The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-03-01
Chapter IS
CAPTURE

CAPTURE
Tor hours. It seemed. she lay
~ wide-eyed staring at the refec.
tions from the fire that shifted over
the unevo'. arch OF the caves roof.
Finally she drifted into slumber. :.
She dreamed restlessly. A kali.
eidoscope OF dream substance shut.
tied across her mind. Bits of her
Hollywood life. fragments of her
jungle experience pulsed In weird
oscillation.
Franks face was there, and Lang
tons. and that of poor Horatio
Greene's mixed up oddly with that
OF the Mexican boy Juan.
She made again the trip up the
side OF the pyramid to the high.
priests house. She saw again the
panopiy OF the ritual before the
stone OF sacrifice. 81 smelled the
resinous odor OF copal incense, and
heard the fiat. dismal thudding of
hidden drum.
The face OF the high priest came
closer. Even In the dream the chill,
inexorable fanaticism of his eyes
seemed TO shrink the membranes OF
her soul.
The arms OF the guards and the
lesser priests seized her. She felt
her throat bursting In scream. She
struggled desperately.
Her eyes snapped wide. Curious
shadows doomed between her and
the rosy fire reflections on the cav.
ern roof. A rmell OF unwashed In
dian bodies tingled her nostriIs. She
struggled 20 arise but she could not.
She was held tightly to her cot.
She heard a voice shouting.
charged With pain and despair.
Janice! =. Janicel"
Suddenly the cavern was filed
with light Torches Jared.
The girl saw native faces about
her. The crossed rows Of cartridges
upon their breasts. She realized
that she was bound to her bed.
AS ne widered her bewiIdered
eyes at the scene. the figure OF
Langton was brought forward be-
tween swo brawny natives. He was
Dound-hand and foot--but his ewes
flashed and hts shoulders writhed IA
. paroyxsm OF futile effort.
They've got Us, Janicel" he
preathed hoarsely. "That devil
called them know. Helpless.
Jet be sent them his sum- mons
waiting I'll Frank was gone or the
rains camel"
She molstened her Iips and stared
Dewildered from brown face 10
brown face. Il was too strange. too
dlreful for her to accept at once.
she saw the Atkins eyes observing
her beyond the circle OF faces. His
expression was triumphant-indom.
liable.
As she caught his glance he NUT
tered something to one Of his al.
PENDANTS. Two men 9tepped beside
MIN; they lifted him and carried
him forward. He addressed the girl
IN rapid Spanish. She shook her
head aud turned appealingIy 10
Langton.
But the tall blond white mans
eyes showed his incomprehension.
Turning to his indian attendant. the
high.priest spoke In the gutteraI
dialect OF the sublevados.
A space was cleared about the In.
dian. He pointed to Janice and
shook bis head: he repeated the ges.
ture toward Langton again shaking
Ms head. He pulled q lock OF black
hair away from his forehead and
nodded.
HE means Frank" muttered
Langton. Hes trying to tell Us
something about Frank"
Whereupon the man took an m.
mistakable posture. He allowed his
BODY TO sag. Slowly he kneeled to
the iioor and stretched himself our
upon II. He closed his eyes and LEI
) his mouth open.
There could be- no doubt of thu
horrible import OF his position. Il
told Janice as plainly as II Frank
were lying before her that thew
wanted her 10 know that Frank was
deadl
She cried out distractedly, "No.
mol That Isn't what he meansl
Billy. II can't be. How do they
knowf How could they knowls
LangtOn. misery In bis hagKard
eyes. glanced sidelong at the hlgh.
priest With the fascination Of q
bird for q snakes eyes, abe fol.
lowed Langton's glance.
Instantly a. she met those OBJ.
sidian depths. the realization surged
In her that this man had called to
his people across miles Of traekless
jungle and bad commanded them 20
this hidden valley.
What other powers did he pos.
sossg Since he could throw his will