The Washington times., 1919-08-22

He did observe, with swimming
eyes and increasing numbness OF
touch. that the passage was con-
tracing both vertically and hOri-
zontally. Slanting downward at
thirty degrees. it gave him an inn
preston OF a rat-trap, himself the
rat, descending head foremost to-
ward he knew not what. Even be-
fore he reached it be apprehended
that the slit of bright day that ad-
vertised the open world beyond was
too narrow for the egress OF his
body.
And his apprehension was veri-
fed. Crawling UncOncernedly over
a skeleton that the blaze OF day
showed him to be a mans he man
aged, by severely and painfully
squeezing his ears fiat back, to
thrust his head through the slitted
aperture. The sun beat down upon
his head, while his eyes drank in
the Openness of the freedom OF the
world that the unyielding fock de-
MED to the rest OF his body.
Most maddening of all was a run
ming stream not a hundred yards
away, tree-fringed beyond, with
lush mcadow-grass leading down to
it from his side. And in the tree
shadOwed water. knee-deep and
browsing, stood several cows Of the
dwarf breed peculiar to the Valley
Of Lost Souls.
Occasionally they hiclled their
tails lazily at flies, or changed the
Il IT, IL
their legs. He glared at them to
see them drink. but they were evil
IDENTIFY too stated with water. Fools!
Why should they not drink, with all
that wealth Of water flowing idly
by!
They betrayed alertness, turning
their heads far back and pricking
their ears forward. Then, as
big-antlered buck came out from
the trees to the waters edge, they
flattened their ears back and shook
their heads and paved the water
till he could hear the splashing.
But the stag disdained their threats,
lowered his head and drank. This
was too much for Torres, who
emitted a maniaCal scream. which,
had he been in his senses, he would
not have recognized as proceeding
from his own throat and larryx-
The stag spranE away. The cattle
turned their heads in Torres direc-
ton. drowned their eyes shut, and
resumed the flicking OF flies. With
a violent effort, scarcely knowing
that he had half torn or his ears,
he drew his head back through the
slitted aperture and tainted on top
of the skeleton.
Two hours later. though he did
not know the passage Of time, he
registered consciousness, and found
his head cheek by jOwl with the
skull of the skeleton on which he
lay. The descending sun was al
ready shining into the narrow open
ing. and his gaze ChanCed upon a
rusty knife. The point OF it was
worn and broken. and he estab-
lished the connection.
This was the knife that had
scratched the inscription on the
rock at the base OF the funnel at
the other end of the passage. and
this skeleton was the bOny frame
work of the man who had done the
scratching AMI Alvarez Torres
went Immediately mad.
"Ah. Peter McGill. NV enemy" he
muttcrcd. Peter McGilI. of Glas-
gov. who betrayed me TO this end
this for you-and this. and this"
So speaking, he drove the heavy
knife into the fragile front of the
skull The dust Of the bone which
had once been the tabernacle of
Peter McGHl's brain arose in his
nostriIS and increased his frenzy.
He attacked the skeleton with his
hands, tearing at il. disrupting it.
nlling the pent space about him
with flying bones. 1t was like a
battle. in which ne destroyed what
was left Of the mortal remains OF
the one-tir69, resident Of Glasgow.
Once aFBNN Torres squeezed his
head throIItl the slit to gaze at the
fading glory Of the world. Caught
NV the rock In the tran OF ancient