Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1918-06-07
The Curse:
of Quetzal:
BY J. v. ciEsY q ]. B. SMITH
Authors OF Semi-Dual Stories
Copyright.
The Frank A. Munsey Co.
CHAPTER I.
At the Grand Canon.


Grand Canon Hotel that ! first met
Laredo, Evelyn and Dayton. ! re-
member that 1t was tenthirty by my
watch, which had just consulted at
my wifes request; and she had gone
up to our suite. Dual also had decid
ed on going up. and ! was the only
member of our party who did not feel
like turning in.
Z Some OF my old habits of the days
when / was a newspaper reporter still
chung to me, and made me always
hate to hunt my bed before midnight.
Dual offered to see Connie to our
suite, and l strolled into the billiard
room to watch a game, II there hap
pened to be good one In progress.
/ always loved billiards and pool.
But there was little doing. A couple
OF college boys were waging a noisy
contest in one end of the place, with
a great deal of boasting and acclaim
when one of them CHANGED to pocket
a ball. The rest of the room was emp
ty save for myself and three persons
"a woman and two men.
1t was the woman who at first at.
tracted my attention. She was q
beauty of the pure Saxon-Norman
type, If you know what ! mean. She
was blonde, with straight, regular
features, a pink-and-whitesk which
looked firm, wildly red lips, blue eyes
and actually golden hair. In. height
she was about five feet four; and just
as came in she was bending over the
table to execute shot. so that her
1.-the figure was thrown into strik-
ingly allnring outline by her posture.
AS ! took seat not too close for a
tactful inspection, she made sue
cessful essay on her ball, and straight
ened up with smile, dropping her
cue to the floor with little thud or
the butt.
"Bravo!" exclaimed one of the
men. "Senor Dayton, We must look
to our laurels or we lose them. Be-
hold a still further argument In favor
M<votes for women, is it not? That
w1 a truly masculine shot"
1she girl laughed. How you men
Myays compare everything to the
masculine standard" she retorted
"Your shot, Spencer, think"
The third member of the party
squinted at the cue ball. "Sewed me
up, what?" he remarked in deep bass
He was a brown-haired chap, with
eyes of the same color, and ruddy.
British skin, good chin and firm
Tipped but pleasant mouth. Plainly.
the girl and the one she addressed as
Spencer were English. The other
to place.
He was swarthy. slender. supple,
yet with a good breadth of shoulder
and a thinness of flank almost sug-
costing an Indian type.
AS to face, his was an elongated
oval, high in the cheek bones. with
sharply bridged nose. His hair, worn
rather long, was straight black, and
brushed directly back from his high
and narrow forehead. His lips were
thin, and lay firmly together in way
which indicated strong voluntary
habit of control.
Withal, there was hint Of high
Spanish type In his features. and ]
finally decided that he might be
Mexican of the better sort-one OF
those families which have maintained
their integrity ever since the Spanish
invasion of the country to the south.
Spencer, or Dayton. as man and girl
had called him., made his shot and
missed. Laredo barred his teeth and
lifted his cue. AN now. Mees Win.
<garde, behold!" he exchanged.
r have seen, good playing. ] have
even thought myself good shot at
times, but never have seen finer
exhibition OF skill than followed.
Ball after ball dropped into the
pockets in swift, unerring succession.
The fellow literally swept the table.
and stopped only when there was
nothing more to accomplish. He set
down his cue and bowed.
"Ungallant." said Miss Wingarde,
pouting her lips. You might have left
me one little chance at the end"
my dear lady" he retorted. "A
thousand pardons. But forgot"
He spread out his hands. which.
had watched throughout his playing.
Long, supple. nervously tense they
were. AS they had held his accurate
cue on ball after ball. had found a
assure in regarding their calculated
adroitness. l watched them again
now, as he swept them wide In a ges-
ture of apologize depreciation.
mo matter" the girl was saying.
i've had enough. Take me up now,
Spencer; I think I'm trifle tired"
mo more?" Queried Laredo, tri-
fling with the cue.
She shook her head. Thanks, no;
Il is useless. Good night"
Miss Wingarde and Dayton moved
of. The other followed them with
his eyes until he left the room and.
I confess, I did not like the -momen-
fairy expression which swept over his
Mace.
a.. "a to.taA ontv For N x,.or.onf