Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-04
THE GUDED MAN
Photo bN Nphoto-Crafters.
By CLIFFORD SMYTH

himself; "at my age to be in the power of
the queen of a race of cavemen!"
They are good peoples" remarked Miriam
- II trust Antoo" declared Una His queen
will protect us"
"She will behead u.s." exclaimed Mrs.
Quayle, whose spirits We're hopelessy fuster-
ed by the uproar Of battle that resounded
through the cave. Queens always behead
people. Why did We ever come into this
frightful place? We can never escape"
DO be quiet woman" comma nded Leigh
ton, who did not care to hear his own
thoughts voiced in this manner
Hold the tongue!' growled Miranda
savagely
I'VE have escaped already" said Una
soothingly. 81 believe this path will take
us out of the cave"
'Caramba that is So" agreed Miranda
delightedy "It is change--and there is
some light
Yes. there actually is some light" said
Leighton. "But--where does it come from 20
Having passed through the great portal
that separated them from Antonio and his
men. they were soon following a narrow path
that ran between two high walls OF rock
This path was at first scarcely d,scernible.
As they turned sharp corner, however, the
darkness gradually lifted and they found II
possible. for the first time, to distinguish GER
tain objects considerable distance ahead of
them-and judging by the direction in which
u,
it was evident that the light was not a re-
Election cast by torches carried by warning
cavemcn.
This discovery was hailed as "A momentous
one open TO two interpretations Since. as
every one knows. caves are never lighted
from sources contained in themselves, they
must now be nearing another party of cave
men, who were carrying lanterns. or else,
through some twist in subterranean topog-
raphy. they had stumbled upon an unex-
pected passagew>y to the outer world. No
sooner was the latter possibility suggested.
however, than its improbabl;;y was recog-
nizsd. No rays from sun or moon were ever
like these-blue, fickerng, ghostly-illumi-
mating the grotesque forms around them.
This light had a tngling quality as of
sparks that snap and glitter when they are
thrown off from an electric battery. 1t was
certainly not sunlight. moonlight either.
the explorers quickly realized. There
remained the idea that it came from lights
carried by an approaching band of cavemen.
1T is like the torches of Anitoo's musi-
clans. :" exclaimed Una: its not from the
sun"
at begins to be too bright and at the same
time too far off, for that" objected Leighton.
"It is one big fire" said Miranda.
"a bonfire" interjected Andrew.
and when we come there We will see."
Pressing on along this path, the light stead
lily increased, although revealing to the ex-
plorers nothing of its origin. They could
walk now at fairly round pace. and as
their range of vision extended their attention
was completely taken up in study of the
strange objects to be seen in the unknown
world about them.
Great walls of white basalt, veined with
broad bands of glistening emerald, lowered
OH either side. reaching up to crystalline roof
that spread forth far as eye could reach at an
altitude scorning the limitations OF human
architecture The Irregularities of the outer
cave, with its rough powders and piles of
fallen debris, its dark masses of shapeless
sandstone, Was exchanged here for forms of
marvellous symmetry, fashioned. one could
but imagine. for the enjoyment of a race of
beings to whom the majesty of beauty must
be everything reality. Seen by the ex-
plorers in the wavering half light that filed
tie cave the bold outlines of cliff and battle
ment were softened and blended in a vague
witchery of design suggesting meanings and
distances varying with the fancy of the be-
holder. 1t was a vale Of en- q 'antments an
Aladdin's cave, from which anything might
be expected with the mere rubbing of a ring
Or lamp.
CONTINUED TOMORROW