Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-12-28

the white and lovely face beneath, then
her snowy arms and breast. the whiteness
of her robes and throne and the hideous
demon head whereon it was fixed. No
spirit could have seemed moro beautiful
than this woman set thus on her dizzy
throne in that dark place Of blood and
fear. Indeed in the unearthly light she
looked like n spirit, the angel Of beauty
triumphing over the hideousness Of hell,
the angel of light trnmpling the devil and
his works. 1t was not wonderful that this
fierce and barbarous people sighed like
reeds before the wind when her loyeliness
dawned upon them, made ethereal by the
moon, or that thenceforth Leonard could
never think of her quite as no thought of
any other woman. Under such conditions
most well favored girls would have ap-
peared beautiful. Juanna did more; she
seemed divine.
As the light grew downward and the
shadows thinned before IL Leonard fol
lowed with his eyes and presently discov-
cred Otter. The dwarf, naked except for
his girdle and the fringe upon his head,
was also onthroned, holding tho ivory
sceptcr in his hand, but in n scat of
ebony placed upon the knees Of the colos-
sus, nearly 10 feet below Juanna. Then
Leonard turned to consider Francisco po-
sition and his own and found IL terrible
covered it was nigh to being his last, for
in company with two priests of the snake
they were standing on tho palm of the
right hand of the idol, that formed lit
tie square, which they had won in the
darkness through n tunnel hewn in the
arm of stone. There they stood unprotect-
ed by any railing or support. and before
them and behind them was n sheer drop
of some 90 feet to tho water beneath or to
the rock of the platform.
Leonard saw and for n moment turned
faint and dizzy; then, dropping the butt
of his rifle on the stone, he leaned upon
the barrel till his brain cleared. 1t was
well for him that he had not known what
lay beneath when but now he thrust his
foot into vacancy, for then his senses
might have failed him. Suddenly he re-
membered Francisco and opened his eyes
which he had closed to shut out the yawn-
ing gulf beneath him. 1t was not too soon.
The priest had seen also and conscious
ness had deserted him. Even Us Leonard
turned his knees gave way, and he sank
forward and downward. Quick rs thought
Leonard stretched out his right hand and
caught Francisco by the robe he wore;
then, resting Ibis weight upon the rife, he
strained ut the priests falling body with
all his force in such a manner that its di-
rection was turned, and It fell sideways
upon the platform, not downward into
space. Leonard dragged ut him again and
thrust him into the mouth of the little
tunnel through which they had reached
this dreadful eInincncc where he lay quiet
and safe lost in "A blessed insensibility.
All this took place in a few seconds
The two priests offthe snake. who stood by
them as calmly rs though theiE feet were
still on tho solid earth, saw it, but made
no movement. Only Leonard thought
that they smiled .grpnly, and n horrible
fear struck his hedrt like n breath of ice.
What IL they waitnd signal to cast him
DOWN. 1t might wdl be so. Already he
had seen enough of their rites to enable
him TO guess that theirs was a religion of
blood and hcman sacrifice. He shivcrcd
and again tsIrned faint. so faint indeed
that he did not dare to keep his feet, but
sank into sitting posture, resting his
back against the stone of the idol thumb
A Desperate Maniac.
He was passing the asylum, meditat-
ing deeply on his own affairs, when he
saw the wild eyed. bloodthirsty looking
maniac dish through the gates into the
road. Hr turned instantly, and his
cruel eyes We're on the peaceablc way
farer, who. to his intense horror, saw
that the lunatic was making toward
him, perhaps with murder in his heart.
What was he to do?
To stand and cope with the powerful
strength of madness would be suicidal.
He had but one chance-a slim one
at the best-but he would try it. Act
ing at once upon the thought, he turn
ed and ran with the swftness of deer
down the road. But the mailman was
not to give up his promised prey so cas-.
lily and gave pursuit with such vigor
that he was soon within a few yards of
his victim, who, strive as he would,
could not increase the distance between
them.
In grim silence the chase continued,
the heavy breathing of the maniac
drawing closer and closer TO the alright.
ed ears of the poor wayfarer, who be.
gan to give himself up for lost. His
strength was fast giving out, and he
knew that his race was nearly run.
In imagination he could already feel
the deadly grip of the mailman about
his throat and see the exulting look in
the murderous eyes. Terror for mo-
ment lent new vigor to his feet, and he
sprang forward with 4 determination tc
battle his Eelentless pursuer in spite OF
! the near proximity of the heavy breath
ing, which he could now feel upon the
nape of his neck, but unfortunately hi:
foot at that instant struck stump, ant
he plunged forward upon his face with
cry of horror.
He knew that his last moment haC
come, and he offered up silent prayer
resigning himself to the fearful fate
from which he felt nothing now could
save him.
In moment the maniac was upor
him. 4 wild, demoniacal yell of louC
laughter echoed in his cars, and he fel
himself suddenly struck upon tho shout
J ders. AT the same time n voice screech
ed out in apparent glee:
Tag You're it, - New Yorl
World.
He Had Been There.
''Sirw called n lady passenger on
Baker street car as she signaled the con
ductor to stop, didn't / tell you
wanted TO get out at Seventh street,
Yves M, remember that you did,