Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-07-10
The Danishinq Men


feathers like bird, figure such as
is seen never but in the lands to the
south and beyond the Great river.
While waiting for day drew the lines
of the journey we had made which
here set down again for the guidance
of others. On the coming of morn we
went toward the purple vapors OF
the"
Peter turned to the next page. 1t
begun: 'These accounts of treasure
are but the poor speculations OF the
ignorant. Long after the sandstorms
have covered the pretentious dwelling
places of man such perversity will en-
dure that worldly avarice will conjure
into belief the tradition of fools"
This was NOT page thirty-three but
page thirty-seven. The pages be-
tween were gone.
For moment DeWolfe was puzzled.
This was not a perfect copy. After
moments reflection he felt the humil-
iation of stupidity. OF course the
copy he was examining was the i'm
perfect volume that Parmalee had
owned originally; the one sent by Wy
coff probably would be found in its
place on the shelves where Brenas
husband had put it-one of the last
acts he ever did in that house. Peter,
arising, walked along the rows of
books looking at the titles; in less
than three minutes he had found the
other copy of the quaint old book and
taken it down.
He blew the dust off the once gilded
top of its pages and as he did so he
noticed that at one place the pages
did not quite press close together.
The volume fell open there-at page
thirty-seven. The two preceding
leaves of the book had been torn out
He went back to the desk chair, sat
down, thrust his feet out straight be-
fore him and whistled.
After few moments he opened the
first copy of Father Carlos" again
and read over the paragraphs on page
thirty-two.
Serpent with feathers like bird"
he said as one who desires to hear the
words so that their meaning shall be
more clear. He was thinking of the
scrap of paper in his pocket-that
scrap Of paper that Jim Hennepin had
left inadvertently with Brena when
she saw him for the last time, that
scrap Of paper with the crudely drawn
figure of the feathered serpent-the
god, Kuk-ul-can-and the two scrawled
words, ''This Sign"
He took out this scrap and walking
to a window, with it's barred grating
through which the gray east wind was
hurting more rain against the spat-
tered panes, he examined the hand
writing. With the manner of guilty
man engaged in some nefarious and
shameful performance, he drew forth
Brena's letter of introduction adj
dressed to Lanfrew, the attorney, op-
ened it, and holding the two pieces of
writing side by side glanced from one
to the other. The capital in the
word Sign" was not like hers. And
yet
He paced again, thinking; then
uttering an exclamation, he pulled
open the lower drawer of the desk and
took out handful.of Parmalee's can
celed checks. Shifting one behind the
other, he went on hurriedly glancing
at the dates until he had found one
for eighty dollars made payable to
'Brena Selcoss Parmalee."
Almost viciously he slapped this one
over onto its face and stared down at
the endorsement on the back. PAY
to Bearer, Brena Selcoss Parmalee."
"That will do" he said and thrust
1t in his pocket.
He returned to the lower drawer
the many little books that his casual
observation had determined were
Compton Parmalee's private books of
account.
Lets see-seven years." said
Peter. "This one may do. Nineteen
twelve. And this one. Nineteen
eleven"
Opening the first, he began a search
of its entries. For more than three
hours he went over the items in the
rough accounting system of Parmalee.
AT the end of his amateur audit he
thrust the books under his arm,
looked at his watch, left the library.
took his wet hat and overcoat, and be-
fore he went out of the house, he
stopped for a moment to listen to the
hush within its four evil walls and to
the whine of the wind outside.
There was time to see Lanfrew If he
could catch a train for New York
without too much delay, and If good
fortune would hold the lawyer in his
Office. Peter wanted to get from the
last man who talked with Parmalee
one fact that had perplexed him. So
much did he want to put an end to
doubts which had grown that when he
had reached the city and gone down
town on subway express and had