Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-18

| ~ N.oooASu ihlilp ere ne noQ forgot
ten It in sleep. the night before.
| But now It's goblin rhythm was loud
! ana seemingly near ut hand: its dread
monotone was like the pulsing of tn,
heart OF a haunted world: it's throb-
otnS filled the valley. reverberating
from the hillsides that walled 1t in
with sinister thunderinBs
An hour later the moon topped the
rampant of the hills and lighted them
OH their blind. uncertain course.
Thanks to It's illumination, they were
able to find again the path from which
they had strayed in the blackness and
so presently a man running In witless
panic was thrown into their arms.
Promptly Selling him. they disarm-
| ed him OF q rifle. then turned his face
to the light and Identified him as one
of the Swamp -tdder's crew.
in response TO their demands, the
cuban painted out a hasty sketch OF
Ramons pursuit. OF his bargain with
the Noodoo woman. OF tho safe delivery
or the princess into his hands I'm
mediately after this. il appeared. the
witch had taken herself off. and Ha-
mon, satisfied that Philip and Juan
could never overtake them. had re-
sumed the journey into the interior.
Shortly after nightfall. when the
whole company was suffering acutelv
with hunger. they had encountered a
landed horns--a sacrincial soat, ac-
cording to the Cuban. dedicated to the
rites OF Noodoo. ignoring the Suide's
remonstrances. when his OFFER TO pur-
chase the animal for food was re-
jccted. Ramon had struck the negro
dead with the butt OF his rifle and
taken possession OF the goat. Some
time later haltins In a forest clear
ing TO Kill and cook the animal for
supper. the party had been surprised
by an Infatuated mob OF Noodoo wor-
shippers In the brief strusg!c which
followed, the guide had made his cs-
cape. But he had seen the Princess
Julia made captive by the negroes
and carried on 10 be a substitute for
the sacrifice which their dread god had
"A goat without horns" had been
the burden OF their shouts as they
dragged the girl away.
Such is the phrase by which huma n
sacrifice is termed among the dcvotces
OF Noodoo.
Abandoning the guide TO resume his
Night. Philip and Juan Numbered on
through the baftiinE obscurity OF the
jungle. guided to their goal only by
the nutterinG Of the Noodoo drum.
SO elusive was that sound that
chance alone can be credited With
bringing them 10 it's source. y dozen
times they went astray in tho maze
Of paths that threaded the jungle.
When they were on tho verge OF de-
SPAR. OF sudden they came out into
a wide glade more than half filled by
a great house Of thatch and wattics.
from within which came the rolling
Eroans OF the drum punctuated ever
and anon by ecric shrieks OF the frcn-
Hied worshpers.
There were no guards without tho
structure 10 hinder them. Circlins
round il. the two arrived ut a point
whence they could spy through a wide
entrance.
Though rooted against tho moonlish,
by tho flames of many torches.
Backs all to the entrance. rank upon
rank OF saunttlng negroes. mon and
women. faced a stone altar OF uncouth
design against tho farther wall. Be
| fore this altar was wide clear space
in which fire OF BLUSH flames was
| licking UP from basin OF stone Tc
one side squatted an aged negro. tn,
! priest of the drum. his hands playing
! necessarily over the taut surface OF
! that huge instrument.
Between the fro and the altar the
Noodoo woman of the lowlands, naked
10 tho waist, was performing a ccre-
monial dance. holding out before her
, in both hands at arms length, a grca,
sacrifical knife.
! A,hwart the altar lay the Princes.
Julia. bound and helpless. her head
hanging back over tho edge. her throa
4 iaut invitation 10 tho knife.
! With half dozen whispered words
TO Juan, Philip left him and ran &c
the back of the structure. pausing i'm
I mediately behind tho altar. There
| throwing himself upon his knees. hs
/ began 10 tear away the wattlcs of tho
/ wall.
Steadfast At his station. Juan waited
/ giving Philip every second OF time hs
dared.
AT length, however, he might hol,
his hand no longer. The dance was
ending amid n dcmoniac chorus o.
| shrieks and yclis. all dominated by tho
roaring of tho Noodoo drum. Comini
to dead standstill OF = sudden. tn,
pricstcss faced her audience. holding
the knife high above her head till I'll,
! tumult stillcd.
Then, turning, she advanced upon tn.
victim.
The knife was poised when Juan. the
rife at his shoulder pulled trigger
The Maxim silenccr muicd tho rcpor
20 slight cough. The priestcss sprunf
around like q top. one complete rcvolu
ton then fell backwards into the BASH
Of Are.
Screaming with terror excited by thi
death that fell like thunderbolt 70
swittness. yet unlike il in its awfu
silence. the worshipers sprang to thei
feet. AS they did so. Juan droppe,
three more-the drummer and tw'
others This completed the panic o
the rabblc. In "a thrice they wer
milling madly through the entrance
making the night heliish with thei
cries.
Lowering the rife and keeping with
in the shadow OF the jungle walls. Jual
ran round the structure and joine'
Philip.
The latter was at that momen
dra gEing the bound body or the prin
cess through the opening he had made
\ moment later she was unbound
and with the arms Of both men 70
support. was being hustled in will,
haste through the jungle.
Go BE Continued Next Sunday)
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