The Washington times., 1919-08-19
CHAPTER XVII.

So st came about that the Valley
of the LostiSouls was invaded sub
terraneanlS from opposite direc-
tions by twS parties Of treasure
seekers From one side and quick
Iy came the Queen and Leoncia,
Henry Morgan and the solanOs. Far
moye slowly although they had
started long in advance, did Torres
and the Jefe progress.
The first attack on the mountain
proved the chiefest obstacle. To
blow open an entrance to the Maya
caves had required more dynamite
than they had expected. Further
when they had finally made a way
il proved to be above the cave
floor, so that more blasting had
been required to drain of the wa
ter.
And. having blasted their way
into the water-logged mUmmies Of
the conQuistadores and to the room
of the idols, they had to blast their
way out again and into the heart
of the mountain. But first, as they
continued on, Torres looted the
ruby eyes of CHA and the emerald
eyes of Haztal.
Meanwhile, with scarcely any de-
lays, the Queen and her party pen
etrated to the valley through the
mountains on the opposite side.
Nor did they entirely duplicate the
course Of their earlier traverse.
The Queen, through long gazing
into her mirror knew every inch of
the way. Where the underground
river plunged through the passage
and out into the bosom Of the Qua
lace river il was impossible to take
in their boats. But by assidUOus
search under her directions they
found the THY mouth of a cave on
the steep wall OF q cliff, so shield
ed by a growth OF mountain ber-
ries that only by knowing what
they sought could they have found
il.
By main strength applied to the
coils OF rope they had brought
along they hoisted their canoes up
the cliff, portrayed them on their
shoulders through the winding
passage and launched them on the
subterranean river itself, where it
ran so broauiy and placidIy be-
tween wide banks that they pad
dleu easily against its slack cur
rent. At other times, where the
river proved too swift, they lined
the canoes up by towing them from
the bank, and wherever the river
made a plunge through the solid
tiers of mountain the Queen show
ed them the obviously hewn and
ancient passages through which to
portage their light craft
Here we leave the canoes the
Queen directed at last, and the men
began securing them TO the bank
in the light of the nickering
torches. 1t is but a short distance
through the last passage. Then
we will come to a small opening in
the cliff shielded by climbing vines
and ferns and look down upon the
spot where my house once stood be
side the Whirl Of waters. The ropes
will be necessary to descend the
cliffs; it is only about fifty feet.
Henry Leads the Way.
Henry, with an electric torch, led
the way, the Queen beside him, while
old EnricO and LeOncia brought
up in the rear vigilantly to see that
no possible, half-hearted peOn or In
dian boatman should slip back and
run away. But when the party came
to where the mouth OF the passage
ought to have been there was no
mouth. The passage ceased, being
blocked of solidly from floor TO roof
by a debris of crumbIed rocks that
varied in size from paving stones
to native houses.
who could have done this?" the
Queen exclaimed angrily.
But Henry, after a cursory ex-
animation, Tesssured her.
Ito BE Continued TOmOFFOW.)