The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-02-05


were slippery.
He called ahead to Juan. who
slowed his pace until his back was
but yard or two ahead of Grahame.
Tell me, son" b said. Have you
ever seen these people who live in
the jungle?"
"Often. We call them sublevados
-unconquered ones. The men come
to the coast at the right season and
bring blocks Of chicle which they
sell to the agents.
What do they look Iike?"
"A poor lot" Juan spoke contem.
tuously. "Barbarians. None have
ever heard of the Virgin of Guada-
lupe, or of the Church, for that mat
ter. They will burn in He'll. all OF
them. which is a pity perhaps. since
some of then are white. have even
seen blond ones"
What" exclaimed Grahame. Ibid
you say white?"
Isl, senior, white" He chuckled in
the darkness. "Ah. those Spaniards
were great travellers. They tell me
Cortez himself was rubio. blond"
"Have you ever seen their wo-
men?"
NO." answered Juan shortly. Nor
has any other Mexican either. That
Is the reason, think. why these
jungle people hate US so. When Dia2
was president, he sent troops in here
who acted badly. That was years
ago. They were all killed"
!, Hmm" Grahame strobe along
in silence. Blood calls to blood. II
there were renegade whites living
in some jungle sanctuary. perhaps
there was more than just robbery
behind this Ortega's plan to bring
the motion picture troupe--with wo-
men-into this inaccessible place.
Grahame's belief was growing that
McGrath's 0rtega and the one who
had taken him IL mis- launch to the
east coast were Of one and the same
identity. Some instinct told him
also that the 0rtega Of Hollywood
might be the same man.
He remembered how the man had
run from him. his arm dangling. He
saw again the white Jacket he wore
showing plainly against the dark
background as he sped toward the
back trail.
As he recalled how he had had
this target in the sights of his auto
matte, and then had lowered the
arm, he sighed. He wondered If ever
he could shoot ! man in the back,
no matter how richly that man might
deserve killing.
II this man were ortega, and he
was in the business of Turing men
and women into helpless situations
for the purposes of murder, rob-
berry and worse. he should be ex-
terminated like a mathematician
sight.
THE night grew cooler. Toward
l morning. the Jungle gave way TO
a chain OF open savannahs. through
which the trail followed. Deer bound
ed up from the tall grasses. bird-life
made q sleepy lin; once dark
shadow fitted ahead OF them. some
kind of large cat. thought Grahame
as he swung his rifles muzzle for.
ward.
MOI" called Juan sharply. Jaguarl
dangerous. You may only wound it!"
A half hour later abruptly dawn
hroke over the tree tops. Juan turned
mis- head Questioningiy.
mot yet" the American replied
to the unspoken Interrogation. 1T
viii be cool for another couple Of
hours"
They strobe onward. Already the
mists Of morning arose with humid
promise Of approaching heat. A small
hill thrust upward out Of the brush
and palmetto. ahead Of them. Ora
hame wondered at its abrupt topog-
raphy IN a country that for some
miles had been quite fiat. He stopped
to adjust his pack.
Then from somewhere ahead Of
them bedlam broke loose.
/ First were two shots closely spaced.
followed by a rattle Of sustained rife
fire. There was shouting. and a drum
ming Of hoofs. Grahame grasped
Juan b. the arm and pulled him on
the trail. GARDENING down the trail
toward them came a charging burro,
its pack lurching and swaying with
each eonyulsive leap. As 1t galloped
by. Grahame saw the broken tether
rope dangling from It's neck.
With back bent the man and the
boy slipped away from the trail to-
ward the small hill that Grahame
had noticed a few minutes before.
As they erawled up the steep sides
OF the hill, the rife FIRE ceased. but
from the side OF the hill opposite
them they heard the sounds OF many
people moving about. The hill was
difficult to climb without noise.
Pieces OF stone OF conventional
rectangular shape lay about. This
was evidently some forgotten Magyar
edifice. Grahame believed. as he care
fully tested each upward step. A Jun
gle-hidden fragment built BY q lost
race. The country had many such.
(cssyvirai. 1854. - RsrssTs IsssssI