Wichita eagle., 1888-04-24

sThat arm moved" he said; Sno doubt
about that heard its swoop through the
air. and saw it culver after it resumed its
usual position If 1 had remained on the
PEDESTAL the blow would have smashed my
head"
He gave start Of establishment and ap-
preached the pedestal
The place where he had been sitting was
followed out in the granite, leaving just
room for man to sit comfortably.
@Aha!" he calculated, Il have an idea
That arm did not move without human aid
There is somebody inside of the statue!
He gave a low whistle, and one Of the pick
cts responded by coming to him
didn't you tell me-" asked the captain,
@about finding something that looked Ike
tunnel over there in the ravine"
YES, captain" was the reply, when was
out scouting yesterday found the mouth OF
long cave or tunnel leading in the direction
of cur camp. I was afraid to explore 1t, and
had other work"
go and wake up half dozen men, ordered
the captain, @and proceed at once TO the
mouth Of that tunnel. II any living thing
comes out, capture it or kill it"
The marine departed TO carry out his In
structions. and the captain remained at his
post. He kept his eyes upon the statue. but
nothing occurred to attract his attention
The sun was Just peeping over the hills
when the marines who had been sent 70 guard
the tunnel returned They brought with
them a prisoner. a little dwarf whose savage
countenance glared upon his captors with
fiendish malgnity.
Il will talk TO him." said the captain, after
he had been informed that the prisoner had
been caught as he emerged from the tunnel.
Il know the lingo Of most OF the South Sea
Islanders. and perhaps I can make him under
stand me-"
The dwarf was not inclined to talk, but
when one Of the marines prodded him with
bayonet he spoke out.
he was a priest, he said For ages and
ages the holy men Of his line had been accus-
toned 10 spend their nights IN prayer inside
OF their big brazen god. Only the priests
knew that il was hollow, and they alone
knew that the tunnel led TO it. The super
stitious fear of the natives Kept them away
from the locality, and it was only on sacrl-
fetal occasions that they visited the statue.
Then the victims were bound hand and foot
and placed in the seat prepared for them on
the pedestal The priest inside would work
the machinery, and the monstrous arm would
descend with resistless force, crushing the
skull Of the unfortunate, and hurting him
down TO the sands below.
The misshapen wretch grinned as he made
these revelations.
But why did you kill my men," asked
Brace, sand why did you try 10 kill meg
The priest showed his teeth, fled down to a
ind Of lr1s-
trous backing.
"They were strangers, and they sat in the
sacrificial seat. Was not this enough' saw
them through the open mouth of Katako,
and pulled the lever, and Katakos heavy
arm fell and crushed his enemies ike 50 many
flies"
Kill him!" shouted marine, skill the
black DEVIL"
Il am the last of the holy priesthood" said
the dwarf calmly IF my time has come, it
IS well This was once a mighty lamb but
the ocean has nearly swallowed it up. White
men have profaned our soil and touched
Katako with their unholy hands 1t is time
for me to die"
He folded his arms and relapsed into gloomy
silence.
1t was Braces intention TO have the savage
shot, but while the matter was under discus
sion the prisoner with quick movement
drew small dagger from his mantle and
stabbed himself TO the heart
The body was thrown into the sea, and all
hands went to work with a viii to get the
Vengeance ready for her departure.
Before the ship left the haroor twelve
FOUNDER was aimed at the statue. A light
puff of smoke, tremendous clatser OF old
iron and brass, and the great statue Of ka-
tako ratified down on the sands in q thousand
fragments!-W Wallace z. Reed in Atlanta
Constitution.