The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1902-02-06
q D. The D D
Lost Continent
By curcLIrrE HYNE.
~ y lsrywaBr Copyright isc,. " ssssiih 1yss;
CHAPTER v.
zAEMON's CURSE.

and massed itself In groups. The
mammoth was halted before the door
way. and when n stair had been
brought, the trumpcts sounded, and
we three who had ridden In the gold
en- half-castle under the canopy of
snakes, descended to the ground.
II was plain that we were going
from beneath the open sky to the
apartments which lay inside the vast
stone mazes OF the pyramid, and,
without thinking, the instinct OF GUS !
tom and reverence that had become !
part of my nature caused me to turn
to where the towering rocks OF the
Sacred Mountain frowned above the [
city. and make the usual obeisance,
and offer up in silence the prescribed
prayer.
She said to me: "Come," and, turn
trance, giving the secret word APP
pointed for the day. The pondcrous
stone blocks which barred the porch
swung back on their hinges, and with
stately tread she passed out OF the
hot sunshine into the cool gloom be-
yond, with the fan.girl following
decorously at her heels. too went
inside the pyramid, and the stone
| doors, with u sullcn thud, closed be-
hind us.
We did not go far just then. Pho
renice halted in the hall of waiting.
How well ! remembered the place.
with the pictures of kings on It's red
walls, and the burning fountain of
earth-breath which blazed from jet
of bronze In the middle Of the floor
ing and gave II light. The old
king that was gone had come this far
OF his complaisancc when he bade me
farewell as I set out twenty years be-
fore for my viceroyalty in Yucatan.
But the air OF the hall was different
to what IL had been In those old
days. Then IL was pure and sweet.
Now 1t was heavy with some scent.
and found II languid and oppressive.
81 am told you are n pretty fight
err" said she. "Well. hold some
small skill in arms myself, and have
n conceit thaS am something OF n
Judge. Tomorrow we will take n
taste of battle together. But to-day
I must carry through the honorable
reception / have planned for you.
Dcucnlion. The feast will be ready
soon, and you will wish to make
ready for the feast. There are cham
bers, here selected for your use, and
stored with what Is needful. llga
will show you their places"
We waited, the fan-girl and ], till
Phorcnice had passed out of the glow
of the llght-jct, and had LETT the hall
OF waiting through doorway among
the shadows OF It's further angle, and
then (the girl taking lamp and lead
ing) we also threaded our way
through the narrow mazes OF the pyr
amid.
Everywhere the air was full OF per
fumes, and everywhere the passages
turned and twisted and doubled
through the solid stone OF the pyra
mid, so that strangers might have
spent hours--ycs, or days-in searci
before they came to the chamber
they desired. There was n fine Gun
ningness about those forgotten build
ers who sat up this royal pyramid
They had no mind that -itings SHOULD
fall by the hand of vulgar assassin,
who might come In suddenly from
outside. And II Ii said also that tn,
king OF the time, to make doubl,
sure, killed all that had built the pyr
amid, or seen even the lay OF its innc
stones.
But the faa-girl led the way will
the lamp swinging In her hand, n
| II..a
she doubled, there she turned, AM
here she stopped in the middle of
blank wall to push n stone, whicl
: swung 10 let us pass. And once sh
pressed at the corner of n fagston
; on the floor, which reared up ut tn
. thrust OF her foot, and showed MS
. stair steep and narrow. That we de
sccnded, coming TO the foot OF an IN
) clncd way which led M upwar
again; aud so by degrees we cam
: unto the chamber which had bee
, given for my use.
: "rherc Is raiment In all these ches I
which stand by the walls" said tn
girl. "nnd jewels and gauds In tina
bronze Golfer. They are Phorenice'
first presents, she bid me say. and bu
), n small earnest of what Is to com'
; Ny Lord Dcucallon can drop his sin
plicity now, and fig himself out !
: iinery to suit the fashion,"
Y "Girl," said, sharply, S"be NOR
n decorous with your tongue, and spar
I me such small advice"
: "lf my Lord Deucallon thinks this
: rudeness, he can give u word to Phor'
nice, and I shall he whipped. ~ h
h asks Il, ! cLn be stripped IN
scourged before him. The empires
X will do much for Deucalion just now
:, "Girl," said, "you are nearer
= that whipping than you think for
y 81 have got a name" she retorte
looking at me sullcnly from und'
'e her black brows. "Thcy call n
!. Ylga. You might have heard that I
we rode here on the mammoth hn
you not been 80 wrapped NJ In Phor
4, NICE"
a. gazed Mt her curiously. "You ha'
es never seen me before" ! SAID, "ar
y the first words you utter are tho
y. that might well bring troubl, to you
rr self. There Is some object In q
g, this"
IN | Che .~a..x ...l Al.