The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-02-08
Chapter "a
FRANK EXPLORES

THE sun had sunk below the
4 horizon. Cautiously hessild into
the open outside the ruin. Ahead,
where the column Of pursuers had
gone. he made out q white object
above the tree tops.
He drew forth his binoculars and
adjusted them. II was the house
atop the pyramid rejecting from its
altitude the sun. He was closer to
the city than he thoughE-not
more than a mile or two.
He heard rustic behind him. He
Whirled. gun in hand. The shadows
aad heightened. and semi-obscurity
shrouded the ground. The sound
was not repeated. but he believed
he saw q shadow fade and disappear
At the jungle's edge.
An Iguana, AZ large Is q cut.
dfifted across the rocks ahead OF
him. Doubtfully he hoIstered his
pistol. and withdrew into the ruin.
Time enough to enter the city after
dark. meanwhile he would get some
badly needed sleep.
The squesking OF bats and the
sofa whispering OF their wings
awakened Frank. He glanced at
thr illuminated dial OF his watch;
It was 9 little after midnight. He
stretched the stiffness from his
limbs. He adjusted his clothing as
best be could In the darkness. and
frightened his belt. He was very
hungry.
He stepped into the open and fol-
lowed in the tracks OF the party that
had passed the ruin during the af.
ternoon. AS he approached the city
the trees thinned and gave him
seanty cover.
Ahead. he saw light, q dull glow.
that be guessed from its height to
be fire OF some kind atop the big
pyramid. This was confirmed as he
approached the huge mass. He
wondered at the lack Of editices on
this side.
Doubtfully he gagged the height
OF the moon. specializing II the two
hours light remaining were likely
to be more OF a help than . him
drance. He was grateful Tor the
aim illumination q few minutes later
when be stepped into the shadow Of
the pyramid.
He stopped. rigid with astonish-
ment. There. ahead OF him. almost
at his feet was the white disk OF the
moon, 1t took a few seconds for an
explanation OF this eerie phenUm.
enon to penetrate his mind. e was
the moon. reflected in = pool OF wa.
ter As his gaze adjusted itself TO
the correct focus. he made out the
dim bulk of the pyramid reflected
below the lopsided shield that was
the moon.
Il was q cenote! One Of those
huge cayefnous openings that
abound throughout the Yucatan
peninsula. where the roof of rock.
ages ago. had fallen into .aatural
suhlerranean reservoir.
Graham dropped to his hands and
knees and crawled to the edge. The
brink was sharp and the sides al
most perpendicular. II made sort
OF lake sunk scores of feet below
the surface Of the surrounding ter.
rain. The eenote was . rough oval.
q hundred yards long. with a
breadth-span OF about two.thirds
that distance.
The pyramid abntted against the
farther end. looming like q grim
sentinel OF past ages.
lie stepped away from the edge
I ! and progressed with Infinite
caution to the base OF the structure
The moon was somewhat behind
him, shining upon the massed stone.
Re saw 10 his surprise, that the
pyfamid had been Constructed so
that this side reared itself IN q
smooth perpendicular line from the
Up OF the cenote.
Il would be q terrible fall, thought
the American. from the truneated
top Of the pyramid. An object
hurled from that height would have
an uninterrupted plunge to the sur.
face OF the water.
He rounded the corner away from
the pool. and guiding himself with
one hand touching the masonry. ap.
preached the center OF the sharply
sloping side He vas In deep shad-
ow. At the center the hewn-stone
steps began.
He climbed q little way. and rest
ed. listening for sounds OF human
beings. He progressed slowly but
assured himself that no one was
about. At the top he psered over
the edge.