeated from your lips in your 
 own sweet voice. I love you, Loie.” His 
 
BETWEEN MARS AND VENUS. 
 
 229 
 
 arm stole unresisted about her waist. “ Tell 
 me that your kisses did not lie, and that you 
 love me.” 
 
 The lids drooped over the dark eyes for a 
 moment, and a happy blush mantled the olive 
 cheek. She stole a quick glance up into his 
 face, and then answered in a low voice. 
 
 “What need to tell, what you know al- 
 ready?” Then the impulsive woman flung 
 her arms about his neck and her lips met his 
 in a passionate kiss. “ Ah ! yes, I love you,” 
 she cried, “ have loved you since the days in 
 California, before we came upon this fearful 
 journey. It was love for you that made me 
 masquerade, and lie to you all, that I might 
 not lose you. 1 love you, Harlow, and am 
 proud of m v love.” 
 
 He would have answered her, but Nanona, 
 thinking the}’ had wasted time enough to ce- 
 ment the strongest bonds of love, entered at 
 that moment. She was pleased at the happy 
 termination of the meeting, and said so 
 frankly. The pair received her blessing, and 
 then Ritchie took the opportunity to plead 
 
930 BETWEEN MARS AND VENUS. 
 
 his friend’s cause, in which he was aided by 
 Losaia. The princess knit her fine brows and 
 remained obdurate to all argument. Finally 
 she broke into a little laugh and said : 
 
 “Ye plead well, oh ye lovers. Bear with 
 me yet awhile^ Ye think ye love, but ah ! it 
 is a little thing beside the great love I bear 
 my lord. Nanona wishes to punish Tchin- 
 cuilaa’s suspicion. What ! am I a child, that 
 he should suspect me ? Bear with Nanona, 
 and oh ! tell him,” with a sudden burst, “ that 
 all may yet be well.” 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE SIEGE OF SHARRAI. 
 
 Gradually the princes began to arrive at 
 Sharrai, until at last there were no tribes 
 missing, with the exception of that of T chin- 
 cuilaa, which did not appear, nor did the 
 messenger return to them. Each prince 
 brought his warriors, so that after a time the 
 city began to have more the appearance of a 
 camp than a peaceful town, which heretofore 
 had known nothing of the clash of arms. 
 Store enough had been brought to the city 
 to keep the garrison for many months in case 
 of a siege, and the day drew near when Ha- 
 testa was expected to arrive with his hosts. 
 Umrro and the princes had at first combatted 
 the idea of allowing themselves to be besieged, 
 but the Americans demonstrated to their satis- 
 faction how much easier it would be to battle 
 in that way, and showed the number of the 
 foe they could kill, to one of their own men. 
 
 •31 
 
433 tHE SIEGE OE SHARRAl. 
 
 Therefore the chiefs relinquished the idea of 
 giving battle in the open field, and decided 
 that the plan of the white people was the bet- 
 ter one. 
 
 Each chief had at his command about a 
 hundred fighting men, many of them being 
 youths of not over sixteen years, but the Du- 
 machas mature early, and these boys were 
 fit antagonists for a man of any age. A 
 prince who could only muster a hundred 
 men may seem in our modern eyes to appear 
 in a rather ridiculous light, but everything 
 goes by comparison, and as the Dumachas 
 had never known or heard of anything greater 
 in the way of a prince, they felt as proud of 
 their titles as a foreign-born alderman does 
 of his first election. The forces of Tchin- 
 cuilaa therefore numbered somewhat over 
 3,300 fighting men, the few men-at-arms of the 
 royal house, which were of the tribe of the 
 dead Checides, the one which had deserted to 
 the enemy, being in addition to the thirty- 
 three companies. 
 
 All the warriors were mounted and brought 
 
ttlE SIEGfe OP SHARRAI. 233 
 
 with them inside of Sexton’s wall their 
 horses, which were of a breed much resem- 
 bling the Arabian but in two distinct hues, 
 white and black. The Dumachas never cross- 
 bred the colors. They were fleet little 
 animals, and much stronger than they looked. 
 Small headed, large eyed, and clean limbed, 
 with broad chests and silky manes they were 
 beautiful animals and as intelligent as they 
 were beautiful. Stables were provided for 
 them and quantities of feed stored. They 
 did not require much however, as, like the 
 Arabian horses, they could subsist upon 
 little. 
 
 One morning a sentinel came from the out- 
 posts placed at the moat, to inform Tchin- 
 cuilaa that the enemy was approaching and 
 would soon be opposite the city. Ritchie’s 
 work was almost completed, and he urged 
 his laborers to renewed effort. A little knot 
 of the foe, in which were seen the forms of 
 Hatesta and Ilhama, galloped to the brow of 
 a hill, and mounted upon their horses looked 
 down upon the city. From the wild gestures 
 
THE SIEGE OF SHARRAI. 
 
 *34 
 
 they indulged in, it was fair to presume that 
 they had not been prepared for the prepara- 
 tions that awaited them. Accustomed to 
 primitive styles of warfare, they gazed with 
 surprise upon the solid wall which had raised 
 itself as if by magic, to oppose their attack 
 upon the city. 
 
 After a time they moved off and galloped 
 in a direction parallel with the wall, seeking 
 some vulnerable point. The outposts of 
 Tchincuilaa were eager for battle, and cross- 
 ing a light drawbridge, made a sortie, which 
 drove the reconnoitering party back upon its 
 approaching columns. After a time the 
 whole force had gathered, while the officers 
 of the army of Sharrai watched it from the 
 top of the wall. Umrro scanned the compa- 
 nies narrowly and a perplexed look came to 
 his face. 
 
 “ I see not the forces of the men of the 
 house of Tchincuilaa among them,” he said. 
 “ Look ye, my lords. Count ye the forces as 
 they are they are drawn up before us ? See 
 ye more than the thirty companies?” 
 
THE SIEGE OF SHARRAl. 33$ 
 
 They counted them over, and admitted that 
 the priest was correct. There was still one 
 company missing from the array. The force 
 which had crossed the drawbridge returned 
 to its post, jubilant over having driven the 
 enemy to flight. Meantime Ritchie pushed 
 his men to their best efforts, and in a few 
 hours reported that he was ready for the 
 attack. Half of each force was posted at 
 intervals along the inside of the wall, with 
 sentinels at its top, and ladders placed so 
 that the others could mount it when neces- 
 sary. The other half was kept as a relay, 
 should the first become wearied with re- 
 pulsing repeated attacks. 
 
 It was at this stage that Nanona sent for 
 Tchincuilaa, and he hastened at once to her 
 presence with a beating heart. In her own 
 apartments she received him, looking proudly 
 regal as she bade him welcome. She did not 
 speak at first but advanced toward him, 
 with a heavy sword, which had been beauti- 
 fully chased, and its hilt set with gems. 
 
 “ Tchincuilaa, king of the Dumachas, need- 
 16 
 
236 the siege of SHARRAl. 
 
 eth a weapon strong and keen,” she said, 
 extending* it toward him. ‘‘Therefore accept 
 from the hand of Nanona, this blade, which 
 she herself has ordered prepared for him. 
 Oh, wield it with might, so* that thou may’st 
 first prevail over thy foes. And should’ st 
 thou meet with Hatesta, the guilty one, re- 
 member whom it was slew my father, and spare 
 him not. Oh! may the sword, the gift of 
 Nanona, find its sheath in the heart of the 
 hated prince. ’ ’ 
 
 ‘‘Thrice welcome is the sword from the 
 hand of Nanona,” answered Tchincuilaa, ac- 
 cepting it, and hanging it at his side. “It is 
 a sturdy blade, and well will it fight the 
 battles of the new king. Ay, and when it is 
 drawn, then will the image of Nanona rise 
 before the eyes of him who loves her, and 
 make his arm doubly strong. Welcome is it 
 from the hand of Nanona, for that I know it 
 brings with it the well wishes of the giver. 
 Is it not so?” 
 
 Nanona essayed to speak, but her eyes fell. 
 Then she looked up fearlessly, and met his gaze. 
 
THE SIEGE OF SHARRAI. 
 
 237 
 
 “ Nanona will admit,” she said, “ that she 
 has been shamefully used, but who can fathom 
 the heart of a maid ? Nay, do not presume 
 too much by this confession,” as he would 
 have sprung toward her. “ Thy suspicions 
 Nanona will not lightly pardon, but this com- 
 fort will Nanona give. Come to her when 
 the strife is over and the battle over. Come 
 to me then, and receive thy pardon. Now 
 away to the siege.” 
 
 Tchincuilaa gave her a quick passionate 
 glance. Her eyes met his in a look which 
 was a benediction, and then he was gone to 
 the battlements, to join Sexton and Ritchie, 
 who were making hurried preparations for 
 the attack which was likely to come at any 
 moment. 
 
 The point at which the most hazardous de- 
 fence was to be made, was at the gate which 
 had been let into the wall. This had been 
 constructed of huge hewn planks, swung 
 upon heavy hinges. It was necessary to have 
 some opening in order to provide means of 
 egress from the city. Here were gathered 
 
T«£ felEtSE OF SfiARtAl-. 
 
 238 
 
 the best men of the party, among them 
 Ritchie, Who had planted twO of hi% most 
 formidable pieces of ordnance where they 
 would command the entrance. Tchincuilaa 
 held the left wing of the wail) while Sexton 
 was stationed at the right. Some distance 
 behind were the men in reserve, so that they 
 could come at once to the assistance of any 
 point which might be hard pressed by the 
 enemy. 
 
 The mOat had proved of some use at the 
 start, for it had Checked the advance of the 
 foe, and given the beseiged an opportunity to 
 complete the finishing Work on the defences. 
 The forces Of Hatesta however, were not long 
 in constructing a bridge to cross upon, yet it 
 prevented them from making advances from 
 a distance, as the bridge and moat were m 
 plain sight. Hatesta’s advance drove the 
 men stationed outside within the walls) and 
 the gates were closed and barred. 
 
 The only missies used by either party up to 
 this time Were stones, hurled from slings^ 
 Which they had learned to use with much 
 
the: skge of shahrai. 
 
 239 
 
 precision, and great force. At the first ad- 
 vance, there was a shower of stones between 
 the two forces, and several naen went down 
 wounded, those retreating to the gates, carry- 
 ing two of their comrades in with them. 
 Then the work of Ritchie’s invention began, 
 ft was somewhat of a task to load them, as 
 the levers had to be drawn back by main 
 force, but they worked admirably, and the 
 heavy projectiles were hurled at the bridge, 
 where the attacking forces were crossing the 
 moat. Many of them did little damage, 
 owing to the distance, but often a shout would 
 go up from the besieged when a more than 
 usually telling shot would send the dirt flying 
 in front of the approaching horses, or strike 
 a horse and rider, throwing them both to the 
 ground, often never to rise again. One well 
 directed shot ploughed along the bridge, and 
 threw a half dozen bleeding and bruised into 
 the moat below. Had there been curses in 
 the Nahaecian tongue, they must certainly 
 have followed. 
 
 After a time, the whole force was over, and 
 
240 
 
 THE SIEGE OF SHARRAI. 
 
 the forms of Hatesta and Ilhama could be 
 seen galloping about the lines giving in- 
 structions. The firing of the missies had 
 ceased, for it was best to reserve the ammu- 
 nition for closer action. Some of the com- 
 panies in front occupied themselves in putting 
 together long and strong platforms* some- 
 thing after the pattern of the ones used as 
 gang planks by river steamers, and others 
 hurried off toward a grove of trees of im- 
 mense size, which grew about a mile away 
 from the moat. The platforms finished (three 
 in number), they were seized by large num- 
 bers of the men and carried forward on the 
 runt oward the wall, at three different points. 
 A large force followed each as they advanced, 
 hurling stones with their slings. The fire was 
 returned from the wall, and a cloud of 
 stones began to fall on either side. The 
 aim was true in many instances, and they 
 could be heard rattling on helmet and 
 breastplate, or on the metal shields of the 
 soldiers, which were carried so as to protect 
 the head. 
 
THE SIEGE OF SHARRAI. 
 
 *41 
 
 The intention of the attacking force was 
 apparent in a short time. As they neared 
 the wall, the platform was placed on end by 
 a united effort, and then allowed to drop for- 
 ward upon the edge of the wall, dozens of 
 men mounting it at once to hold it down, and 
 rush over it to the top of the barricade. The 
 first attempts were unsuccessful, for as soon 
 as it fell, willing hands seized it and flung it 
 from the top, whence it fell with a crash, 
 hurling its occupants upon the ground in 
 confusion. All this time the men from the 
 top of the wall kept up a constant fire of 
 stones from their slings, or when the foe came 
 close enough hurled down the larger rocks 
 upon their heads. In spite of the somewhat 
 primitive form of warfare, there were a large 
 number killed, and more wounded, so that 
 they were not able to continue the struggle. 
 
 Once or twice the attackers succeeded in 
 mounting to the top of the wall, but they 
 were met by the warriors on the other side 
 with such fierceness., that they could not sue- 
 geedln holding their position for more thaii 
 
S4t THR SISOE OF SHARRAI. 
 
 a few moments. The long swords were of 
 wonderful benefit in repelling an attack, and 
 the besieging force-was placed at a great dis- 
 advantage. After several trials, in which 
 Hatesta lost quite a number of men, there was 
 a lull in the attack, and the officers held a 
 consultation by the side of the moat. 
 
 “The foe pauses for reflection,” said Umrro. 
 wiping the perspiration from his brow, and 
 giving his dripping blade a glance, “Ha- 
 testa has felt the sting of the fangs of Tchin- 
 cuilaa. What thinks ray Lord Harlo?” 
 
 “ Wait,” replied be, sententiously. “ See 
 you not that band of men returning from 
 the grove?” 
 
 “ Truly,” mused the priest, “ What mean 
 they now ?” 
 
 By the united effort of a whole company, 
 the gigantic trunk of a tree was being carried 
 with some rapidity, to the scene of action. 
 Ritchie watched, them for a moment 
 anxiously, and then gave some orders in a 
 rapid tone to a messenger, who hurried away. 
 It was apparent to him now, that the foe in- 
 
THI SISOS or 9 HARRAI. 243 
 
 tended to use the heavy tree trunk as a bat- 
 tering ram, tor the purpose of forcing the 
 great gates. The messenger he had sent to 
 Tchincuilaa and Sexton, with a command 
 that if they saw his center hard pressed, they 
 were to come at once to his assistance with 
 reinforcements. - Ritchie urged his men to 
 the siege guns, as he called his pets of ord- 
 nance, and had them loaded and ready for 
 action. The body of men with the battering 
 ram drew near, and there also came across 
 the bridge to the moat a new party of war- 
 riors mounted on black steeds. As they 
 neared the rest of Hatesta’s forces they sent 
 up a cheer. The new-comers seemed to 
 know where they would be most effctive for 
 without dismounting the foremost to cross 
 waited for the rest until they were all drawn 
 up in line. 
 
 Meanwhile the party with the battering 
 ram had approached the gate, and the stones 
 were hurled at them with some precision. 
 If one man fell, however, it did not seem to 
 make any difference, and the heavy weight 
 
244 SIEGE OF SHARRAI. 
 
 was carried with a rush straight at the gate. 
 Ritchie gathered his forces for the shock, and 
 placed men at the ground upon the inside to 
 meet the attackers should they succeed in 
 breaking in the gate. The stones rattled 
 down upon the heads of those nearest the 
 wall as the huge ram was hurled against the 
 gate. Ritchie signed for the mounted re- 
 serve inside the wall, and the new force on 
 the outside mounted on black horses broke 
 into a gallop and came tearing toward the 
 gate. 
 
 There was a fearful crash as the ram met 
 the tough planks, and they might have with- 
 stood the blow had the walls been built 
 stronger. As it was, the stanchions were bro- 
 ken from their moorings and the heavy gate 
 trembled for an instant and then fell inward, 
 carrying some of the besiegers with it in its 
 fall. The huge tree trunk dropped in the 
 opening, and the men who had not been 
 felled in their tracks by the stones of the men 
 stationed on the wall, drew their blades, and 
 with Qries of “H^testa ! Hatesta !” prepared tO 
 
THE SIEGE OF SHARRAI. 
 
 *45 
 
 hurl themselves upon those inside, believing 
 that their mounted friends were coming close 
 behind to their support. With a shout a 
 large force of Hatesta’s men who had been 
 engaged in storming the barriers mounted 
 their horses and urged them toward the 
 opening. A concerted plan of attack was 
 made. Tchincuilaa was busied with a party 
 of stormers at the left wing and Sexton, 
 held in the same way, was not able to send 
 any assistance, as they had all they could 
 do to repulse the nimble men who threw 
 their platforms upon the walls, and attempted 
 to mount them. 
 
 Ritchie was soon on the ground facing the 
 now ruined gate; his brave soldiers at his back, 
 prepared to battle to the death. The first 
 force of mounted men came on with a rush 
 but silently until they were fairly at the open- 
 ing, when with a cheer the shout went up 
 from their throats, “Tchincuilaa, Tchincuilaa, 
 The Eagle flies to the rescue. Tchincuilaa." 
 They rode completely over those who had 
 battered in the gates, and thep turning. 
 
946 THS SISOS OF SHARRAI. 
 
 charged back at the advancing horaeraen. It 
 was a glorious charge, taken as it was against 
 twice the number, and so unexpected was it 
 that the others turned at once and sought 
 safety in flight back to the main line of their 
 friends. As they turned Ritchie noticed the 
 messenger Umrro had sent to the doubtful 
 province and knew that he had been success- 
 ful, Each warrior in the gallant company 
 wore at the crest of his helmet a single eagle’s 
 feather, in token of allegiance to the rightful 
 king, their prince. 
 
 The band soon returned within the battle- 
 ments and was welcomed by Nanona, who 
 had ridden from the palace to the scene of 
 the conflict. She could not bear the suspense 
 and insisted upon being upon the scene, 
 Tehincuilaa descended from the wall to beg 
 her to return, but she and Losaia insisted that 
 they preferred to remain- Nanona thanked 
 the messenger and then moved slowly off to 
 the brow of the inner hill, whence she could 
 watch the progress of the battle beyond the 
 reach of flying missies, 
 
siSGt: o? SHA&kAl. »47 
 
 The tht-ee friends held a short couneil ©f 
 waf \vilh Utfirfo aftd it was agreed that it 
 would be the better plan to make an attack 
 on their own part* The enemy was much 
 discouraged, and if it could be completely 
 routed the siege might be ended without 
 having to wait weeks and perhaps longer 
 for its termination. They admitted that the 
 loss of life might be greater but the end 
 would justify the means. They therefore 
 mounted and about 2,000 strong galloped to 
 the outside of the wall through the gate and 
 were ranged in fighting line before the other 
 forces were aware of their intent. They were 
 just in time for Hatesta had not been idle 
 and had prepared his whole force to make an 
 attack upon the dismantled gate, and force 
 an entrance. 
 
 There was not a moment to be lost and the 
 w’ord of command followed their exit so 
 rapidly that those who were at the wings of 
 the force had but just time to wheel their 
 horses and tear toward the foe in line with 
 the others. Now the Eagle men, with Tchin- 
 
248 
 
 THE SIEGE or SHARRAI. 
 
 cuilaa, held the centre directly opposed to 
 Hatesta, and Ritchie and Sexton commanded 
 the left and right wings. The remainder of 
 the force held the gate, and were to protect 
 the entrance of the attacking force in case of 
 a repulse. 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 THE END OF THE TRAITOR PRINCE. 
 
 Tchincuilaa turned for a moment in 
 the saddle to look upon Nanona ere he 
 charged with his men, and saw her wave 
 her hand at him, as if to wish him suc- 
 cess. He swung his long blade aloft in 
 answering greeting, and then, with a shout 
 which was repeated along the line of his 
 little army, the whole force charged at a 
 tearing gallop toward the foe. Hatesta had 
 hardly an opportunity to gather his men, 
 many of whom had been dismounted to re- 
 ceive the charge, so he was obliged to receive 
 the shock without having the impetus of 
 movement to check it. The charging column 
 came on bowed out in the centre, the wings 
 being a little behind in the start. So irresist- 
 ible was the charge of the Eagle men that 
 the opposing centre of the enemy which was 
 directly in front of the bridge hardly seemed 
 •49 
 
2^0 THE END OF THE TRAITOR PRINCE* 
 
 to offer a resistance worthy of mention, and 
 was driven before Tchincuilaa s horsemen, 
 like straw before the wind. 
 
 Many of the rebel army were forced into 
 the moat, in some cases followed by the pur- 
 suers who were unable to check theiitsteeds. 
 A large number, among which were Hatesta 
 and Ilhama, turned and dashed over the 
 slight bridge with Tchincuilaa and a few 
 followers in hot pursuit. Others who would 
 have followed were prevented from doing so 
 by the falling of the slight structure, which 
 had been loosened from the banks. Mean- 
 time, the wings of the attacking force had 
 much the best of the battle. The enemy 
 had been taken completely by surprise 
 and the superior arms of the men of 
 Tchincuilaa put them at a disadvantage. 
 The long swords gleamed as they swept 
 from the front of the galloping column, each 
 as if directed by some malignant ability find- 
 ing its sheath in the breast of a foe. It was 
 but a short time before the forces opposed to 
 Sexton and Ritchie, stricken with terror, iis- 
 
THE END OF THE TRAITOR PRINCE. 9$t 
 
 mounted in hot haste, and throwing themselves 
 into the moat made for the opposite bank 
 with all possible speed. Arrived at the other 
 side, the majority of them threw down their 
 arms and signified their intention to capit- 
 ulate. The horses they had left behind were 
 herded, and driven inside of the wall, where 
 they were cared for by the reserve force, 
 which had never been brought into the action. 
 
 Meantime, Tchincuilaa and but six of his 
 men, finding that they were not supported by 
 the advance of the balance of the company, 
 and realizing that they were not numerous 
 enough to cope with the score of the foe who 
 had crossed the bridge before them, reigned 
 in their panting steeds, and galloped back to- 
 ward the moat. Hatesta had noticed at the 
 same time that the number in pursuit was a 
 small one, and calling out a command to his 
 companions wheeled to look for the cause of 
 the sudden change of action on the part of 
 the pursuers. He at once perceived that the 
 bridge was down, and that the small party 
 
 was making speed back to the moat, 
 le 
 
25 i THE END OF THE TRAITOR PRINCE. 
 
 “ Back ; upon them !” he yelled. “ The 
 bridge has fallen, and Tchincuilaa is at the 
 mercy of Hatesta and his loyal ones. On! and 
 we sweep him from the face of the earth, and 
 the day is won. Tchincuilaa dead, who will 
 dispute the sway of Hatesta ?” 
 
 With a wild yell, the party urged the horses 
 to their utmost speed, and flew in hot pur- 
 suit. Tchincuilaa glanced back and saw that 
 unless the bridge was put in place his little 
 party must meet alone the approaching force 
 of over three times its number. Ritchie and 
 Sexton had perceived his plight and were 
 doing their best with the men at hand to 
 again place the bridge in position. As Tchin- 
 cuilaa neared the moat they shouted to him 
 in encouragement redoubling their efforts. 
 From the hill, Nanona saw the desperate con- 
 dition of her lover and turned pale with fear, 
 yet the brave woman never took her eyes 
 from the two parties ; the one so large and 
 the other apparently so insignificant. Tchin- 
 cuilaa beheld her for an instant in the distance, 
 and a fierce flame shot through him. She 
 
thfe END OP THE TRAITOR PRINCE, 2^3 
 
 was looking upon him, and she should see 
 him die fighting manfully. 
 
 The now pursuing force was upon them, 
 and they felt that they would not have time 
 to fling themselves from their horses and 
 take to the moat before the foe would be 
 upon them. With a quick movement they 
 swung their steeds about, and charged back 
 again diagonally. This forced Hatesta and 
 his men to alter their course and follow in an 
 ever changing tangent, which lost them much 
 speed, and also scattered somewhat. Seeing 
 this Tchincuilaa gave the command to his 
 few staunch followers and in a compact body, 
 they charged directly at the foe, striking 
 them at a point where they met only about 
 their own number. Three of the men had 
 provided themselves with the long swords 
 but the balance were only armed with the 
 knives or broad blades of the Dumachas. 
 Four of the foe went down at the first shock, 
 but the three other Eagle men were not so 
 fortunate and could not follow the others 
 after they had finished their men and were 
 
#54 THE END OP THE TRAITOR PRIHCB. 
 
 off at a gallop. The short blades had pro- 
 longed the battle and before they could join 
 their comrades others of the force were upon 
 them. 
 
 Tchincuilaa saw their plight and resolved 
 that he would not leave the brave men in 
 their peril so, with a command to his com- 
 rades, he charged back, directly at the strug- 
 gling knot of foot and horsemen. The fight 
 was already a fierce one. One of the soldiers 
 of Hatesta had fallen from his horse dead 
 and another was binding up a knife wound. 
 One of the Eagle men, wounded to the death, 
 had seized an adversary about the waist as he 
 closed with him and as they fell to the 
 ground plunged his keen blade to his heart 
 with his last gasp. The four men charged 
 directly into the struggling mass and the 
 long heavy blades hewed and stabbed, draw- 
 ing blood at every lunge or sweep. Soon the 
 little party was in the center of a fierce mass 
 of foemen, whom they received upon the 
 points of their swords or hewed to the 
 ground through casque and skull. It was a 
 
THE END OF THE TRAITOR PRINCE. 
 
 *55 
 
 fearful fight. Both men and horses were 
 bleeding from countless scratches but still 
 they fought on until but two of their number 
 with their king remained alive in the strug- 
 gle. The ground was strewn with the bodies 
 of the foe, while the riderless horses galloped 
 about over the plain. 
 
 The horse of one of the men fell, pierced in 
 the neck with a knife thrust, but as its master 
 touched the ground he was on his feet, bat- 
 tling until trodden under the hoofs of the 
 steeds of the enemy. Then the opposing fac- 
 tion drew away, but only six in number. Ha- 
 testa and lihama among them. A shout from 
 the distance told that the bridge was com- 
 pleted, and gathering together, the force of 
 the traitor prince tore down upon the two 
 men, hoping to sweep them down with the 
 force of the charge. Up to this time Tchin- 
 cuilaa had forgotten his pistol, which he had 
 carried from the first. It held five loads, and 
 a smile of satisfaction illumined his face as he 
 drew it from its sheath. He waited until the 
 charging men were close upon him and then 
 
256 THE END OF THE TRAITOR PRINCE. 
 
 opened fire with such effect that before the 
 shock came three of the saddles were empty. 
 Striking his horse a blow, it dashed to one 
 side just in time to avoid the rush of Hatesta 
 and Ilhama, who had singled him out, and 
 they went by hini in a flash. His companion 
 braced himself and his keen blade passed 
 clear through the throat of the charging sol- 
 dier, the shock throwing dead and living to 
 the ground where they rolled, the blood of 
 the vanquished oouring over the victor in a 
 red stream. 
 
 As Ilhama, the wicked priest, dashed by, 
 Tchincuilaa swung aloft the blade given him 
 by Nanona, and with all the nervous energy 
 of his powerful frame sent it crashing down. 
 The keen edge caught the priest above 
 the ear and such was the force of the blow 
 that it cut diagonally through jaw and neck. 
 The head dropped forward upon the chest 
 and as the horse dashed on, its half beheaded 
 rider plunged over its shoulder. The foot of 
 Ilhama became entangled in the saddle and 
 the frightened horse tore toward the moat, 
 
THE END OF THE TRAITOR PRINCE. *57 
 
 passing the rescuing party, which was hurry- 
 ing to the assistance of its king, rushing over 
 the bridge, and dashing up the hill inside the 
 wall, where the murderer was flung loose 
 directly at the feet of the Princess Nanona 
 and her companion, Losaia. 
 
 Back on the field, two score of horsemen, 
 with Sexton and Ritchie approached where 
 the two remaining actors in the tragedy were 
 drawn apart. Hatesta threw a glance of hatred 
 at the king, and with a loud shout bore down 
 upon him. Tchincuilaa urged his horse to its 
 utmost speed and the two met directly before 
 the eyes of the reinforcements. The duel was 
 short. Hatesta flung his blade with all his 
 force at his enem}', and so true was the aim, 
 that if the horse of Tchincuilaa had not reared, 
 it must have pierced the neck of the king. 
 As it was, it struck the upper edge of the 
 breast plate and rattled to the ground. Tchin- 
 cuilaa raised himself in his saddle, and giving 
 his arms a mighty swing, the blade of Nanona 
 whistled through the air. It met the neck of 
 Hatesta, the head sprung into space, a spout 
 
258 THE END OF THE TRAITOR PRINCE. 
 
 of blood gushed from the still erect trunk, 
 and then the limbs relaxed from about the 
 galloping horse, and the body fell with a crash 
 to the bloody plain, a hundred feet from the 
 head, which lay upon the trampled grass, its 
 wicked eyes still staring its last glance of 
 hatred and malice, terrible in death. 
 
 Prolonged cheers rent the air as the traitor 
 fell, and Tchincuilaa was surrounded by a 
 crowd of his followers, who seemed to be in 
 an ecstacy of delight. Sexton and Ritchie 
 galloped up and grasped a hand on either side. 
 
 “ We had about given you up,” remarked 
 the former, “ but you seem to be a hero of 
 the first water, and have downed the lot of 
 them. Gods ! but that last was a blow. I 
 couldn’t have done it better myself,’’ and he 
 glanced with an approving glance at his bare 
 and sinewy arm. 
 
 “ I think I have seen as strong blows de- 
 livered by you this very day, at the wall,” 
 answered Tchincuilaa. 
 
 “ It seemed as if the time we were getting 
 that bridge in position was interminable ” 
 
TH* END OF THE TRAITOR PRINCE. 259 
 
 said Ritchie. “We all thought to see you 
 swept from the face of the earth when you 
 made that rash charge. Where are the bal- 
 ance of your men ? All dead ?” 
 
 “No, that reminds me. I have a duty to 
 perform, for I think one brave fello w still lives." 
 
 Looking about searchingly, Tchincuilaa 
 beheld the warrior, covered with blood, 
 ranged in rank with the rest of the men, and 
 taking things as nonchalantly as do all truly 
 brave men upon occasions of the kind. Tchin- 
 cuilaa called to him in his own language. 
 
 “Where is he who stood by the side of his 
 king to the last, and faced death for his sake. 
 Oh ! tell me, where is the brave Eagle man 
 who battled as one against the many ? Let 
 him step forth to receive the hand of his 
 king.” 
 
 The man came forward a little sheepishly, 
 for the eyes of the whole party were upon him, 
 and another party was approaching with Na- 
 nona and Losaia riding in the lead. He 
 mumbled something about doing his duty as 
 all brave men should, but Tchincuilaa was 
 
s6o THE END OF THE TRAITOR PRINCE. 
 
 not content with this. He took the hand of 
 the brave soldier within his own. 
 
 “ What may the king call his brave de- 
 fender?” he asked. 
 
 “ Latusa,” he replied, “ sometimes called 
 The Mighty, armorer to the forces of my 
 king’s house.” 
 
 “ Step forth, oh Latusa, the armorer, and 
 receive the public thanks of thy king, and 
 rank hereafter as a chief of the tribe of Tchin- 
 cuilaa. Thou shalt serve by the side of thy 
 king, at the royal palace.” 
 
 Then as a cheer went up from the sur- 
 rounding warriors, he said with a laugh to 
 his friends, “What’s the use of being a king if 
 you can’t dispense a little happiness and jus- 
 tice about you ?” 
 
 As the newly created chief turned with a 
 flushed and gratified face to join the troops, 
 Nanona, who approached, passed close to 
 him and untwining a costly jew’eled chain 
 from about her throat, she drew it deftly 
 about his helmet, and cried, “ So doth Na- 
 nona, she who is a princess of the land, crown 
 
THE' END or THE TRAITOR PRINCE, a6l 
 
 bravery and worth among the people of Na- 
 haeco.” 
 
 The companies drew back in silence as the 
 two beautiful women approached the men 
 who had officered the forces of the day. Na- 
 nona’s eyes shone brightly, and a flush of ex- 
 citement overspread the deep-hued cheek as 
 she approached her lover. 
 
 “ Hail to the victor,” she cried. ” The 
 armies of the traitor prince are subdued, and 
 bow to the rule of Tchincuilaa, the rightful 
 ruler in Nahaeco. There lives no one to dis- 
 pute his right, for with his own hand hath he 
 slain Ilhama, the wicked priest, and Hatesta, 
 the murderer of Checides, and disturber 
 of the peace. Well hath the prophecy of 
 Umrro been fulfilled here, and Tchincuilaa 
 hath conquered and slain with the sword 
 given to him by Nanona, the wicked prince. 
 Thus hath the king avenged the death of 
 Checides, my father. Thus is Nanona 
 avenged, and thus doth she thank her lord 
 and hero, he who hath slain single handed 
 the hosts that would have trodden him to the 
 
262 THB END OF THE TRAITOR PRINCE. 
 
 earth, where 1 myself beheld him.” The 
 queenly woman, lovely with a passion-kissed 
 loveliness, rode up to her lover’s "side and 
 taking both his hands flushed rosy red, then 
 leaning from her palfrey, bent her head toward 
 him as quickly as the motion of a bird, and 
 kissed him full upon the mouth. He trem- 
 bled at the contact of the warm lips, and in 
 the excitement of the moment forgot the 
 newly learned tongue, and whispered that 
 one word, which means so much to all Eng- 
 lish-speaking people, when they love, “ Darl- 
 ing,” at the same time flashing into her eyes 
 a glance which answered hers. 
 
 She had said that if he came to her with 
 victory in his hand she would forgive him, 
 but womanlike, she had been better than her 
 word ; in the moment of greatest peril when 
 victory and honor hung in the balance with 
 defeat and death, she had come to him on the 
 wings of love to die with him or crown his 
 victory with heart laurels surpassing in lustre 
 the diadem of the Csesars. There was love 
 for him in the future — and such love as prom* 
 ised paradise in the one word— hornet 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 DEATH BY THE CASQUE. 
 
 Peace followed the siege of Sharrai but 
 the new ruler found himself confronted by 
 an unpleasant duty. Vetsuma, the third 
 priest in the plot, had been taken in battle, 
 and according to the written law must pay 
 the penalty of his wickedness by death. The 
 people demanded it, and although Tchin- 
 cuilaa was for pardoning him unconditionally, 
 Nanona, with whom he was on the most lov- 
 ing terms, advised him not to vex the people 
 by attempting to depart so far from their tra- 
 ditions as to pardon him. Her lover was 
 sensible of the good advice, but resolved to 
 attempt to save him, by making an appeal to 
 the council assembled. 
 
 Accordingly the chiefs were called to the 
 great hall some days after the battle, when 
 quiet had been restored, and the ill-fated 
 priest was brought in. Tchincuilaa was 
 
264 DEATH BT The CASQDE. 
 
 seated upon the throne, a position which be- 
 came him well, wearing the rich dress of his 
 kingly dignity. By his side was Nanona, re- 
 gal in her beauty, which was enhanced by the 
 lovelight in her clear eyes. Close by were 
 Sexton and Ritchie, while Losaia held a po- 
 sition at the feet of her dear friend. The cul- 
 prit was allowed to stand unmanacled a short 
 distance from the foot of the throne, where 
 he looked up with defiance at his king. He 
 seemed to feel that there was no hope for 
 him, and he would meet death bravely. 
 
 About the hall were the princes and chiefs, 
 with stern faces, awaiting the pronouncing of 
 the sentence of doom by Umrro, who was 
 now the high priest of the people. In their 
 glances there appeared no hope for the man. 
 Tchincuilaa glanced at him pityingly, hoping 
 that he might be able to save him, for w'hat 
 harm could one poor man do now that the 
 struggle was over, and the insurrection for- 
 ever stilled. 
 
 “Ye bring me here,” cried the doomed 
 man, looking about the hall with a glance of 
 
DBAtH BV fttE CASQtffe. 265 
 
 hatred,” that ye may gloat over the victim and 
 watch him writhe with fear of his doom. Ye 
 shall all see how a priest of the Dumachas 
 meets his fate. Know that Vetsuma hates ye 
 all, ye and the usurper.’’ 
 
 “Peace,” said Tchincuilaa, in a concentrated 
 voice. “ Kno w you not that your king would 
 save thee ?” 
 
 A sneer was on the lips of the priest as ht 
 turned his wicked gaze upon the king, and 
 then his eyes flashed with a sudden resolve. 
 He gathered his body like a panther that is 
 about to spring upon his prey, and seizing a 
 blade from the side of a chief who was stand- 
 ing by he flew up the steps toward Tchin- 
 cuilaa. The men directly about him were 
 unarmed, and Nanona uttered a shriek as he 
 saw death approach her dear one, flinging her- 
 self in front of him to protect him with her 
 own body. 
 
 The evil intent had very tame ending, for 
 the priest, filled with the frenzy of murder, 
 passed close by Ritchie as he mounted the 
 steps, and that young fellow gathered him- 
 
266 DEATH BY THE CASQUE. 
 
 self as he had often done with the gloves at 
 college, and delivered a nervous short arm 
 blow directly upon the jaw of the mad priest., 
 There was a dull sound as the iron knuckles 
 met the face, and then the priest went down 
 like a shot, the knife rattling from his grasp, 
 and sliding along the granite floor, at the 
 feet of the horrified princes, who had made a 
 concerted rush to defend their king, who was 
 already endeared to them by his bravery. 
 The body never moved while they waited 
 for him to rise. The blow had stunned him. 
 
 “ That was one of your old favorites, Harl,” 
 laughed Tchincuilaa, apparantly little moved 
 by the occurrence. “I fancy you have been 
 pining for just such an opportunity.” 
 
 “It did feel quite natural,” replied Ritchie, 
 while he nursed his hand, “ but the fellow 
 has a deuced hard head.” 
 
 Probably nothing that Ritchie could have 
 done would have so filled the assembled 
 people with wonder, as that same blow. 
 They were strangers to the manly art, 
 even in its most primitive stages, and to 
 
UfiATH fiY THK CASQUE. afi? 
 
 see one man fell another as if he had 
 been struck with a rock filled them 
 with awe, and the fame of his fistic powers 
 went abroad over the land, and was set down 
 as his most immense claim to greatness. Of 
 course he was then thanked by the people for 
 saving the life of the king, and had rhapsodies 
 of gratitude showered upon him by Nanona, 
 all of which wearied him somewhat, but the 
 few whispered words and the bright glance 
 from Losaia lingered long in his heart and 
 made him long for another victim. 
 
 Vetsuma was unconscious for several 
 minutes, and dizzy for many more. His 
 rash act had made it impossible for the king 
 to intercede for him even if he had been so 
 inclined, so when he was sufficiently re- 
 covered, the priest was again brought before 
 the throne, securely bound, where Umrro 
 took great satisfaction in pronouncing sen- 
 tence, and consigning him to death by the 
 casque without honors. This was the only 
 style of death meted out in the land, but 
 when people were to die because of their be- 
 
 17 
 
268 
 
 death by the casque. 
 
 ing of a ripe agt, or by the laws of the coun- 
 try there was considerable pomp in connec- 
 tion with the rite. 
 
 In the case of Vetsuma the ceremony was 
 as simple as possible. The day set for the 
 execution there was an immense gathering of 
 people at the banks of the quicksand lake, 
 where there was a small temple erected, also 
 a projecting abutment thrown out built of 
 solid masonry. A broad path or road led 
 straight up to it from the plain, and about, 
 where they could see the execution, were the 
 people by thousands. The priest was led 
 out upon the plain without being allowed the 
 rites of the temple, and he was placed bare- 
 headed before the multitude. 
 
 Attendants brought a large copper affair, 
 shaped much like a helmet, as in fact it was the 
 helmet of death, or the casque. This casque 
 completely covered the head to the neck 
 when placed in position, and was hinged at 
 the back. The peculiar part of its construc- 
 tion, was that at its top was a projecting knob 
 of sutaya. This was held suspended above the 
 
DEATH BY THE CASQUE. 269 
 
 casque by a spring, and at its other end it 
 was sharpened to a needle point. This 
 point, when the casque was adjusted, was 
 suspended directly over the soft part of the 
 center of the skull, above the brain. Amid a 
 deep silence this casque was adjusted to the 
 head of Vetsuma, and it was noticed that not 
 a quiver passed over him. The people of 
 that country learned to expect the casque at 
 some time and it had few terrors. 
 
 The arms of the priest were pinioned and 
 the limbs bound with strips of fiber. The 
 living body was then laid upon a plank, and 
 carried to a slide, which projected from the 
 masonry over the quicksands. At the feet was 
 fastened a large conical piece of copper, the 
 feet being bound firmly to the flat portion 
 and allowed to project over slightly, while 
 the head of the doomed man was toward the 
 vast audience. Umrro stood by with folded 
 arms, while a large man armed with a mallet 
 of gold stepped to the other side. Not a 
 word had been spoken. All had passed 
 off like clockwork. The executioner with 
 
270 
 
 DEATH BY THE CASQITE. 
 
 the mallet took his position, then Umrro 
 spoke ; 
 
 “ Vetsuma, once priest of the Dumachas, 
 he cried solemnly, “ divested of thy office, 
 prepare to meet thy fate. ‘Take thou not, 
 nor seek to take unless it be to thine own pres- 
 ervation, the life of thy fellow,’ saith the 
 written law. Oh thou dark angel of death, 
 waft the culprit to the embrace of Saghah, 
 the evil one. Gosah forgive us.” 
 
 With that he made a scarcely perceptible 
 sign, and as the people murmured a hoarse 
 amen in the Nahaecian tongue, the mallet of 
 the executioner was raised and fell, then the 
 body slipped from the slide with the meeting 
 of the weapon with the casque. A deep- 
 toned gong sounded from the inner court of 
 the temple, and a flame shot high into the air, 
 as the heavy body disappeared from sight, 
 and fell without a sound into the hungry 
 quicksands, never more to be seen by mortal 
 eyes. And that was the end of the insurrec- 
 tion altogether, and the last of the plotters. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 A DOUBLE WEDDING. — THE PROPHECY. 
 
 The days that followed yrere chiefly re- 
 markable for their extreme quietude. Several 
 months passed uneventfully, and Sexton was 
 becoming decidedly restive. As for the 
 balance of the part3% they were too much 
 taken up with each other to seem to miss the 
 days that slipped by until the heat of the 
 summer was past and the seasons were ready 
 to slide into that dreamy autumn which pre- 
 cedes the winter months. The old miner, 
 while he had the utmost patience for one of 
 his years with the younger people, began to 
 fret under the desertion which resulted from 
 the close companionship of the lovers, and as 
 he had nothing better to think of pined for 
 the outer world and studied deep laid 
 schemes for the purpose of escaping from the 
 prison country. 
 
 87X 
 
272 A DOUBLE WEDDING — THE PROPHECY. 
 
 Umrro and he became quite friendly, in 
 fact had it not been for the loyal priest he 
 would have been subject to a much deeper 
 ennui. Xheir old arguments were carried on 
 to an unlimited extent, but the breach came 
 when the priest openly sided with the young 
 people, asserting that they had a perfect 
 right to bask in each other’s society to their 
 heart’s content, Sexton to the contrary not- 
 withstanding. After that for several days, 
 Sexton kept to his own society, and grew 
 more dissatisfied than ever. Umrro under- 
 stood him quite well, for he was an astute 
 gentleman, and realized that it was jealousy 
 which was eating at the heart of his friend. 
 
 Meantime the lovers had quietly arranged 
 matters, and it was agreed that they should 
 be wedded in a few weeks. Umrro was con- 
 sulted, and he advised that they should set 
 the date for the feast of Gosah, which oc- 
 curred according to the Nahaecian religious 
 calendar when the sun was at a point in the 
 heavens corresponding to the equinox. 
 Tchincuilaa and Ritchie had been uadecided 
 
A DOUBLE WEDDING — THE PROPHECY. 273 
 
 what to do as to a ceremony, as the form in 
 vogue was hardly a marriage such as would 
 satisfy a modern mamma, and Losaia especially, 
 having been raised a Catholic, was not cer- 
 tain as to whether it would be right and 
 proper. They finally decided that, as they 
 were in the United States, and everywhere a 
 marriage by contract was recognized, they 
 would ingraft so much of an innovation into 
 the ceremonies of the country. 
 
 Accordingly when the time came, Sexton 
 was coaxed into being a party to the scheme, 
 and agreed to assist. On the day before the 
 regular ceremony, Ritchie drew up two con- 
 tracts, in which the subscribers agreed to 
 live together as husband and wife until death 
 did them part, and they were properly signed 
 and witnessed. The two friends signed each 
 other’s contract as witnesses, Sexton making 
 the other party to each. As Nanona was not 
 up in English chirography, she made her sign 
 in the peculiar characters of her race, and 
 Sexton wrote her name in Spencerian pen- 
 manship beneath it. The next morning the 
 
*74 A DOUBLE WEDDING — THE PROPHECY. 
 
 marriage ceremony was held, and an impres- 
 sive one it was. 
 
 The news of the wedding had been carried 
 by couriers to every part of the land, and 
 Sharrai held the major portion of the popula- 
 tion of the country on that day — the 22d of 
 September by the Christian calendar. Not 
 one of the subjects came without bringing 
 with them a present of some kind for the 
 young people, and these gifts comprised 
 everything of value in the land, from a moun- 
 tain kid to a toilet ornament. There were 
 fine gold and silver utensils, gem embroid- 
 ered stuffs for robes, finely wrought chains 
 and bracelets, silver and gold girt sandals, 
 and everything conceivable, that might go to 
 adorn or be useful for the person or house- 
 hold of those who had grown to be the pets 
 of the nation. 
 
 The ceremony occurred in the temple and 
 was pronounced the most elaborate that had 
 ever occurred in Nahaeco. ' Headed by a 
 cortege of priests, at whose front marched 
 Umrro, resplendent in jeweled robes, came 
 
A DOUBLE WEDDING — THE PROPHECY. 275 
 
 the royal party. The two brides first, carried 
 in palanquins by maidens in robes of golden 
 yellow, next Tchincuilaa in the royal litter, 
 by his side Ritchie and Sexton, all carried by 
 the men of the household. Behind walked 
 the princes and their spouses, all clad in gor- 
 geous gowns. At each side of the route were 
 drawn up the people of the country, voicing 
 loud acclamations as the long cort^e passed 
 by. Arrived at the temple, the party passed 
 into the lofty hall, where the fumes of per- 
 fumed wood filled the place with a sweet 
 odor. Here the priests procured huge 
 torches, and after lighting them led the way 
 through an immense doorway into a great 
 vaulted auditorium. 
 
 The torches only sufficed to partially light 
 up the interior, but in the center could be 
 seen a sculptured altar, upon which a blue 
 flame burned, from which was emitted a faint, 
 subtle odor. Before this altar the wedding 
 party was stopped, while the people followed 
 in, until it seemed as if there could hardly be 
 one person in the land left outside. The 
 
2 J 6 a double wedding — THE PROPHECY. 
 
 priests stood near the royal group, holding 
 the torches aloft. The princes were ranged 
 in a half circle a short distance away, and 
 through the dim distance of the huge vaulted 
 room, the people made their way. 
 
 Suddenly, coming softly at first, and then 
 growing louder, came sweet strains of music, 
 and then the people took up a slow but rather 
 catchy chant, which gave a weird effect to 
 the whole affair. The priests formed in a cir- 
 cle and marched slowly around the two 
 couples, pausing to cast a fine powder upon 
 the flame on the altar, which flared up in a 
 golden glare as the powder touched the fire, 
 the people continuing the chant: 
 
 Grace us with Thy presence, mighty 
 Gosah — ruler of the thousands— 
 
 Throned above, clad in the raiment 
 Of Thine own refulgent glory. 
 
 Hither come Thy suppliant children, 
 
 Held to earth by living fetters. 
 
 Held unto each other holy. 
 
 Hallowed by their deep affection. 
 
A DOUBLE WEDDIKO— THE PROPHECY. 
 
 Come they to Gosah, the mighty — 
 
 To His temple for the bridal, 
 
 Asking for Thy blessing holy, 
 
 Holy incense do they offer. 
 
 Vouchsafe them Thy sweet permission, 
 To take each unto the other, 
 
 Man to wife, and wife to husband, 
 
 Until life shall pass the river. 
 
 Speed Thou life unto the lovers, 
 
 That they life may bring in unipn. 
 
 Smile upon their love so holy. 
 
 That they seek to pass in wedlock. 
 
 Gosah, Great, the time approaches. 
 
 Dart Thy flood of fire upon them, 
 
 Fierce as passion in their bosoms, 
 
 Warm, and tender as a mother. 
 
 The chant ceased, and the music died away 
 in a faint murmur of exquisite melody. At 
 the same instant the lights were extinguished, 
 and for a moment it seemed as if the room 
 was in total darkness, but soon a faint light 
 was seen coming from overhead. Umrro 
 
*78 A DOUBLE WEDDING — THE PROPHECY. 
 
 stood by the altar, and extending one arm 
 toward the waiting lovers, he said in a solemn 
 voice : 
 
 “Tchincuilaa, and thou, oh Harlo, clas'p 
 thou the hand of Nanona, and Losaia, that to- 
 gether, hand in hand, as ye may be heart to 
 heart, ye may greet the will of the Most 
 High, should he vouchsafe to beam upon ye 
 with his life-giving fire. Flesh of man, in the 
 likeness of strength and beauty,” he contin- 
 ued, as the four stood with their hands tightly 
 clasped, “so stand ye before the great Maker 
 of all things, to accept of the conjugal gift at 
 his hands.” 
 
 His voice ceased, and then there was 
 silence, as the faint light above gradually 
 grew brighter, until the four stood out in re- 
 lief from the rest of the assemblage, and the 
 blue flame on the altar was dimmed. Then 
 suddenly, as if by magic, one broad sunbeam 
 from above blazed down upon them, lighting 
 the four lovers in its celestial rays, and gild- 
 ing the splendid robes, and the living hair 
 upon the four handsome heads. 
 
A DOUBLE WEDDING — THE PROPHECY. 279 
 
 “Gosah weddeth thee,” said Umrro sol- 
 emnly, “and Umrro, high priest of Sharrai, 
 through the will of the Most High, gives you 
 each to the other. Nanona, wife to Tchin- 
 cuilaa, and Losaia, wife to Harlo. Blessings 
 and peace be with you and with thy children, 
 evermore.” 
 
 Then the party passed out again silently 
 into the sunlight, the newly wedded pairs 
 looking rather foolish, but supremely happy. 
 Shortly after there was an open-air feast, in 
 which all the people joined, and there was a 
 gala time, followed by such games as the in- 
 habitants of the country indulged in, consist- 
 ing of athletic sports and tests of strength. 
 In the latter the Americans deigned to join 
 with the people, and astonished them by their 
 wonderful cleverness. Ritchie especially had 
 not forgotten his college training, and not 
 only excelled in their own games, but initiated 
 them into the intricacies of the hitch-and-kick, 
 high jump and pole vault, to say nothing of 
 his throwing. In the latter respect he caused 
 loud acclamations of wonder from the pre- 
 
aSo A DOUBLE WEDDING — THE EROPHECY. 
 
 cision and force with which he hurled stones, 
 doing nearly as well with his strong arm as 
 they could by the aid of their slings. 
 
 They soon tired of the exertion, and re- 
 paired to the inner court, where the friends 
 with the two brides, together with Sexton, 
 •were served with a private repast, while the 
 sounds of the merry revelry was heard out- 
 side. The day was a pleasant one, and the 
 swans sailed lazily about in the basin, a slight 
 breeze fanning their cheeks from the falling 
 spray of the fountain. Later on dark clouds 
 began to gather in the east, but they did not 
 notice them. Life was too sweet just then 
 to cause any thought of the weather. The 
 two women wandered around the edge of the 
 water, and tossed food to the swans, leaving 
 the men to themselves for a moment. 
 
 “ You do not seem to appreciate the happi- 
 ness of the present occasion,” said Ritchie, 
 addressing his uncle. ” What seems to trouble 
 you? Has anything gone wrong?” 
 
 ” My dear nephew,” answered Sexton, a 
 trifle testily, ” it is hardly proper for an old 
 
A 1 ) 0 UBLE WEDDING — THE PROPHECY. 281 
 
 bachelor like me to venture any remarks 
 upon an occasion of this kind. Of course you 
 two have your fair wives now to claim your 
 attention, and what interests me can hardly 
 be of any amount of interest to you.” 
 
 “ I fear that you are just a trifle jealous, 
 Sexton,” cried Tchincuilaa. “ Don’t despair. 
 You will succeed in getting some of the 
 maidens entangled yet.” 
 
 Sexton made a wry face, indicative of the 
 utmost contempt. “ Deliver me,” he said, 
 “ I want none of it.” 
 
 “ What is it troubling you then ?”t asked 
 Ritchie. 
 
 “ Well, if you must know, I want to get out 
 of this infernal country. How does that 
 strike my newly made benedicts ?” 
 
 “ With all my heart,” cried Ritchie, " but 
 how?” 
 
 Any answer that might have come was in- 
 terrupted by a peculiar rumbling noise all 
 about them, followed by a shifty trembling of 
 the earth beneath their feet. At the same 
 time the bright sun overhead was overcast 
 
282 A DOUBLE WEDDING — THE PROPHECY. 
 
 by dark clouds, and a flash of lightning, the 
 first they had seen in that country, illumin- 
 ated the sudden gloom. The trembling was 
 repeated, and a commotion, together with loud 
 cries, was heard without. Nanona and Lo- 
 saia drew close to their husbands, and through 
 the doorway of the court came U mrro, his face 
 looking wild, followed by several of the 
 princes. 
 
 “ The prophecy ! the prophecy !” he cried. 
 “ When the earthquake comes again to the 
 land, then shall the people cease to be, and 
 the race be gathered to its fathers, under the 
 smile of Gosah. Prepare to die, for the 
 prophecy is about to be fulfilled. The earth- 
 quake is here.” 
 
 The Americans drew their wives to their 
 breasts to pacify them, and loud and long 
 came the cry of the panic-stricken people 
 from without the court, “ The earthquake ! 
 The earthquake! Woe, woe to Nahaeco. 
 Woe to the Dumachas.” 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 THE FLYING SHIP. 
 
 Beyond a well developed scare, the earth- 
 quake did not amount to much, and the 
 prophecy turned out much as prophecies al- 
 ways do. After a few days the inhabitants 
 had forgotten all about it, and went about 
 their daily life as if nothing were likely to 
 happen which need cause them anxiety. 
 With the four young people, life passed away 
 like one long dream, and they were apparently 
 without care for the future. Sexton grew 
 more dissatisfied every day, and finally when 
 several months had elapsed, he managed to 
 get the ear of his nephew long enough to fill 
 that young man with the desire to escape 
 from the prison country. 
 
 The longer he thought of the matter, the 
 more he became impressed with the idea, 
 which grew upon him from day to day, until 
 he was as anxious as his uncle to again mingle 
 283 
 
 18 
 
#84 tliE fLYING SHIP. 
 
 in civilization and taste the pleasures of the 
 society it afforded. Nahaeco was all right in 
 its way, but after all there was a sameness 
 about the quiet life there, which was in a 
 measure exasperating. Uncle and nephew 
 were a little uncertain how Tchincuilaa might 
 feel upon the subject. It was a matter for 
 doubt whether or not a king would be willing 
 to give up his throne for the advantage of 
 moving again in the circles he had mingled 
 in in the past, especially when he had wedded 
 a daughter of the race, whose affections 
 might all be with her own people. 
 
 The two finally agreed that they would 
 sound him upon the matter at the first oppor* ^ 
 tunity, which came one evening when they 
 were all gathered in the court of the wing of 
 the palace, which was their favorite lounging 
 place. With many misgivings Ritchie put 
 the question to his friend, when the ladies 
 were out of hearing, and watched his face 
 narrowly as Tchincuilaa became thoughtful 
 for a moment. 
 
 “ I will not deny,” he said finally, “ that I 
 
THE PLYING SHIP. 
 
 am tired of this quiet life. Kings may be all 
 right in their way but as far as I am con- 
 cerned I much prefer a select circle of friends 
 in New York and the pleasures it would 
 afford to all the thrones of this sort in the 
 world. All that worries me is what Nanona 
 would think of leaving her people.” 
 
 “Ask her and see,” said Sexton. “Of 
 course there is little chance of our ever escap« 
 ing, but Lord knows I don’t care to pass the 
 balance of my life in this place without male* 
 ing an effort to get away. I have explored 
 every inch of the cliffs about here, and must 
 confess that there does not seem to be much 
 chance from that direction.” 
 
 “ I have a plan,” said Ritchie, his eyes 
 sparkling, “ but unless we all go, I am willing 
 to remain here. I would not desert my 
 friend.” 
 
 “ Thanks, old fellow,” said Tchincuilaa, 
 grasping Ritchie’s hand with a strong press- 
 ure. “ I wouldn’t ask such a sacrifice though. 
 Sweet one,” he continued to Nanona, who 
 approached with Losaia. “ These our friends 
 
the flying ship. 
 
 286 
 
 question thy Tchincuilaa. They seek to re- 
 turn to that great outer world of which thy 
 husband has so often spoken to thee, and of 
 which thou hast wondered. Before thy 
 husband answers them, he would have thy 
 wish. Would it pain thee to leave thy people 
 and the prison land ?” 
 
 “ It is as my lord wills,” answered Nanona, 
 passing an arm about his neck and looking 
 proudly into the eyes of her husband; “ Na- 
 nona hath no other wish than to please her 
 lord in all things.” 
 
 « Nor would thy husband do aught to pain 
 thee,” was the tender reply. “ Answer thou 
 my friends for me. Whatever Nanona wills 
 in this matter, that will Tchincuilaa do.’ 
 
 The beautiful princess paused for a mo- 
 ment. She looked about her at the walls of 
 the court within which she had been reared, 
 at the calmly sailing swans, through the arch- 
 way to the outer stretch of country, at the 
 slowly sinking sun, and then at the face of 
 each of the others, resting finally upon that of 
 Losaia, which was eagerly scanning her own. 
 
 / 
 
THE FLYING SHIP, 
 
 287 
 
 Then she smiled a proud smile and sank at 
 the feet of her husband in that reclining posi- 
 tion so peculiarly graceful with the women 
 of her country. 
 
 “ Nanona, wife to Tchincuilaa, will follow 
 her lord to the farthest ends of the earth,” 
 she said quietly. “ This my land is passing- 
 fair, and the air is balmy and filled with rest, 
 yet what would they be to Nanona without 
 her lord ? Without him would they seem like 
 the mounting without its jewel. In that land 
 of which ye tell me, what would Nanona 
 care for the mounting, for the jewel would be 
 there, close to her heart. Seek ye the escape, 
 for Nanona will go with ye.” 
 
 “ Heaven bless such a wife,” cried Tchin- 
 cuilaa, kissing her fondly, in spite of the 
 presence of the others. 
 
 “ Had you asked me I could have toldyou 
 that long ago,” said Losaia, passing an arm 
 through that of her husband, and laughing 
 softly. “We women are weak fools when 
 we love.” 
 
 “ And their husbands likewise,” laughed 
 
288 
 
 THE FLYING SHIP. 
 
 Ritchie, chucking her playfully under the 
 chin. “ Myself, for example.” 
 
 “ Now tell us what plan you have,” said 
 Tchincuilaa abruptly. “ I confess I am filled 
 with the common desire.” 
 
 “ Let me work it out myself, ” answered 
 Ritchie. “ What I want is all the workmen 
 I desire, and unlimited license as to material. 
 With that I think I will succeed in my 
 idea.” 
 
 ” Of course you can have the men, and any- 
 thing else you want. I suppose we are at 
 liberty to watch your preparations.” 
 
 “Oh, there will be no secrecy about it, but 
 I am a little diffident about outlining my 
 ideas for they are in a line that usually calls 
 for humorous comment. I intend to construct 
 a flying ship.” 
 
 There was a general laugh at this, and the 
 laces of the others fell perceptibly. They had 
 hoped for something at least plausible. 
 
 “ You may laugh if you like,” said Ritchie, 
 a little hurt, “and I will confess that I would 
 iwver attempt it but that this <x>uotry pre- 
 
THE FLYING SHIP. 
 
 289 
 
 sents peculiaradvantages for the construction 
 of one, not possessed by any other spot. Just 
 wait and see.” 
 
 After that day Ritchie was the center of 
 attraction, not only for the little party so 
 much interested in their escape, but also the 
 people as a whole, who were much interested 
 and filled with curiosity to see what was to 
 be conceived out of the debris and conglom- 
 eration that Ritchie gathered about his huge 
 workshop. The shops in question were set 
 up near the cataract, from which the young 
 amateur inventor received his power. He 
 had constructed a water wheel, connected 
 with which he had such machinery as he 
 required. For the most part it was crude, 
 but his workmen were apt, and seemed to 
 take to the new ideas so quickly that when 
 they saw the object they often assisted him in 
 completing a design. 
 
 He had huge rollers for rolling out plates 
 of heated sutaya, and bias's for reducing ores. 
 The sutaya, on account of its peculiar forma- 
 tion, Qould be rolled out to a fractional part 
 
2gO THE FLYING SHIP. 
 
 of an inch, the sheets being impervious to 
 air, rust or pressure when cooled. These 
 sheets were rolled in the proper shape and 
 then fastened by placing the edges lapped 
 over each other, and running a hot iron along 
 the joint. After several weeks of hard work, 
 a huge cigar-shaped balloon had been con- 
 structed, about 125 feet in length, and 30 feet 
 through at its center, built in three compart- 
 ments. Each one of these was provided with 
 a valve at the top, and one at the base, for 
 the purpose of injecting or emitting the 
 gases. 
 
 After this was completed, it was raised 
 upon derricks, and a car constructed fifty 
 feet in length of the same material ; this was 
 provided with a small cabin in its forward 
 part, and in what might be called the stern, 
 reservoirs for water, and compartments for 
 coal. This was then firmly bound to the gas 
 reservoirs overhead by rods and bands of 
 sutaya, until all was as solid as if but one 
 piece. So far the work had been compara- 
 tively easy. What followed was the maehin- 
 
THE FLYING SHIP. 29 1 
 
 ery and as Ritchie was but an amateur in 
 that line he met with many failures. Sexton, 
 who was familiar with some details from his 
 mining work, assisted, and after many unsuc- 
 cessful trials, a light engine was constructed, 
 to be placed in position i n the car, for the 
 purpose of moving the propeller. 
 
 It was some time before they had succeeded 
 in obtaining the proper temper to the metals 
 for this engine. It was positively necessary 
 that it should be as light as possible, and yet 
 have sufficient strength, and the task was a 
 difficult one. The sutaya, while stronger by 
 far than steel, was so susceptible to heat, 
 that it was impossible to use it except in a few 
 instances, where there was no friction or 
 heat. When this was completed to their 
 satisfaction, a small generator for gas was 
 constructed to place in the car, for Ritchie 
 had an idea of carrying coal for ballast, and 
 when it was desired to give more buoyancy, 
 the burning of the coal would reduce the 
 weight, while gas was generated at the same 
 timCi In order to descend it would be nec- 
 
292 
 
 THE FLYING SHE. 
 
 yessary to open a valve, which would waste 
 the gas in the reservoir, but the scheme of 
 manufacturing the gas more than made up 
 for the loss. 
 
 The propelling power was a row of blades 
 of sutaya at either side of the car, running 
 against the air one way over a wheel, and re- 
 turning over it, presenting the edges, so that 
 the resistance was all one way. A huge rud- 
 der, swung so that it could present a surface 
 at either side, or be turned and elevated or 
 depressed, sufficed for the guidance of the 
 vessel. Ritchie’s ship took over six months 
 in the building, but when it was completed, 
 and the little party looked it over upon his 
 invitation, they were all filled with excite- 
 ment over the probability of their deliver- 
 ance. It looked so simple and so feasible 
 that there was hardly a doubt but what it 
 would work. 
 
 “ It is certain to be able to carry us out of 
 this place,” said Ritchie, “even if it does not 
 fulfil my expectations, and make the fame of 
 its mveptore wbe» w§ sail ipto Yotl^ 
 
THE FLYING SHIP. 
 
 293 
 
 with it in fine style. I fancy it would create 
 a sensation on Wall street.” 
 
 The next thing to be done was to fill the 
 reservoirs with gas, and a machine had been 
 prepared for that purpose. The car was first 
 made fast by means of two large belts of 
 sutaya passed over it, and then the coal was 
 fired, and the generators began to do their 
 work. While this was going on, Losaia and 
 Nanona had the cabin properly furnished for 
 their comfort, and brought skins and mats to 
 cover the deck of the car, as the plates of 
 sutaya were slippery and hard. The effect of 
 the gas soon became apparent, and the reser- 
 voirs by their nervous twitchings showed 
 that they were pulling with a fearful force 
 at the car which was firmly anchored to the 
 earth. 
 
 In some way, Umrro had become aware of 
 the intended escape, and had begged so stren- 
 uously to be allowed to accompany the party, 
 that its members had finally consented. The 
 priest had given as a reason that he had not 
 d* yet ponvinced Sexton, or Rufttd, as be 
 
THE FLYING SHIP. 
 
 294 
 
 called him, of the falsity of his political opin- 
 ions, and must needs accompany them in 
 order to finish his sermons. There was a sus- 
 picion however, that the fine fellow was so 
 much in love with his new friends that he 
 preferred to leave his country rather than 
 part with them. He had a faint idea also, 
 that if they could succeed in escaping, they 
 could also return, and by that means the peo- 
 ple might be again restored to that outer 
 world from which they had so long been 
 separated. Finally everything was com- 
 pleted, the stores on board, and all that was 
 required was to cut loose, and steam off in 
 their new ship to that point in the world 
 they might desire to visit. 
 
 “To-morrow,” said Tchincuilaa, “we will 
 visit the Cave of Protection, and prepare to 
 carry away The Devil’s Gold. I don t pro- 
 pose to lose it, after we have gone through so 
 much on its account.” 
 
 “Will the vessel carry it?” asked Sexton, 
 anxiously. 
 
 . “ I think so,” said Ritohi®. “ I was obliged 
 
* 95 . 
 
 THE FLYING SHIP. 
 
 to shut off the gas, for I saw that we were 
 getting too much buoyancy. By letting in a 
 little more, we can easily carry it.” 
 
 “ Call out the palanquins,” said Tchincuilaa, 
 “and we will pay it a visit now, and make plans 
 for carrying it away to the new air ship.” 
 
 “ I think Ritchie’s vessel should be christ- 
 ened,” remarked Sexton. “What shall we 
 call her?” 
 
 “What shall be the name?” asked Tchin- 
 cuilaa of Losaia. “ Ritchie has built her, now 
 let his wife give her a name.” 
 
 “What saith my lords?” said Nanona, with 
 a slight pout. “ Do they forget that Nanona 
 as yet understands but little of their strange 
 tongue?” 
 
 “ Pardon, oh Queen, for thy subjects,” cried 
 Losaia. “ They ask thy sister to name the 
 strange ship. Let it be Nanona. Thus do I 
 name it, by the love I bear my sister. A 
 happy voyage to The Nanona, and long life 
 to its voyagers.” 
 
 “ Ever my loyal one,” laughed Nanona. 
 “ Where will ever woman find thy like ?” 
 
THE n-TlNG SHIP. 
 
 S96 
 
 ‘*0£F to the Cave of Protection,” cried 
 Tchincuilaa, merrily. “The men bear the 
 palanquins. Prepare thy head gear, my 
 queen, and let us away, for here approaches 
 Umrro, ready to accompany us.” 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 THE PROPHECY FULFILLED. 
 
 There had been little alteration in the ap- 
 pearance of the cave since the time when the 
 four adventurers were first hurled into it from 
 the vault above, to meet with the subsequent 
 startling adventures in that strange land. 
 There may have been an alteration in the 
 position of the skins, or the placing of the 
 offerings upon the altars, but the rest was the 
 same. .The huge mass of virgin metal still 
 hung suspended upon the sacrificial altar of 
 marble, where it had fallen so long before. 
 Apparently it had not stirred. The lamps 
 burned blue, and emitted the same strange 
 odor. 
 
 It was Nanona’s first visit to the cave, and 
 she looked about her with wonder. She had 
 heard the story of the escape told so often that 
 she was deeply interested in every detail of the 
 scene about her, and especially in the mass of 
 
 897 
 
298 THE PROPHECY FULFILLED. 
 
 gold. “ But for this yellow, silent rock, she 
 said, caressing it almost with reverence with 
 her slender hand, “ might Nanona never have 
 loved, for then had she not seen her lord. 
 
 The visit recalled other recollections to the 
 other pair, and while Losaia shivered some- 
 what at the remembrance, Ritchie brought 
 the blush to her cheek by reminding her of 
 the words of endearment she had given him 
 when she had thought all was lost. Umrro 
 contented himself with standing by and watch- 
 ing his friends. He was impatient for the 
 coming trip to that outer world of which 
 Rusta had told him so much, and he was not 
 interested in the securing of the gold. Sex- 
 ton proposed that they should bring help in 
 the morning, and after placing heavy timbers 
 on the landing of the stairway outside, work 
 the mass to its edge, and then allow it to slide 
 over to the ground beneath. Once there, 
 they could reduce it to smaller pieces and 
 store a quantity, if not all of it, in the ship. 
 His plan was finally agreed upon, and the 
 party were ready to return. 
 
% 
 
 tHS PROPHECY FHLFILLEB. 29$ 
 
 They remained for a time on the landing, 
 impressed by the sight that met their gaze. 
 Far out over the brilliant sea of quicksand 
 hung the sun, changed to a fiery, coppery hue 
 by the atmosphere which had grown fearfully 
 oppressive during the afternoon. The whole 
 sky had a purple hue, and a repressed day- 
 light pervaded everything. Beneath lay 
 Sharrai, the white walls of its buildings out- 
 lined against the dark green, the dome of the 
 temple glittering in the diffused light of the 
 sickly sun. The sound of the waterfall came 
 to them from the silence below, and by it the 
 huge air ship pulled at its fetters as if anxious 
 to escape from the entombed land, and soar 
 aloft over the imprisoning cliffs. 
 
 The golden sea seemed to swell and un- 
 dulate beneath the dropping sun. There was 
 not a breath of air stirring. The heat had 
 grown oppressive. Without knowing why, 
 the party began to grow startled. They 
 looked at each other’s faces and beheld them 
 bathed in a peculiar light. Below, the bearers 
 
 of the palanquins lolled on the grass, and 
 - 19 
 
300 THE PROPHECY FULFILLED. 
 
 awaited their coming. The cries from a herd 
 of mountain goats came to them softly from a 
 neighboring slope. 
 
 “ Gosah, protect us, what is that ?” cried 
 Umrro in a startled voice, extending one arm 
 in the direction of the quicksands. 
 
 They followed his glance, and beheld a 
 grand but fearful sight. Far on the horizon, 
 the watery desert sea had risen like a tidal 
 billow, ever growing higher and more mighty. 
 A distant rumble came to their ears, and the 
 mountain shivered to its base. The swelling 
 wave came rushing on toward the plains and 
 valleys, ever growing more mighty, now 
 sending forth columns of vapor, which burst 
 from it like the steam from a pot of boiling 
 meal. Its momentum was terrible, and while 
 they gazed, it had reached the land, spread 
 over it, and came on with irresistible force, 
 straight toward the city of Sharrai. 
 
 “We are lost!” cried Nan ona, clinging to 
 her husband in terror. He clasped her closely 
 but could not answer, struck dumb as the rest 
 were with the awfulness of the sight. 
 
tHE prophecy fulfilled. 30! 
 
 The wave reached the air ship and covered 
 it, a groan escaping from Ritchie as he saw 
 the work of months wrecked and hidden from 
 sight in a moment. On it came toward the 
 city, and so quickly that only a few terror- 
 stricken people were seen rushing about its 
 streets before it was completely engulfed. 
 
 The dome of the temple stood out above it 
 for a moment, and then that crumbled from 
 the irresistible forces, and sank into the mass. 
 The whole plain below them was buried, and 
 still the work was not complete. 
 
 The rumbling and shaking continued with 
 redoubled force, until the masonry beneath 
 their feet seemed to be leaving them. 
 
 “Into the cave, for your lives!” cried 
 Ritchie, lifting his half unconscious bride in 
 his arms, and springing back. 
 
 The rest followed on the instant, and they 
 were none too soon, for with an awful 
 crash, the whole side of the mountain slid 
 from the rock, and hurled itself to the depths 
 below. The mountain trembled and shook, a 
 sulphurous vapor filled the air, and darkness 
 
tHfc tfedPHECY rULFlLtlD. 
 
 302 
 
 fell upon them, lighted by fitful lightnings, 
 followed by the rumblings and detonations 
 of tumbling cliffs, and rolling landslides. 
 The odors overcame them, and they sank 
 into unconsciousness in each other’s arms. 
 
 How long they lay there they never knew, 
 for their watches had stopped. Sexton came 
 to first, and with the aid of water taken from 
 the bottles on the shelf, revived his compan- 
 ions. The sun was sending a bTilliant flood 
 of light into the cave, where a fearful sight 
 met their gaze. They were covered with 
 dust from falling rock and limestone. The 
 Devil’s Gold had been shaken from its resting 
 place upon the altar, and in falling had buried 
 Umrro beneath its mass. One hand alone 
 was visible projecting from its edge. The 
 body of the loyal priest was flattened beneath 
 the fearful weight of precious metal. Never 
 had a man a more costly tomb. 
 
 Part of the rear portion of the roof had 
 fallen in, and rough, irregular natural steps 
 had been formed to the caverns above. The 
 whole side of the mountain had fallen away, 
 
THE PROEHECY FULFILLED. 303 
 
 and the mouth of the cave looked out upon 
 the land from a precipitous cliff, that could 
 never hope to be ascended. The whole 
 country had disappeared from view, and the 
 face of nature was changed. The prophecy 
 had been fulfilled. The earthquake had 
 returned, and Nahaeco was no more. The 
 forgotten race was buried beneath the surface 
 of the earth. The distant cliffs had disap- 
 peared, and the quicksand sea had been 
 carried to the depths of the earth, and a wild, 
 desolate country from which here and there 
 fitful jets of steam or smoke emerged was all 
 that greeted the eye. As far as they could 
 see, there was but one straight line of moun- 
 tains left, in one of which they were confined. 
 
 Their one idea was how to escape from 
 that horrible place. Sexton secured one of 
 the lamps, and made a tour of inspection in- 
 to recesses above. He came back with the 
 cheering news that the earthquake had again 
 Opened up the barrier that had fallen in the 
 path to the other side of the mountain, and 
 nttfaKa 90 i 3 »e other portion of the roof had 
 
3©4 the prophecy fulfilled. 
 
 fallen, they might retrace their steps in the 
 same corridors they had traversed so long 
 before, in search of the Devil’s Gold. Without 
 delay they gathered up the fragments of eat- 
 ables about the cavern, together with the 
 water bottles, and started upon the long 
 journey through the cave. They found the 
 same white marks that guided them thither, 
 and some ten hours later, tired and footsore, 
 they found themselves in the opening they 
 had entered, and before them the way to 
 freedom and civilization. There was the 
 carcass of the grizzly they had killed, the air 
 of the mountain having dried it as hard as a 
 bone, though the hair had dropped off in 
 large spots. 
 
 As it was growing late, they rested there 
 for the night, and slept soundly, wearied out 
 by the excitement and toilsome journey. The 
 next morning Sexton left the young men and 
 their brides, while he started out upon a 
 short tour of inspection. Arrived at the first 
 foothill, he saw in the distance a wagon train 
 its way across tiae vaiky* oot over 
 
THE PROPHECY FULFILLED, 305 
 
 two miles away. He made the best speed 
 possible to intercept it, and found that it was 
 a trader’s outfit, loaded with goods for a 
 mining camp store. The men were amazed 
 at the strange sight he presented, but he 
 refused to answer any questions, asking if he 
 could purchase a quantity of clothing, and 
 several horses. As he offered an enormous 
 price for them in golden ounces, he succeeded 
 in making the purchase, and weighed out to 
 them a quantity of Nahaecian coins. They 
 first assured themselves that they were gold 
 of a pure quality, and leaving him at his 
 request on the plain with his little pile of 
 goods, and his five horses, they drove away, 
 wondering what manner of man it was that 
 looked after them standing there until they 
 were out of sight. 
 
 Slinging his bundles upon the backs of the 
 horses he proceeded at once to the cave, 
 where his friends were overjoyed at his good 
 fortune. They exchanged their garments for 
 the rough goods purchased, and were ready 
 for the return to civilization. Nanona 
 
3o6 the prophecy fulfilled. 
 
 rebelled at first at the civilized costume, but 
 finally consented to don what she termed the 
 unhandsome things, with the understanding 
 that she was to forego the shoes for the pres- 
 ent, which, although they were several sizes 
 too large for her tiny foot, she asserted were 
 the most outlandish affairs that ever a maiden ’ 
 or matron, with any claims to style, put on. 
 
 “If my lord can abide Nanona in this most 
 unholy costume,” she averred, “ then will I 
 know indeed, that I possess his heart.” Then 
 with a sigh as she glanced at the little heap of 
 beautiful jeweled robes in a corner of the 
 cave, she allowed herself to be assisted on the 
 saddle, and the journey was commenced. , 
 Three weeks after, they arrived at Oreville, 
 and from there took the stage to San 
 Francisco. 
 
 Several months later, a distinguished party 
 occupied a box at a New York theater. A 
 popular actress was to appear and the party 
 which hhd just arrived in the city had d&- 
 to attend* No to see the five' boeuo 
 
THE PROPHECY FULFILLED. 
 
 307 
 
 pants of the box at which so many glasses 
 were leveled, would have supposed that they 
 were looking at a king and queen of Nahaeco 
 and their friends. Sexton had recently set- 
 tied up his business affairs, finding that he 
 was several times a millionaire, and Ritchie 
 had just received encouraging reports from 
 Chili upon his wife’s property, and as Damon 
 had found that his large fortune had not been 
 lost by his own disappearance, the party was 
 a happy one. 
 
 They had not taken the trouble to see who 
 was to appear in the play, so that when the 
 star appeared, Ritchie gave a little start of 
 surprise, and Damon looked at him curiously. 
 The star was Bernice, the woman who had 
 jilted Ritchie for a million. She recognized 
 him at the same time, and a paleness over- 
 spread her face, while she faltered in her 
 lines. She saw the loving look cast upon 
 him by the dark-faced beauty at his side and 
 her eyes flashed ominously. With an effort, 
 the actress regained her composure, and the 
 play went on. 
 
THE PROPHECY FULFILLED. 
 
 308 
 
 Just then an old friend of Ritchie’s entered 
 their box. Extending a hand^to Harlo, he 
 nodded to Damon, and welcomed them both 
 in a hearty whisper. 
 
 “ Glad to see you back, old man,” he said. 
 
 “ We all wondered where you had been keep- 
 ing yourself. Came to see the new star eh? 
 She is all the rage now. The same old rage, 
 though. More on account of her public 
 character than any merit she possesses." 
 
 “What do you mean?” asked Ritchie, care- 
 lessly. “How did she make herself popular? 
 
 “Don’t you know? Why, the great di- 
 vorce scandal. She made a fool of her hus* 
 band until some kind friend was good enough 
 to open his eyes, and ther^— the courts — tele- 
 graph facts all over the country, and the rest. 
 By the way, now I think of it, she was an old 
 flame of yours, was she not ?” 
 
 “ Let me introduce you to my wife, Char- 
 lie,” said Ritchie, by way of evasion. “ Loie, 
 this is my old friend, Charlie Stewart.” 
 
 “My wife, also, Mr. Stewart,” said Damon, 
 
 a little prou4ly» 
 
THE PROPHECY FULFILLED. 309 
 
 Nanona smiled her own sweet smile, which 
 lighted up her lovely face as the moon illu- 
 mines a summer sea, and replied in the most 
 musical of slightly broken English: 
 
 “I am delighted to meet Mr. Stewart We 
 would be pleased to have you call.’’ 
 
 Others of their old friends visited the box 
 before the evening was passed, and from that 
 date both the young wives were the rage in 
 New York society. Yet through it all, not a 
 thought was given to the star upon the stage. 
 True womanhood had cast into irrevocable 
 shadow all the feminine baseness of the past 
 
 THE END. 
 
We we the 8de Pnblishen of i lie Wheeler WUcox*« Boofa 
 
 The Poetical and Prose Works of 
 
 ELLA WHEELER W/LCOX 
 
 Mrs. Wilcoz’s writing liaye been tbe Inspiration of many yonn^ 
 men and women. Her hopefnli practical, masterful views of life 
 give the reader new courage In the very reading and are a wholesome 
 spur to flagging effort. Words of truth so vital that they live In the 
 reader’s memory and cause him to thinlc— to his ovrn betterment and 
 the lasting improvement of his own work in the vroild, in whatever 
 line it Hes->fiow from this talented woman’s pen. 
 
 MAURINE 
 
 is a love story told in exauisite verse. **An Ideal poem about 
 as true and lovable a woman as ever poet created. It has 
 repeatedly been compared with Owen Meredith s LuciU. In 
 point of human interest it excels that noted story. ^ 
 
 “Maurine ” is issued in an edition de luxe, where the more 
 Important incidents of the story are portrayed by means of 
 photographic studies from life. 
 
 Presentation Edition, 12mo. olive green cloth ...$1.00 
 
 De Luxe Edition, white vellum, gold top.. J-fg 
 
 New Illustrated Edition, extra cloth, gold top........ .... 1.^ 
 
 De Luxe New Ulustrated Edition, white vellum, gold top, 2.00 
 
 POEMS OF POWER. 
 
 New and revised edition. This beautiful volume contains 
 more than one hundred new foems, displaying this pop^ular poet s 
 well-known taste, cultivation, and originality. The author 
 says: “The final word in the title of the volume refers to the 
 Divine power in every human being, the recognition of which 
 is the secret of all success and happiness. It is this idea which 
 many of the verses endeavor to inculcate and to illustrate. 
 
 ‘‘^The lines of Mrs. Wilcox show both sweetness and 
 strength.**— Chicago American. “Ella Wheeler Wi cox has a 
 strong grip upon ihe affections of thousands all over the 
 world Her productions are read to-day just as eagerly as 
 they were when her fame was new. no other divinity having 
 yet risen to take her i>\sice.*’— Chicago /Record-Herald. 
 
 Presentation Edition, 12mo. dark blue cloth ^J’99 
 
 De Luxe EUiition. white vellum, gold top a. 50 
 
 THREE WOMEN. A STORY IN VERSE. 
 
 "Three Women is the best thing I have ever done.*'—£Ua 
 Wheeler Wilcox. • 
 
 This marvelous dramatic poem will compel instant praise 
 because it touches every note in the scale of human emotioi^ 
 It is intensely interesting, and will be read with sincere relish 
 and admiration. 
 
 Presentation Edition. 12mo, light red cloth 
 
 Dc Luxe Edition, white vellum, gold top l.W# 
 
J>6ems of pleasure. 
 
 Many of the best poetic creations of Ella Wheeler Wilcot 
 are to be found in this charming collection. Besides many 
 admirable specimens of romantic verse, there are several 
 
 {)oems of rare beauty, dealing with every-day topics. Every 
 ine of these poems pulsates with life and throbs with emotion. 
 
 *‘Mrs. Wilcox is an artist with a touch that reminds one 
 of Byron’s impassionate strains. ’’—-Parw Register, 
 
 “Everything that she writes has the mark of her unique, 
 powerful personality impressed upon it, and this volume will 
 not be a disappointment to those acquainted with her.’’— -Am 
 York Press. 
 
 “The book is replete with good things and, though a book 
 of fewer than two hundred pages, it is worth whole reams of 
 the sentimentalism flourishing under the misnomer of liter- 
 ature.’’— Bookseller. 
 
 “Mrs. Wilcox takes her raptures with a full heart, revel 
 ing in blisses and draining sorrows deeply; not morbidly but 
 hopefully. Skeptic as she is of all formal creeds, she does 
 not become cynical or pessimistic, but makes a glad religion 
 out of evolution and human fellowship.’’— York Daily 
 News. 
 
 Presentation Edition, 12mo, maroon cloth Sl OO 
 
 De Luxe Edition, white vellum, gold top 1.60 
 
 POEMS OF PflSSION. 
 
 Ella Wheeler Wilcox is known as the greatest living poet 
 of passion. To her the human heart seems to have revealed 
 its mysteries, for she has the power to picture love in all its 
 moods and variations as no other has done since Byron. 
 
 “Only a woman of genius could produce such a remark- 
 able ViOx)n.*' '^Illustrated London News. 
 
 Beside many others, there are some fifty poems which 
 treat entirely of that emotion which has been denominated 
 “the grand passion”— love. Among the most popular poems 
 in the book are Delilah. Ad Finem. Conversion, and Communism. 
 These vibrant poems have attained a reputation that is above 
 and beyond criticism. 
 
 “Her name is a household word. Her great power lies in 
 depicting human emotions; and in handling that grandest of 
 ali passions— love, she wields the pen of a I* -^Saturday 
 
 Record. 
 
 Many thousands of the book have been issued in the plain 
 edition. The author’s numerous admirers called for a de luxe 
 impression, and in the New Illustrated Edition the demand 
 is met by a 
 
 BEAUT/FULL V AND CHARMIN6L V EMBELLISHED EDITION 
 
 certain to satisfy the most fastidious taste. In its new form, 
 the book is sure to find additional favor. 
 
 Presentation Edition, 12mo, blue cloth ,..$1.0G 
 
 De Luxe Edition, white vellum, gold top 1.60 
 
 New Illustrated Edition, extra cloth gold top 1-50 
 
 Da Luxe New Illustrated Edition, white vellum, gold top, 2.00 
 
EVERY-DAY THOUGHTS-In Prose 
 and Verse. 
 
 Her latest largest and greatest prose work. This brilliant 
 work consists of a series of forcefut logical and fascinating 
 “talks" to every member of the household, in which the 
 author fearlessly, but with delicacy, discusses every-day sub- 
 jects, and directs attention to those evils which menace the 
 peace and safety of the home. "£vtrt/-dau Thoughts’' is not a 
 mere book of advice, neither does it attempt to preach, but it 
 contains more good counsel and wholesome moral lessons 
 than are to be found in the average sermon. , 
 
 'These thoughts, lofty and uplifting, are stated with vinh 
 ity. both in prose and verse. The noble sentiments expressed 
 in this volume will widen the circle of her admirers."— 
 tcr Times. , 
 
 ‘Tew people are so good as not to be mode better by a stu- 
 dious perusalof this useful and Interesting book* which is. in 
 brief, a short and vigorous dissertation on rnorul conduct and the 
 springs of right living. Mrs. Wilcox’s latest publication is a 
 worthy addition to the best works of moral philosophy and her 
 treatise deserves wide readir>g ." — New York Daily News. 
 
 Presentation Edition. 12mo. gray cloth gold top $1.50 
 
 De Luxe Edition, white vellum, gold top 2.00 
 
 KINGDOM OF LOVE, AND OTHER POEMS. 
 
 A magn/fictrrt collect ha of poems suitable for reettatioos aadread- 
 logs, true to the very best there is la humaa aature. 
 
 In the preface to this collection, the author says; "I am 
 constantly urged by readers and impersonators to furnish 
 them with verses for recitation. In response to this ever- 
 increasing demand. I haVe selected for this volume the poems 
 which seem suitable for such a purpose. In making my col- 
 lectioD of them I have been obliged to use, not those which 
 are among my best efforts in a literary or artistic sense, but 
 those which contain the best dramatic possibilities for profes- 
 
 "Her fame has reached all parts of the world, and her pop- 
 ularity seems to grow with each succeeding year ." — American 
 Bookseller. 
 
 Presentation Edition, dark red cloth $1.00 
 
 De Luxe Edition, white vellum, gold top L50 
 
 AN AMBITIOUS MAN— Prose. 
 
 A realistic novel of the modern school of fiction. Although 
 the plot borders on the sensational, the motive of the story is 
 a good one. It teaches that hereditary tendencies <^n 
 overcome; that one can conquer passion and impulse by the 
 use of the divine inheritance of Will, and compel public re- 
 spect by lofty ideals; in other words, that one may rise on the 
 ‘stepping stones of a dead self to higher things.” Mrs. Wilcox 
 is a successful novel-writer as well as a poet, and this ^ story is 
 another evidence of her wide range of thought. ‘In *An 
 Ambitious Man’ the central figure is a woman, w ho ^comes 
 chastened through suffering and purified through sin-" 
 
 "Vivid realism stands forth from every page of this tasct- 
 nating and interesting book."— Day. 
 
 Presentation Edition, green silk cloth 
 
 $LQ0 
 
An erring WOMAN’S love: 
 
 There is always a fascination in Mrs. Wilcox’s verse, but 
 in these beautiful examples of her genius she shows a wonder- 
 ful knowledge of the human heart. 
 
 **Ella Wheeler Wilcox has impressed many thousands of 
 people with the extreme beauty of her philosophy and the 
 exceeding usefulness of her point of Boston Globe. 
 
 “Mrs. Wilcox stands at the head of feminine writers, and 
 her verses and essays are more widely copied and read than 
 those of ^any other American literary woman.”— York 
 World, ‘Power and pathos characterize this magnificent 
 poem. A deep understanding of life and an intense sympathy 
 are beautifully expressed.’’— Tribune. 
 
 Presentation Edition, 12mo, light brown cloth.... $1.00 
 
 De Luxe Edition, white vellum, gold top 1.60 
 
 MEN, WOMEN AND EMOTIONS. 
 
 A skilful analysis of social habits, customs and follies A 
 common-sense view of life from its varied standpoints.... full 
 of sage advice. 
 
 “These essays tend to meet difficulties that arise in almost 
 
 every life Full of sound and helpful admonition, and Is 
 
 sure to assist in smoothing the rough ways of life wherever it 
 be read and heeded."— Pittsburg Times, 
 
 12mo, heavy enameled paper... $0.50 
 
 Presentation Edition, «wrk brown cloth 1.00 
 
 THE BEAUTIFUL LAND OF NOD. 
 
 A collection of poems, songs, stories, and allegories dealing 
 with child life. The work is profusely illustrated with daintr 
 line-engravings and photographs from life. 
 
 The delight of the nursery; the foremost baby’s book In 
 the world.” — N. O. Picayune. 
 
 Quarto, sage green cloth $1.00 
 
 AROUND THE YEAR WITH 
 ELLA WHEELER WILCOX 
 
 A Birthday Book Compiled from the 
 Poetical and Prose Writings of 
 Ella Wheeler Wilcox 
 
 The many admirers of Mrs. Wilcox will welcome this vol- 
 ume with genuine enthusiasm. It epitomizes her inspiring 
 optimistic philosophy with an apposite .Quotation for every 
 day in the circling year. 
 
 The book is a small Quarto in size, beautifully printed on 
 excellent paper with red-line borders, and handsomely bound 
 in cloth, with exQuisite half-tone illustrations prefacing each 
 month, and with author’s portrait 
 
 Presentation Edition, olive green cloth $1.00 
 
 De Luxe Edition, white vellum, gold top 1.60 
 
 Autograph Edition, full leather, gold top 2.00 
 
 W. 6. CONKEY COMPANY, Hammond, Ind.