Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-07
THE GUDED MAN
Bv CLIFFORD SMYTH

nearest approach to laughter she had shown,
Under Narva's guidance. however. the dif-
hcult,es Of this downward trail were over
come without mishap. The. perilous abysses,
once crossed, appeared not more than minia-
ture dangers in retrospect; but Immediately
facing them. on this plain that. at dis
tance, had seemed so charming and pastoral
IN character. there was menace enough for
the most daring At first sight OF the in
vaders. for so they were deemed. the villagers
showed unmistakable hostility. Dropping
their various occupations with one accord,
they confronted the explorers in so threaten
ing manner that the latter had either to
defend themselves as best they might or
retreat. But the thought Of those vainous
chasns. spanned by ffimsy' bridges OF rope,
was too appalling to offer the remotest hope
Of safety In flight. Anything would be better
than return--if return were even possible
over so hazardous a path.
I'VE fight" announced Miranda through
clenched teeth-and. regretting his lost re-
volver. he threw himself into as warllke an
attitude as his rotund figure would permit.
This had anything but a quieting effect on
the villagers. From every direction volun-
teers FASTENED to strengthen their line Of bat
tie. and II might have Jared badly with the
enterpr'sing doctor. upon whom concen-
trated attack resembling a football rush was
about to be launched had It not been for the
Interference Of Narva. The old Indian woman.
scornful at first of the excited demonstration
or the villagers, now took an active part in
what was going on. Brushing Miranda aside.
she checked the advancing mob with a torrent
oe angry words that sounded like the scald-
ing lecture of an outraged school teacher
bringing her refractory pupils to order As
she spoke in the native language Of the In
dians what she i'd was totally unintelligible
to those whom she was defending. But on
the cavemen the effect OF her words was i'm
mediate. The shouts ceased: the hastily
formed line Of battle was broken The angry
villagers acknowledged Narvas authority by
tptK
true-and the way was clear and free for the
invaders to go on
The singular episode impressed them deem
ly They realized that they were surrounded
by people who did not want them in this
underworld of theirs. and that they were at
the same time, under the protection OF being
VINO. mad or inspired was powerful enough
to stand between them and danger. Who she
was or why she befriended them remained a
mystery. On this point Narva was as un-
communicative as ever. on occasion, as they
had just witnessed she was capable of the
rolubiiity OF a fishwife: with them her re-
serve was impreEnable.
FOLLOW me"' she .Commanded-and there
was nothing for it but obey. Miranda, who
was the immediate cause OF the trouble NUT
tered maledictions on the fate that left him
at the mercy Of an eccentric beldame who
might be leading them to some unthnka Bile
witch's dance-and the rest exhorted him TO
curb his warlike propensities in the future
Ghuing ahead at a quicker pace than be-
fore. Narva led the way along the narrow
path. on each side OF which stood the huts Of
the villagers. These huts were not more than
thirty in number, built of the rouKh-hewn
stone of the cave. Each apparently containe ed
two or In some cases three rooms on the
ground floor. Roofs they had none. a de-
fciency in architecture evidently without in
convenience. since the great vaulted domes NJ
the cave furnished them with whatever pro
lection overhead was necessary. The whole
series OF little houses composing the villa re
resembled one huge. hospitable communal /
dwelling not unlike the ancient pueblo ruins
OF Arizona, in which there was the privacy
desired by separate families. together with a
close union Of household interests that ia
scarcely possible in settlements where each
group of individuals lives under its own roof
tree. As II further to preserve this commune,
manner OF living. the openings into the h,,ts
were without doors, although, in a few in
stances, curtains Of heavy red material
served as doors, These curtains were, adorned
with thin plates of gold, cut in primitive d.
signs depicting various forms of animal life
The huts so marked the explorers took 10 he
the dwellings either of village dignitaries or
buildings devoted TO public uses
.., CONTINUED TOMORROW