Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-21
CHAPTER VIET-COntinued.

CHAPTER VIII-COntinued.
"You walk with a prouder step here
in this old sanctuary" 1 remarked.
"Why is that?"
1T was built by my forefathers," she
said. This Is the Church Of Saint Inez
Tchacalca del Guanajuato."
and 2" l interrogated.
"And 1 am her great grandniecs three
removes. Look at this portrait"
We were standing before a wonder
full oil painting Of a most beautiful
lady, naughty, with languorOus eyes,
and a vOluptuOus mouth, but with some
sort Of strange reserve written upon the
features The picture looked hauntingly
familiar
Now look at me-" Ynez Echacalca
struck a pose identical with the pose Of
the picture The resemblance was
startling. An artist sees below the sur
face, beyond merely accommodating re-
semblances. The beautiful woman be-
fore me, was actually most remarkably
like the portrait.
Are we alike?" she asked.
Most remarkably So" l whispered,
with a certain awe.
she was a saint Of the church." she
murmured. but, her nephew, my
great great grandfather, who made the
mine at Tieximal what It was In the old
days, went back to the worship Of the
MOntezumas ana became high priest
In the sun temple Of Tieximal. Since
thar day there are two factions in the
family; and only the Catholic faction Is
recognized by the Mexican government
The other branch leads sort OF uhuer.
ground existence here and at TieXlmal.
And 70 which faction do you belong :"
- ha old
shipers: mathematical for nearly 2OO
years. we are stil very strong in num-
bers and in power. I am an empress and
a queen among Montezumas Of I'VE prov
inces. Ny dream is a dream of restora-
ton. You spoke an hour ago sneeringly
az If I worked for Sifert and Seriano.
They work for me. ! have been un-
lucky In my choice Of employees. Had
succeeded In employing you ana tro-
thro and Barnette before you went 70
Jarndyce, perhaps my dreams would
come true" She spoke with such IRE or
enthusiasm that I was convinced In
spite Of myself.
And IS this your proof positive.
Queen Ynez Tchacalca?' l asked mock
ingly. .,-..-
there" she said casually.
We descended n long and broad flight
OF marble stairs into the stale air OF the
crvpt. In the gloom Of the place she
nointed 10 this statue and that naming
them By name and claiming kin with
most. We were entirely alone in the
crypt. Presently she brought me to
MALT before q reclining marble statue
OF knight with his feet resting upon
the neck Of a reclining hound.
.Don Nfanrique del Para" uhe instruct
ed. "a brother Of my great great grand
father orthodox through and through;
otherwise he would not be resting here.
II Is his heirs who have sold our prop
ertv 10 Henry Jarndyce. lie had no
moro right to TieximaI than you have,
but for the anathema Of the church which
coufscated our property and gave it to
him"
She looked cautiously at the marble
stairs above whore a shaft Of white day
LIGHT fell upon them, and then placing
her small white hands against the head
Of the statue began to push with all
her might. I stepped beside her and
began to push also. To my utter sur
Prise the whole statue, plinth and all,
slowly turned rs upon a pivot revealing
a dark grave below.
FLASH your light down and descend
she whispered. BE quick!"
obeyed. A narrow set OF steps re-
veeJed themselves and l quickly de
scendad. with her close after me. A
moment later the thing swung back into
Mace above our heads. l am frank to
saw that I felt dismayed. Here was
more adventure than I had bargained
for
We we're alone in total darkness except
for the light Of my tiny fash lamp.
"Dost thou love me?" she asked, fall
ing into the thee and thou of endearing
discourse.
.'She aims to take me in completely,
that is plain" I thought. Il love you,
carissima regina" I said aloud and
turned about to meet the lips that were
upheld to mine
"Dost thou promise to marry me If
prove myself the queen ! amf"
II PROMISE" l said, and we sealed the
promise with q long embrace. At that
moment / was more than half in love
with her, adventures though she
might be.
A long moment later she took the
light from my hand and flashed it along
dark and narrow passageway. Grin
ming skulls, ranged in rows upon shelves
cut out Of solid rock. greeted my sight;
mummihed cadavers stood in every niche
and angle of the passage. We were in
veritable Mexican catacomb. l had
read Of such places and seen q fash
light photograph OF one such. but 1t
gave me a creepy feeling to find myself
alone in one with this adventures. l
was greatly intrigued and could not re-
alize that this was the Widow Trabajar
of the steamship.
We proceeded along the passageway
for more than a hundred feet, 1 should