The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-08-30

with the fraycd knees. the clock had
struck All unaware. he had seen his
last sunrise. No matter what hap.
pened this day no matter what blind
efforts he might make to escape. tho
day was TO be his last day. Had he
remained on guard at the cave en-
trance, he would surely have been
killed by Torres and Mancheno. who
had arrived close on his heels.
But instead OF so remaining. Il On
tered his cautious. timid soul TO
make scout out and beyond for pos
sible foes. Thus he missed death In
the daylight under the sky. Yet the
pace OF the hands OF the clock was
unalterable, and neither nearer nor
farther was his destined end from
him.
While he secuted. Alvarez Torres
and Jose Mancheno arrived at tho
cave opening. The colossal. mother.
of-pearl eyes Of CHA on the wall OF
the cMff were too much for the SUI
pcrstition reared CARGO.
~Do you go in he told Torres.
81 win wait here and watch and
guard"
And Torres. with strong in him the
blood OF the ancient forebcar who
stood faithfully thru the centuries In
The avenue OF the mummy dead. on
tered tho Maya cave AS courageously
as that forehear had entered.
And tho instant he was out OF
sight Jose Mancheno. unafraid 20
murder treacherously any living,
breathing man. but greatly afraid OF
the unseen world behind unexplain.
able phenomena. forgot the trust OF
watch and ward and stole thru the
jungle. Thus the peon. returning re
assured from his scout and curious
so learn the Maya secrets OF his
father and OF the sacred tassel. found
nobody at the cave mouth and him
self entered into u close upon the
heels OF Torres
The latter trod softly and eau.
tiousiy for fear Of disclosing his
presence to those he trailed. Also.
his progress was still further de-
layed by the spectacle OF the ancient
dead in the hall OF mummies- Curl
ousiy he examined these men whom
history had told about. and for whom
history had stopped there IN the ante.
chamber OF the Maya gods. Espe'
ciaily curious was he at sight Of the
mummy at the end OF the line. The
resemblance OF him was too striking
for him not TO see, and he could not
but believe that he was looking upon
some direct great ancestor OF his.
A QUEER FANCY
stilI gazing and specializing. he
was warned by approaching footsteps
and glanced about for some place TO
hide a sardonic hunor seized him.
Taking the helmet from the head OF
his own ancient kin. he placed IL on
his own head. Likewise did he drapc
shs rotten mantle about his form and
eautp himself with the great sword
and the great foppy boots that al
most fell 10 pieces as he pulled them
on. Next. half tsnderly. he deposited
Tho nude mummy on its back in the
dark shadows behind the other mum
mics. And finally. in the same spot
at the end Of the line. his hand rest
ing on the sword hilt. he assumed
the same posture he had observed OF
the mummy.
Only hts eyes moved as he observed
the peon venturing slowly and fear.
fully along the avenue Of upright
corpses. Al sight Of Torres he came
10 an abrupt stop and with wide eyes
OF dread muttered a succession OF
MAYA prayers. Torres. 80 confronted.
could only listen with closed eyes
and conjecture. When he heard tho
neon move on he stole a look and
saw lrfIn pause with apprehension at
the narrow elbow turn OF the passage
which he must venture next. Torres
saw his chance and swung the sword
aioft for the blow that would split
the poems head in twain.
Tho this was the day and the very
hour for the peon. the last second
Had not yet licked. Not there. in
The thorofare OF the dead. was he
destined to die under the hand OF
Torres. For Torres held his hand and
slowly lowered the point 81 the sword
10 the floor. while the peOn passed
on into the elbow
The latter met up with his father.
Leonica and Francis just as Francis
knots again for fuller information OF
the how and what that would open
the ear Of Hzatzl
put your hand into the mouth Of
CHA and draw forth the key" the old
man commanded his reluctant son.
who went about obeying him most
Ringeriy.
.She won't bite you-she's stone"
Francis laughed at him in Spanish.
"The Maya gods are never stone"
the old man reproyed him. "They
seem TO be stone, but they are alive.
and ever alive. and under the stone.
and thru the stone. and by the stone.
as always. work their everlasting
viii"
Leonica shuddered away from him
and chung against Francis, her hand
on his arm. as II for protection.
II know that something terrible Is
going to happenr' she gasped. 81
don't like this place IN the heart Of
"A mountain among all these dead
old things. ! like the blue OF the sky
and the balm Of the sunshine and the
widespreadinR sea. Something terri.
bic Is going to happen. | know that
something terrible Is going TO hap
PEN
While Francis treasured her the
last seconds Of the last minute for
the peOn were ticking Off. And when.
rummoning all his courage, he thrust
his hand into the mouth he pulled
b his hand and gazed at the
wrist, where tiny drop Of blood
exuded directly above an artery. The
ruottled head Of a snake thrust forth
like a hooking derisive tongue and
drew back and disappeared In the
darkness Of the mouth OF the god