Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-05-21
TheCurSe|
of Quetzal|
, BY ]. U. GlESY & J. B. SMITH !
Authors of SemiDual Stories 4
Copyright. 8
The Frank A. Munsey Co. 4

"But that's what can't under.
stand the Engishman rushed on.
you say he is dead, but | can't be-
leve it.. How is one to know that til
he is found?'
That" said Dual. lis q matter for
later explanation. What YOU must do
now is to tolkme all about the last few
weeks of your association with Miss
Wingarde and her father
WHY"
DAYTON was not inclined to quiet
surrender.
"Mr. Dayton" said Semi, "it Is a
truth that at times the most trivial
things in their seeming lead up to the
tragedies of life For years | have
made study of such matters. II
there should, by any chance, be more
in this mans death than an accident,
perhaps some fact you might mention
in your narration would serve to point
out the real cause.
'1f you are unwilling shall not in
sst, but as we have some time to wait
for the searChers' return, ! think we
may as well employ it in gaining all
the facts OF the past few weeks which
you can recall"
"Le, me ask YOU this" Dayton re-
turnei. ere YOU and Glaco detcc-
tiyes""
I'm SENSE yes, In Glacea ca,
unequlyocally so"
every well then" Dayton lowered
his voice still further and began: u
have known Professor Winearde and
his daughter for years. Possibly YOU
may have heard of his name, for he
has been known Of late as an authorl'
ty on archaeology of no little weight.
For a long time he has desired to
make a trip to the cliff dwellings, in
this part Of your country, in order to
prove or Gisprove theory of his in
regard to those vanished people.
Briefly, he believed that in them
would be found the progcnitors Of the
later Maya and Aztec civilizations, and
some months ago he announced that
he was about to make the trip.
CAS- | just told you. | am engaged
to Miss Wingarde For years, ever
since her mother died, in fact, she has
been in the habit of accompanying her
father on his various journeys about
the world Sine declared that she
would come over here with him, and !
suggested that come along,
THAT was the way We ARRANGED it.
We crossed and went on to Mexico,
where the professor made some in
vestigations of the various ruins he
could reach as a preliminary step, to-
ward his Investigations up here, 1t
was in the City Of Mexico itself that
we met Mr. Laredo, and from him the
professor received no little help in his
work"
Duals eyes sought Laredo's. you
are interested in archaeology" he in
quired.
mot In the same way as the Senior
Professor" the Mexican returned.
always, however have felt an in.
terest in the people Of Montezuma,
have studied their history no little"
"The call Of the blood?" said Semi
It seemed TO me that Laredo's eye
lids narrowed. They left DuaFs and
turned on me as though TO Judge how
much had told him. Perhaps" he
replied at length.
Dayton nodded
"That's right. Laredo here told us
he was descendant of Montezuma
He's up on their past records. Well
after we'd poked about bit we came
on up, outfitted, and got guides from
the Indian camp a bit over here. We
employed two brothers who said they
knew the region where the cliff dwell
ings were TO be found, and as it was
beastly rough going, we left Evelyn al
the hotel and the professor and made
II alone.
"And on my word it was trip An,
man but one as deeply interested ii
the subject as Wingarde would have
chucked It, assure you. But not he
Seems he'd picked up a bit of some
thing hadn't heard about something
about A place up there where some
sort Of idol or image was stored.
don't know where he'd dug up the in
formation, and | never asked him, bu
he was as eager about It as dog OF
4 hot trail. You didn't put him on
did you, Laredo?"
sss%No,S Laredo answered shortly