The Washington times., 1919-08-20

Wnen ne saw the ola priest lying
on the ground with his head rest
ing on the little maids knees.
Since there were no wounded Of
their own to be attended to with
rough and ready surgery, Torres
and the Jefe led the way TO the
lake. skirted its shores and came to
the ruins OF the Queens dwelling.
Only charred swamps OF piles pro-
jecting above the water showed
where it had once stood. Torres
was nonplussed; Jefe was furious.
Here, right here in this house
that was. the treasure chest stood,
he stammered.
"A wild goosechase." the Jefe
grUnted. "Senor Torres. ] always
suspected you were a foOl"'
How was l to, know the place
had been burned DOWN."
You ought to have known. you
who are so wise in all things" the
Jefe bickered back. But you can't
fool me. I had my eye on you.
saw you rob the emeralds and
rUbies from the eye sockets Of the
Maya gods. That much you shall
divide with me, and now"
Wait. wait--be a trine patient"
Torres begged. Let US first inves-
tigate. or course ] shall divide the
four gems you-but what are they
compared with a whole chest full?
1t was a light fragile house. The
chest may have fallen into the
water undamaged by fire when the
roof fell in. And water will not
damage precious stones"
In among the burnt piling the
Jefe sent his men to investigate,
.
in the shoal water. being careful
to avoid being caught by the out
lying suck of the whirlpool Au-
gustine the Silent made the find,
close to the shore.
Il was standing on something"
he announced, the level Of the lake
barely to his knees.
A Discovery Of Note.
Torres plunged in. and reaching
till he buried his head and shoul-
ders, felt out the object
1T is the chest, ] am certain"
he roared. Come all Of you. Drag
this out to the dry land so that we
may examine into it."
But when this was accomplished
and just as he sent to open the lid
the Jefe stopped him.
go back into the water. the lot
of you" he commanded his men.
There was a number Of chests like
this and the expedition will be a
failure if we don't find them. One
chest will not pay the expenses"
Not until all the men were fIoun-
dering and cropping in the water
did Torres raise the lid. he Jefe
stood transhxed. He could only
gaze and mutter inarticulate
mOuthinss.
Now will you believe?" Torres
queried. 1t is beyond price. We
are the richest two men in Panama,
in South America, in the wOrli.
This is the Maya treasure. We
heard OF il when we were boys.
Our fathers and our grandfathers
dreamed OF il. The conquistidOres
failed to find It. And il is ours"
And the while the two men. al
most stupehed. stood and stared.
one by one their followers crept
out OF the water. formed a silent
semi-circle at their backs. and
likewise stared. Neither lid the
Jefe and Torres know their men
stood at their backs. nor did the
men know Of the Lost Souls that
were stealthily creeping upon them
from the rear. AS il was. all were
staring at the treasure witt fas-
cinated amazement when the al
task was sprung.
Bows and arrows at ten yards
distance are deadly. especially
when due time is taken to take
certain aim. Two-thirds Of the
L. -fv-
taneously. Through Vicente, who
had chanced to be standing directly
behind Torres. no less than two
spears and five arrows had per
forated. The handful Of survivors
had barely time 10 seize their rifles
and whirl when the club attack was
upon them.
In this Rafael and Ignaclo. two
Of the gendarmes who had been on
the adventure TO the Juchitan oil
fields. almost Immediately had their
skulls cracked. And, as usual, the
Lost Souls women saw TO il that
the wounded did not remain wound
ed long.
The end for Torres and the Jefe
was but a matter Of moments. when
a lound roar from the mountain,
followed by a crashing avalanche Of
Lost Souls that remained alive
darted back terror-stricken into the
shelter OF the bushes
The Jefe and Torres. who alone
stood on their feet and breathed,
cast their eyes up the cliff 10 wher,.
the smoke still issued from tho
new-made hole. and saw Henry
Morgan and the Queen step into the
sunshine on the lip OF the cliff
You take the lady" the Jcfe
snsrIed. Il shall get the GringO.
Morgan. il it's the last act Of what
much longer"
Both lifted their rifles and fired.
Torres. never much Of a shot. sent
his bullet fairly centered into the
Queens breast. But the JcfO. mas
ter marksman and pOssesor OF
many medals. made a clean miss OF
his target. The next instant a bull
let from Henry's rifle struck his
wrist and Travelled up the forearm
10 the elbow, when il escaped and
passed on. And as his rife clat-
tered TO the ground he knew that
never again would that right arm,
its bone pulped from wrist TO elbow,
have use for a rifle.
But Henry was not shooting well.
Just emerged from twenty-four
hours OF darkness in the cave, not
al once would his eyes adjust them
selves TO the binding dazzle Of the
sun. His first shot had been lucky.
His succeeding shots merely struck
in the immediate nelRhborhoOd or
the Jefo and Torres as they turned