The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-12-13

II was evening and Q group OF
men wore seated on the porch OF
the Executive Mansion listening to
NJ. JoNQUELLE. greatest Of
French detectives, tell the story
cHAUvAssNEs, the explorer who
was Killed IN Africa, and who
left the record that caused every
one 10 believe he was mad.
''But he was not mad" exclaim.
ed Iondue1le. turning to the, CHEZ
Executive.
Then Jonquelle told how Chau
vannes had gone into the Congo
With three worthless white men.
had found the precious emeralds
and had then begun TO write the
dairy which caused every. reader to
doubt his sanity - particularly
when he wrote OF the creature
which entered hts tent - that
strange creature which he alone
could 500.
GO ON WITH THE STORY.
CHAPTER III.
II was on the third night, after
the two men had departed and he
was alone IN the tent with the
sleeping Lecture, that Chauvannes
SAY this creature. He says It was
about 3 o clock in the morning. He
had been awake through the entire
night, his eyes usually closed. He
does not know how he happened TO
open them. It was precisely II
minutes to 8, by the watch which
he Wore on his wrist.
he opened his eyes precisely at
the moment when the creature en-.
tered The tent-e thing 1t did with.
out disturbing the flap and with.
out making any sound whatever.
"chatvannes says that he saw It
distinctly. It paused for a moment
after Il had entered, remaining fo-
some seconds quite Inotionless. He
says that IN proportion to the other
parts o. the creatures body, the
head was enormous. It was cubIcal
In contour. Tho outline was per.
fectly cellar, but what we would
call features were hardly dIstin.
gnishable. The thing seemed 20
Iack teattress That was one OF the
distinguishing horrors OF tia head
big in proportion to It's body, cubi;
caI IN outline and lacking features!
The chest and abdomen were also
big, estimating the creature by It's
own proportions. The limbs were
long, narrow and jointed. The
whole creature was Of a repulstve,
reddish color; and without any OF
the usual covering Of animals vita
which the human race Is familiar.
The body seemed TO be OF some
hard, red substance, Chapvannes
aid-frozen and polished flesh, af..
er the skin had been removed, was
the idea he got.
The creature remained only n.
moment visible TO him: then It dis.
appearedl s1tS seemed to .chauvanues
that II disappeared merely by turn.
ing about. He was unable to see /.
again Although the doorway where
Y entered was clear In the moon
light, and there was only the grass
noor OF the tent"
Monsieur Jonquelle stopped here
N his narratiye, like one who would
wish q nearer to grasp the whole
conception Of the story before no
went on. But lie did not seek y
comment. The man beyond him
waited for him to go on, and he
urgently continued:
y shall not follow the detail Of
all the experiences noted down By
Ghatyannes, aud which finally,
brought him to the conclusions al
which he at length arrived. He
was able, after this night, to OBJ.
serve the creature and number
OF It's companions, although the
man Leturc, who was always with
him. seems never to have observsd
IL -
.He was also able to discover,
although he docs not give all tho
detais OF that discovery in the
journal, that these creatures liyei
UNDERGROUND, and that one Of their
underground cities was very close