Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-07
CHAPTER XVI lContinued)

@r,r oueen or not, Una was READY 10 pm
r. her faith to this strange being VINO ",t
accosted them in so unexpected .',o.;or
was useless even to attempt an eNp'Ana.. ~
=, NOW an aged Indian woman, answering w
~ name NJ Narva inhabting cave III tuo
remote Andes, could talk Enghsn, anu ~"
happened that she appeared TO Know 'no ~.
n party of distressed foreiehers-"S e. ,one
had certainly never met pefore s
.he refused to expiain-and refuse sne
certainly did.--all this would nave 70 le -,
the puzzle that 1t was. but ioke", " so
dangerous or not. Narva seemed 10 oo
thing very like their last nope. nel %,
;ng although decidedly reserved, was no'
,,n,,,rdlv-was even friendly--and 30 cna
determined to follow her without tur,her us
cussion. The others scarcely shareo neg III
hdence Mrs. Quayle stuck 10 II 'h',' ish.sr
was dangerous. probably ~nGh T,N,,
,as stIl in doubt as to her sanity rHahy'
Miranda put the point-blank dues''o"
"Why must we go. with her!
"Smply because we have no one else 10 go
With, no other plan" was Cnas prompt
reply. ,,,s They were
onderinu without guide or clue or any
,;nn ,hrouab a cave filed with mysteries
nnd dangers. ON the trail behind them were
tuo hands of natives, ABSORBED III tue oeeu
nation Of cutting each others tnroa.s f,o
-, ~ these bands II was certain tney hao
r,,,ch 70 fear In front of them was con-
iaorah,e body of cavemen, not AT present
engaged in war. 1t Is true put VINO m,kh, ,
for all they knew. prove untriehoiy, WITCH
ar queen. Narva volunteered TO suide them
somewhere
cat least we must know where she IN
A.. ,aka ,,s :, declared leighton.
"I ,aTe YOU from these said Narva, point
inc In the direction OF the villagers.
.ryybv should we go from themT' asked
Leighton.
.srhev kill YOU" was the laconic reply. ~.
what bloodthirsty people they All arc
exclaimed Andrew. -.
an, Narva's calm statement Of what was
90 he expected proved decisive. Tnere re,
mained the doubt as to her sincerity;
Ths t,morous Mrs. Quayle scented dia-
,o,ical Moi In the whole affair, and her fears
,,ara shared by some or the others' oils
INA would brook no delay ,--
..We want to get out OF the cave she
said addressing Narva, we nave iost the
way-you will guide US 80. .
"Something you do hrst' retorted NarNa
.then YOU 60 free. La,
Ths suggestion that they were still in,
.nse prisoners, and that some kind OF serv-
;oa was expected of them before, tney couid
ragain their freedom, was not pleasant
WySa, was II that they could do fors singu-
nsrsop as this. who gave the impression
-, ha wing planned to meet them IN this very
snot9 Narva took witch's privilege TO
sneak In riddles. No amount OF questioning
could get her to explain WHAT ,sHe mean.
Low me"-and as she pointed to the valley
,nnaneyer she said this. they gathered that
- a,rection they were expected to take was
.no,.,c.llv WY that which they had been. pursu-
Yer since they left the Condor Gate
as his would inevitably bring them among
~ yiIlagers-who. they had Just been told,
.,'sr. Viz nrenared to kill them'-ther could not
nnderstand Narva's plan at all Ihere be-
s.a M choice left them, however, they yielded
and went with her
am" Th. nath leading into the valley was abb
Mt aud dangerous. Narva, striding ahead.
..na unInneded by obstacles that left the
.Ssrs hreathiess and panic-stricken They
.,antsd 10 turn back before they had gone
''sr,,' ,ar-but this would have been quite as
d,acult 10 accomplish as TO go on.
At This point, apparently, the geological
struction of the cave had undergone some
sIaI changes Commissions, undoubtedly
20 ,oIcanic origin, had rent the solid walls of
mite in two, leaving Irregular chasms, OF
snnoar,ain depth, to be traversed before the
..,ooth noor OF the valley could be reached.
,'os. chasms where their width demanded
!, we're spanned by swaying bridges OF rope
iiana-and wood that proved a sore
| 10, to the weaker members OF the party
a.iayins their progress to an extent that SER
sN,siv strained NarVas patience The old
| Inaian was especially put out by Mrs. Quayle
,yhonn she CONTEMPORARY called baby" anf
| whose pathetic .helplessnsss astride a planl
! over . yawning cavern aroused In her tn,