The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-10-02

| cate the treasure cave.
Gomez said l at last, breaking the
silence. I'VE will have a nearer look
at these gentry"
| 1T seems like the temple Of van
ished race" breathed my lady softly.
staring about her in growing wonder.
AYE, and Of vanished God"
said. extending my hand
There was something weird and eerte
about the plateau, and we felt better
for the touch Of each others hand. at
least did l always felt happier
when touched her little hand, but In
this instance the feeling was some
| what different In certain sense 1t
seemed like proclamation for us to be
| there, yet we went on steadily, If slow
ly. We passed by the colonnade OF
| statues around the inner platform and
deliberately mounted the stairs.
Something, l know not what, made
| me bid my mistress pause before we
reached the top, and l looked to my
| pistol and loosened my sword IN It's
| sheath as did so, although why did
| so and what anticipated l cannot say
At any rate, mounted to the top
| alone There before me lay platform
| which was sunk beneath me for q
depth Of two feet and which was sur
| rounded by low wall, on the top OF
| which stood. The three images rose
from a smaller platform on level
with the top Of this wall in the midst.
and the whole place was filled with q
| horrible and frightful mass of human
bones Skulls, legs, thighs and small
err bones, heaped in terrible confusion,
| lay bleaching before me, and the space
| between them was filled with fine
dust, doubtless the dust of earlier
bones which had mouldered away
through centuries. Those that still
preserved their shape were the top
layer and were bleached perfectly
white They lay in all directions, as
! II they had been cast aside carelessly
and at random. yet there were 1ndica-
| tons that there had been path from
where l stood to the platform Of the
| three images, which l perceived was
| lust about long enough to lay human
| body on.
stared apprehensively, must con-
fess, at this frightful charnel house Of
| the centuries The only evidences Of
humanity we had discovered were
these frightful skeletons. would
have prevented it, but my mistress
suddenly came and stood by my side
Then | thought she would have faint
| ed as the full horror Of the scene burst
upon her.
"Men have been here" she faltered.
Horrible, cruel men,"
YES" said l, "but centuries ago.
Look, the bones are bleached white.
You have naught to fear"
| LET US leave this frightful place"
she said.
presently" l answered, but you
will remember the directions Of the
chart ! must stand upon that altar
and get my bearings. The treasure
cave should be in line with the statues
and nick or depression in the wall on
the farther side"
EYES," she replied, Il remember"
"Well. them" said, will you go
down to the platform out Of sight OF
this horrible place and wait for met"
| NO" she answered nervously.
Master Hampton. wherever you 60
must go. can never be left alone"
| l tried gently to dissuade her, but.
as usual. she would have her way, so
that at last gave in.
well. them" said l. "at least let me
80 before"
l stepped down into the great re-
ceptacle intending to clear the way
with my feet by kicking away the
| layer Of bones, and then, extending,
! my arm behind me with both her
hands caught in mine. she followed me
| down into the Enclosure. or course We
| had to walk upon the broken REM
nants Of humanity, but l thrust aside
| as we'll as | could the larger pieces
and skulls. and she. afterward
learned. followed with her eyes tightly
closed. trusting entirely to my guild
ance. Indeed. she chung to my hand
with all the nervous strength and DOW
er she possessed.
| So we finally reached the platform.
| lifted her up on it and followed N.Y.
self led my lady carefully around
the platform until we could stand at
the rear end by the side Of the line Of
statues and look across the island.
Sure enough, there was the nick or de-
| preston In the wall which Sir Philip
1ad mentioned, although the ''bigga
palmme tree" was gone or else lost
amid hundreds Of trees Ike it. Be-
meath it careful scrutiny showed z
rough pyramid Of stone leading up to
what seemed to be openings ip the cliff
wall.
So far every detail in the old buc-
cancers parchment was absolutely cor
rect I was certain now that the treas
ure was there and that we could find
It And a certain exultation filled me-
| At least we had not come upon FOOLS
errand. though what good the treasure
would do us did not stop to consider.
| I'VE have nothing more to do here,~