The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-07-22

old Sun Priest. cunning. crafty. in
tepIgent
While the priest continued to
beat the resounding. loe, the entire
tribe formed about him in a semi
circle, facing the east. As the sun
showed the edge OF its upper rim
the priest greeted II and hailed II
with quaint and medieval Spanish,
himself making low obeisance
thrice repeated. while the tribe
Frustrated itself. And, when the
full moon shone clear OF the
horizon, all the tribe. under the d.
rection Of the priest, arose and ut
tered a joyful chant.
Just as he had dismissed his peO-
pie thin pillar of smoke. rising In
the quiet air across the valley,
caught. the priests eye. He pointed
1t out, and commanded several Of
the young men.
'It rises in the Forbidden Place
Of Fear where no member Of the
tribe may wander. u is some devil
OF a pursuer sent out by our enc
mics who have Vainly sought our
hiding-place through the centuries.
He must not escape to make report.
ACA OAN R0AEAA4Aa anu
we shall be destroyed Co Kill
him that we may not be killed"
About the fire, which had been
replenished at intervals throughout
the night, Leoncia. Francis and
Torres lay asleep, the latter with
his new-made sandals on his feet
and with the helmet OF DE Vasco
pulled tightly down on his head to
keep OF the dew.
Leoncia was the first to awaken,
and so curious was the scene that
confronted her that she watched
quietly through her doWn-drooped
lashes. Three OF the strange Lost
Tribe men, bows still stretched and
arrows drawn in what was evident
to her as the interrupted act Of
able privily to nudge Franci5'
were staring with amazement az
the face OF the unconscious Torres.
They looked at each other In
doubt. let their bows straighten,
and shook their heads in patent
advertisement that they were not
going to kill. Closer they erept
upon Torres, squatting on their
hams the better to scrutinize his
face and the helmet, which latter
seemed to arouse their keenest in
terest.
She Awakens Francis.
From where she lay Leoncia was
able privily to nudge Frineis'
shoulder with her foot. He awoks
quietly and quickly sat up, attract
ing the attention OF the strangers.
Immediately they made the univer-
sal paara sf0n Taxyfn. H., kha5-
bows and extending their palms
outward in token Of being weapon
less
Good morning" Francis address
ed them in English, which made
them shake their heads. while It
aroused Torres
They must be Lost Souls" Leon
cia whispered to Francis.
Or real estate agents." he smiled
back AT least the valley Il in
habited--. Torres, who are your
friends? From the way they regard
you one would think they were
relatives OF yours"
Quite ignoring them, the three
Lost Souls drew apart a slight dis
lance and debated in low, sibilAnt
tones.
Sounds like a queer sort OF Span
ish," Francis observed.
Its medieval to say the least"
Leoncia confirmed.
Its the Spanish OF the eonquista-
dores pretty badly gone to seed"
Torres contributed. You see I was
right. The Lost Souls never get
away"
AT any rate they must give ana
be given in marriage. Francis
qulpped. "else how explain the
three young huskies?"
But by this time the three huskies,
having reached agreement were
reckoning them with encouraging
gestures to follow across the valley.
They're good-natUred and friend
~, 70 say the least despite their
sorrowful faces" said Francis, a.
they prepared 70 follow. But did
you ever see a sadder aggregation
in your life? They must have been
born in the dark Of the moon, or
had all their sweet gazelles die, or
something or other worse"
Its just the kind OF faces one
would expect OF lost souls" LeoncIa
answered.
And II we never get out OF here.
1 suppose we'll get to looking q
whole lot sadder than they do" hs
came back. Anyway. hope they're
leading US to breakfast. Those ber-
ries were better than nothing.
but that Is not saying much"
An hour or more afterward, still
obediently following their guides,
they emerged upon the clearings,
the dwelling places, and the Long
House OF the tribe.
These are descendants OF Da
Vasco's party and the Caribs," Tor
res affirmed, as he glanced over the
assembled faces. That is incontro>
vertible on the face OF It"
And they've relapsed from the
Christian religion Of Da Vasco to
old heather worship" added Fran.
els. Look at that altar-there. It's
a stone altar. and, from the smell OF
II, that is no breakfast, but a sacri-
flee that is cooking. in spite OF the
fact that 1t smells like mutton"
Thank heaven, it's only a lamb"
Leoncia breathed. "The old sur
Worship included human sacrifice
And this is Sun Worship. See that
old man there in the long shroud
with the golden-rayed cap OF gold.
He's a sun priest Uncle Alfaro
has told me all about the sun
worshippers.'
Behind and above the altar was q
great metal image OF the sun.
Gold, all gold" Francis whisper
ed. land without alloy. Look at
these spikes, the size OF them, vet
so pure is the metal that wager q
child could bend them any way and