Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-04-20

derful things he could make for us. For
me one good AK or knife of his wondrous
new metal that he calls iron is worth
all this great pile"
There was strong fascination in the
hoard to Eric. He felt sort of misery
greed creep over him as his eyes roved
over the mass; the old vases full of gold
dust, strangely shaped utensils and fur
niture, meaningless trappings of all
sorts, shapes and sizes aroused his anti
quarian interest and his cupidity at the
same time, for there were fortunes in
single objects lying there upon the tiled
pavement; relics of the prehistoric past
that nations would vie with one another
to secure-not for their intrinsic value
alone, but for their chronological interest.
A great golden calendar, a circular
disk, with strange obsolete characters
all over its surface, lay against the wall.
What prize for museuml And he
noticed several figures of animals. well
modelled in gold, and among them stood
regal elephant with greatly curved
tusks He looked sharply at it, and as
he stared he realized that it was model
i'll miniature of the extinct mammoth!
There are pictures Of them in the
sacred books" said Jan-ila when Eric
had pointed ont this wonder, "for Ihave
seen them often. The pictures show
men spearipg them and being trampled
under feet by these same monsters"
They lost no more time, but started at
once for the chamber under the temple.
for Eric remem bered well the way now,
and they reached it in few minutes,
Noiselessly they entered it, and the two
priests reverently for both had been
there before on solemn occasions. This
room held the ark of the Atzlan faith,
Quetzalcoatl S vessel, and it was sacred
apartment, into which none but priests
ever ventured. Listah extinguished the
candle as soon as they were fairly in the
cellarlike chamber. A few narrow shafts
of light shot through the crevices, but
they could see that the light was dim
and that darkness was rapidly approach
ing. They heard footsteps upon the
light flooring above but they ceased a
moment later.
They waited full hour in deep ST.
lence and almost complete darkness;
then Eric reached out and touching
Jan-ila upon the shoulder drew him
close and whispered:
You go up the ladder and lift the
trapdoor silently and carefully. If no
one is in sight. slip out into the room
and then outdoors to find lklapel If
lie is there, call him softly and tell him
we are here, ready to act Be very
careful, my boy, and don't get nervous"
Without answering Jan-ila quickly
mounted the ladder, and after mo-
ments pause cautiously and almost i'm
perceptibly opened the trapdoor. They
saw him disappear through it, and it
was closed softly.
An hour elapsed, and then Eric went
up, and lifting the trapdoor peered ont.
A dark form, and one which he did not
recognize, sat in the doorway motion
less. Its back was toward him. He
raised the door higher; he could see no
body i'll the room. While he stood there
wondering, looking upward he saw the
opening III the floor above fill up with a
dark object, and he quickly closed the
trapdoor and held his head close under it
to listen. Not a sound reached him. but
after long interval he felt the door
move. lie drew away from it and de-
scended the ladder. A pair of legs ap-
peared, and then the form of Jan-ila.
who closed the door after him. He had
caused no more noise than serpent in
all this time. Grasping Erics hand he
whispered
"lklapel was upon the roof, and went
to him; could have escaped down the
outside pathway, but | wished to return
to you, for you will need me. Aza the
Sleepy One guards Iklapel; Kulcan is
confined in Chalpa's house, and Iklapel
fears that they will prevail upon him to
side with Chalpa after all. The people
are greatly excited and ready for almost
anything. kulcan's attitude will infu-
ence very many, and | think it well to
inform him Of your safety. A2a could
be influenced, believe, to come over to
ns and carry word to Kulcan, for he
kulcan-will never weaken if he knows
you are alive. What thinks NV wise
Eric pondered awhile; he knew Kul-
cans weakness and shared Iklapers
fear, yet he dared not depend upon Aza,
a tool of Chalpa's, and one who might
betray them. He knew that the ele-
ment of surprise would be the greatest
factor i'll the next days work, and he
desired most of all that Chalpa should
remain in ignorance Of his escape until
the last moment Many plans came
to him. At first the thought of send
ing Listah or Jan-ila to Chalpa under
preteuse of submission came into his
mind, but he feared to lose the services
of either in this crisis. Other plans as
weak presented themselves, We're dis
missed, and then he thought of Leila.
lie rapidly scanned his chances of get
ting to her. Jan-ila informed him that
she WAS in charge of several old women.
the chief among them being old Bari,
Listah's wife, and by her help he fan.
cicd he could q n access to his be.
trothed. The ! AN perfected, the next
thing was to act.
After unfolding his scheme to the 9th.
ers he exchanged garments with Jon-ila