Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-11
CHAPTER XVII Continued

TJNHE fancful story, the fabulous antiquity
i claimed for the palace before her, increas-
ed the sense of unreality and mystery ming
Unas mind she listened to Narva. Ihe
story itself was not unlike others of the
kind, handed down from one generation to
another explaining the origin of some an
cient South American race. In the telling
of 1t Narva, for the first time, forgot her
reserve and her simple eloquence her ap-
parent belief in the quaint old fable she
was telling added greatly to its impressive
ness. And there stood the great palace be-
fore her with its flying condor guarding
forever the descendants of that mythical ola
zipa! Una was unable to go back in imagi-
nation to that primeval past, especially as
IL had to do with country and people OF
which she knew nothing. But the tale ltsell'
and the grace and beauty of the palace aD"ul
which il had been woven, reminded her pl
much that she had heard and read in other
than Indian mythology and literature
pageants from medieval legend. with thelr
phantom castles in haunted forests engaged
her fancy as she listened. For the moment
she half expected to- see a troop or Arthurlan
knights intent upon some mystic quest, issue
forth from the stately portal, bringing with
them a flash of vivid light and movement
that as yet the picture lacked zipa sne
had never seen. had never heard OF before
and even a condor filled n place in her I'M
aginatiOn that was not much more rear thai.
that occupied by the roc the giant nird OF
th. Arabian tales But neither CHRISTIAN
knight nor pagan zpa was here. ihe Silence,
now that Narva had finished her taie. was
nrofound The murmur OF voices, uistihctIS
hoard a short time before. was lost IN the
distance The apparent isolation of build
ing co rich in possibilities of usefulness, so
Ill preserved architecturally. was its most
inexpicable feature Una vas almost per-
suaded that the palace before her was uhln-
habited, abandoned. If 1t belonged. as NarVa
ia IN the dim past of a vanished race, IL
TODD NOW merely as a monument 10 lorsot-
80 arsatness Or-did it still serve as
rof,ge n protection. to the descendants OF
that condor-born zipa of NarVa iesenu
Then, suddenly, as Una was thinking OK
.,,'sa arcient. far-off things from one of the
lives of the palace there rose the clear, high
80 of a womans voice in "A melody not
unlike the one Anitoo ana MS panu hau useu
Co., a marching song But Anitoo's song mad
something of martial swing ana Nlsor III u
t,,,s although wild in spirit permeated by
w. 10 ohantins wailing quality characteristic
20 nrirnitive music, thrilled with strains OF
,,ass,onata tenderness unlike apything Una
had heard The words OF the song were not
distinguishable nor were they heeueu 10 coh-
,,nv the theme inspiring the invisible singer,
Tha latter seemed to pass from JOY to de-
snair rising again TO solemn pltch OF lnten-
i,,, that nartook of the dignity ana earnest
,,ass of religious RHAPSODY. A pagan priest.
nresiding over ancient rites from Whlch the
faithful expect a miracle mlsht mus nave
-za,,,atad the notes of his lncantaton, AS
~, an ,nusic of the kind, the emotion por-
,na,,ad was simple, unmiSed with the shad-
80. nd intellectual complexities that play
- ,nnortant a part in modern song. The
~ 49,, internreting this emotion showed no
great degree of cultivation thskiled IN the
s,or suhtleties of the vocal art, II depended
mon a natural. unrestrained sincerity en-
,iched by a birdlike clearness ana resonance,
Tor it's effects Its plaintiveness' from the
,,erv first strains of the ringing melody ap-
,pealed deeply to Una.
Narya alive To the sympathetic response
. ..a,,sad in her companion by the song, laid
a.. hand gently upon Una's arm and drew
- an the direction of the distant portion
of the palace whence, apparently the notes
came. ,.,, H. 1900,
INA still absorbed by the weird beauty
10 the scene and the strange legends with
,,,h,cb n was connected scarcely noted the
rai,srated warning. Her own spirit kindled
,,,h friendly warmth for the singer whose
',,ns,ed lows and sorrows were so eloquently
a,nrassed She followed Narva almost un-
oonsciously eager and yet half afraid to
s..,n the climax of their adventure fearful,
nrewise lest by some misstep or imprudence
~ theirs the spell of music should be broken.
No sign of life was visible in the great
v.mblinw palace that loomed high above
~ S~rn 4 The rows Of lanceolated openinss.
1k,1 n me dlstance appeared to be ofdlnnry.
\ I' pp9n = nearsr 5ieN prove4 g p