The Washington times., 1911-10-21

of the woods q long time," he interrupt
ed stubbornly. II could see she was onto
all the curves. She knows about 1t a
good deal better'n a stranger like you
can know. An she wasn't stringin' me.
neither"
How could I argue with the pig
headed fellow? Yet, strangely enough,
God, in all reverence, for Billy's silly
credulity concerning the fire-mountain's
on we went in the wake of voluble
little guide. to explore that uncanny.
This is no guide book. others. with
better literary training than q mere ex-
factory owner can boast. have described
acres (at touch Of a lighted match to
one spot on the ground) creep whitish,
pungent curls of smoke: OF the black
mudpool. where ever and again bubbles
lump so horribly like the head Of a man
slime that encompasses It.
To all this Billy grinned condescend-
msnIfestiy bored him. Coz could see "i that i
he did not consider It, as a spectacle,
equal IN many he had seen at Coney
Island. Also that he thoroughly be-
all a clever IL uninteresting bit OF hu.
man ingenuity.
was kneeling down, as near as I
dared, examining with repusnant fas.
did not note that the others. wearying
of the sight, had passed on around the
curve of the hill. ! looked UP presently
to find that Doris Todd alone had re-
mained to share with me the ghastly
Il wish Nine. de Tournon had not
spoken as she did of Vesuvius," she said
as l rose and stood beside her. And
believe her. OF course. you'll undeceive
him. but" -
"I have tried to- answered, but
I'm afraid it's no use. He says she
fers to believe her: and he always viii.
You see, Billy comes from a class that
are always on their guard against fakes
and are always suspicious Of anything
they can't understand. SO when an ex-
PLANTATION that struck him as plausible
was made to account for Vesuvious he
fell for it at once. What has become
Of all the others7 They seem to have
Let's walk on the entrance to the
gone in that direction. and II not they'll
have to come back there soon for
lunch.'
We reached the grotto to find we were
| ahead of our party.
Shall We 60 back and look for theri,"
was shs hsss sested t they Esss se%e
plore the ggrotto."
"I'd rather go there now than when"
She checked herself: but understood.
World wonder spoiled for her by Billy
Gregg's East Side comments.
She glanced timidly at me, as II fear
ful that ! had guessed her unspoken
"That suits me to perfection" I said.
I'VE can hire guides to take us through,
! suppose. Or, rather. te carry US Us
quite deep and the underground river
or grotto runs back into the mountain
for miles. with all sorts Of twists and
no time. The guides carry passengers
through on their backs. you know"
AS we waited three men who had
been lounging about the gloomy en-
trance came forward. bowling and wrig-
Cling. with servile eagerness-a villain
GUS looking, greasy, unwashed trio.
The signore wishes to go through
the styx!" said the foremost; We are
a soiled document to that effect. II can
carry the signore on my back. and my
two assistants will make chair Of their
arms for the signorina. Only six lire
posed river leading to the Inferno. Far
inside you will see the frescoes and
stairway Of Marcus Agrippa."
He rattle of his speech, with the
monotonous, glibness Of phonograph.
and In the barbarous Sicilian dialect so
difficult for even born Tuscan to un-
derstand.
I did not like the looks of the three.
and had queer rumors Of the ways of
the grotto guides. But there was not
| another soul in sight.
| had not the courage to back down
and suggest TO this fearless, tall Amer
lean girl at my side that we await the
arrival Of our party. And. after all, l
was an American and more than ordi-
| narily strong.
AT worst, l fancied I would be more
than a match for these three undersized
"oh, do let us go!'. begged Doris, in
English. It's a real adventure-being
carried off of under der a mountain by these
II really believe you're afraid" she
laughed In gay scorn.
That t settled s. it. nodded to S.a the Lead
back. on his broad shoulders. The
other two interlsced their arms and
Miss Todd seated herself in the chair
| thus formed.
My bearer lighted a torch and started
down the narrow, low-roofed cavern,
Todd.
The red glare lit up a long. tortuous
tunnel before us; a roof hewn out OF
rock and grimed by myriad smoky
torches. Beneath, the water rose above
the carriers knees.
The passage was in most places too
narrow for the men to walk abreast
and, as my guide bore the torch. the
others, at such times, dropped behind
The rhythmic splash! splash! splash
of the three pairs of legs through the
water reverberated to the low roof and
along the vista-like passage. Other
wise no sound penetrated the subter-
ranean cavern.
Isn't this delightful?" called Doris
her sweet voice re-echoing weirdly. II
feel as II I were Dante, visiting the
Underworld. Oh, Mr.. D'Auban, you've
no idea how funny you look. perched up
there on that little mans shoulders!'
No doubt I did look ridiculous But
nobody likes being told so. did not
4 deign to reply. and she did not speak
again.
So piqued was I at her innocent jes,
that no longer so much as turned my
j head in her direction. but henceforth
peersd sulkily forward into the dark
ness beyond the ring of torchlight.
Around corners and through arches
We plodded; now to right, now to left
following the devious turnings of the
| various sub-passages.
Ny sense OF direction was soon lost
So was my sense of enjoyment. 1t was
motonous-this sitting on the back OF
a little Sicilian. and looking forward
at nothingness, while a pretty cir
laughed at me!
| npa Sharp turn 10 fha RIGHT undar