The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-10-24
THE WINDOW OF
TONATHIU
By SCOTT IRVING urcHrrELp
(copyrIsht, by shortstory pdb. co.)

Every traveller who has penetrated
the interior of Mexico to that stony
region, the "pedregal' of Queretaro,
has seen. at a distance at least, that
huge cliff which runs from north to
south and rises abruptly from the
level plain to sheer height Of nearly
500 feet. and IL OF an adventur.
GUS disposition, has even attempted
the hazardous and almost impossible
task of climbing to collection of
archaic ruins perched on a wide shelf
within a few yards OF the summit. II
he has had the rare fortune of gaining
that nearly inaccessible place he has
stood upon a spot from which few
human beings ever departed alive.
On the morning OF Monday, May
2s, 1900, James Mason left the camp
from which, the previous noon, he had
studied the distant cliff, attracted by
brilliant flash OF light, which crept
slowly down the face Of the precipice
and suddenly disappeared He was
accompanied by Mara, an Indian,
whom he had succored In dying con
dltion in lava desert When, at ten
| o'clock, they reached the base Of the
cliff, they separated, Mason choosing
a direct ascent toward the most prom
ihent Of the ruined structures, while
the native sought an easier route
promising less fatigue to his weak
ened system, not yet restored to nor
NAL health. |.iH
Mason though a practiced climber,
found the cliff the stiifest bit of seal
ing he had ever attempted. The wall
was OF hard greenish.black basah,
and even the edges Of the assures,
which gave precarious hold, we're Of
glossy smoothness. More than once
his heart stood still as his fingers
slipped in particularly dangerous
places But by the aid Of tough
grasses and cacti growing in the
crevices he worked his way upward
till but so feet above him projected
the ledge which had formed his objec.
tive point. Hanging on by fingers and
toes, flattening his body to the wall
and struggling upward foot by foot,
he at last clambered over the edge Of
the projection. II proved to be a bar
rem little spot, nearly circular in shape
and but few feet In diameter. and
thickly carpeted by a fine gray dust.
AS Mason paused TO take breath be-
fore lifting himself over the low rocky
parapet surrounding this bed of dust,
he noticed that the color of the cliff
had abruptly changed to dull gray,
and where he rubbed against 1t 1t
crumbled TO powder Losing no time,
he pulled himself into secure posi-.
ton, perceiving that his upward Jour
ney was ended. in that direction at
! least, for the wall above was absolute.
ly perpendicular, and a portion of a
ruined temple overhung his resting
place.
The fine gray powder rose in clouds,
irritating his eyes and nostrils, as he
I essayed to traverse the narrow ledge
to seek an egress, hut at almost the
first step ills foot slipped into crack
concealed by the deep dust, and he
fell, with a sprained ankle pinned into
the crevice so that the least move.
ment not only caused the keenest
agony but bound the imprisoned foot
more securely
Frantic shouts to Mara brought only
mocking echoes from the cliff, and at
last the explorer lay exhausted and
silent on his dusty bed staring help
lessly upward into the intensely blue
and cloudless sky, feverishly wonder.
ing how long 1t would be before help
came from the Indian, or his comrades
in the distant camp became alarmed
He remembered some strange looks
and gestures of the native when at
tention was first called to the ruins
and his heart sank with a vague
5read.
His gaze wandered over the face
of the cliff above and the overhangine
roof of the temple, on a portion OF
whose ancient floor he now knew
himself to be lying. The roof was
far above him, and was of circular
form, composed of huge blocks, sur
rounding a central disc of crysta
clearness, smaller than its fellows. II
was about four feet in diameter. con
vex, and perfectly transparent. A
small bird, flying above, was magni
fed to enormous proportions.
AS he lay studying this curiou,
mosaic, the sun, in It's upward course
touched with a shaft of light the outer
edge of the great lens, and followinl
the golden beam with his eyes, Masor
saw a wonderful sight. When the
ray was cast on the ashy graynesi
Of the cliff. an elliptical blotch of in
tense light sprang up beneath III
touch, and the crumbling wall SLOWLY
took on a dull red glow, such as on,
gees in a dying ember. As the SUI
approached the zenith the splash O
light with its accompanying glow O
heat crept gradually downward anC
assumed more exactly circular
shape, decreasing in size. The blind
ing spot slowly descended the wall
( leaving a smoking wake behind II
Il As Mason watched, lizard ran from
its hiding place and, crossing th'
scorching pathway, curled and smoked
and fell to the mans side, a britt,
clnder!
With a hot but freezing flush O