The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-07
By HAROLD MocGRATH

anu through IL all ne IeiI no rear,
only tremendous excitement. That
he was not afraid was not due to
courage; simply fear had never yet
been put into his heart. But it was
going to be put there. the kind of
fear that makes man start up
in the middle of night, dripping with
sweat, makes him crave for lights
and human companionship.
The final detour took perhaps
three-quarters of an hour The rear
of the temple was shrub-and vine
grown. 1t was evident that none of
the natives ever went in or came
out that way. Suddenly Corrigan
raised his hand.
Well squat here for 10 minutes
If we hear no sound, take hold of
my coat and lift your feet at each
step"
Those 10 minutes were very long to
Cathew.
Now" whispered corrigan
Cathew took hold of the others
coat and walked IKE a cat in wet
grass. Presently Corrigan touched
the key of his electric torch, and
white patch of light darted here and
there over a beautiful marble cavern.
From this cavern. they entered
smaller hall, full of grotesque gods;
or, to be exact, one god in many
grotesque poses. Corrigan stopped.
The patch of light wavered and
finally settled upon a central figure.
draped with fresh flowers. Resting
upon one of it's hands was little
golden statue perhaps 10 inches high.
and toward this Corrigan moved
without sound.
work n rnOnent
to lift it off the gilded palm upon
which it stood. 1t was a strange
but invariable fact that he who
stumbles upon treasure throws eau
ton to the winds. 1t had been Cor
rigan's plan to take the little idol
and hasten back to the banyan-tree,
to fly westward as if all the devils
were at his heels. Instead, he set
the key of the torch and squatted
down upon the temple floor, pried
out the inlay in the base and shook
the golden idol. Into his hand tinkled
eight stones, all polished. seven ex-
quisite pigeon-blood rubies and an
emerald the like of which Cathew
had never seen.
what did I tell you?" whispered
Corrigan hoarsely. loft with your
heel while hold the torch. Hus-
tler
Cathew worked feverfshiy. The
heel came off. the two rubies and the
emerald were packed in cotton placed
in the hollow and the heel-tap ham
mered on again. Then in his turn
he held the torch still posse ssed with
the idea that all this was a dream.
As Corrigan thrust his foot back into
his shoe, his leg paused in midair, one
hand against the sole and the other
eurled about the strap.
What is t." asked Cathew.
'Isten What do you hear"
Cathew put his hand to his ear.
Sounds like tomtoms."
"Then. God help us; it's the priests
coming back!"
They cared not what noise they
made thereafter. They ran, STUN
the hole through which they had
come. Beyond, in the moonlight they
saw a dozen priests, motionless but
expectant. 1t did not matter where
they had come from or how they had
selected this spot. An ordinaryz man
would have turned and desperately
made for the front of the temple.
But Corrigan had been fighting
sailor. All in that bitter moment he
weighed his chances. There would
naturally be less men here than on
the other side.
Follow mel" he cried. leaping out.
Flight on your own. If you have a
chance take it; don't worry about
me"
He dubbed his gun and swung it
as the yelling priests closed in. In
stantly the dozen became 10 dozen.
They came from nowhere. like
kites at the smell of meat. carrion.
Corrigan went down five and five
times he rose. The priests beloved
over him like waves and he bore up
through them like a hardy swimmer.
He never had a chance to use his
revolver.
Once he found himself free. and he
started to run; but a dozen yards
marked the extent of his victory.
When he went down the sixth time
he stayed down. Strewn about his
path were eight priests as quiet and
still as he was.
"Corrigan, Corrigan?" sobbed
Cathew, clubbing, kicking, lodging.
"CorriganT
He fought with a savageness that
topped Corrigan's, but he possessed
neither the strength nor the endur-
ance of the brave Irishman; and by
the time the tom toms arrived, he
was a prisoner. He was pushed and
buffeted to the clearing on the other
side of the temple. flung to the turf.
bound securely and left there. He
tainted and in that fate was kind
to him. for he did not witness Corri-
gan's end. He never knew how they
had been discovered. Only the shades
af ofhar IrroL lacc n duapfnrara hovqr-