The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-02-21
Chapter IS
THE AHKIN

Chapter So
THE AHKIN
ITO Frank on the opposite side OF
i the stream It seemed that it took
almost . physical EFFORT for Janice
70 turn her eyes toward him. She
put her foot upon the log and ran
lightly ACROSS
"You might have slipped" remon-
strated Frank as she stood beside
him. Her glance met his. "What
II it5n he said with quick concern.
Her face held . curious expression.
aThat stump. Frank. That tree
was chopped down, or gnawed."
"Are you sure?"
At her nod he stepped past the
Withered leaves OF the palm top and
made the passage back to the other
side.
He examined the ends Of the stump
and LOG. Janice was right They
looked - IL they had been cut by
man with an Incredibly duh axe.
Frank Eeioinsd the girl His ex-
preston was thoughtful
He said, Lets so on" He did not
tell hsE that he had noticed another
and more disturbing thing. A faint
trail led sway from the tree trunk
through the soft ground. Jungle
grass grows fast. The path was
faint but discernible. That meant
that the trail was being used at
PRESENT.
They akixted the base Of the small
hill keeping within Q few yards Of
the streams edge Suddenly Frank,
ahead Of the girl stopped. He shifted
the air.
II smell smoke" said Janice.
'There must be people nearby. Oh
Frank, perhaps"
She brushed past him. "It's com.
Ing from over there. ! see 1t now!"
She began running. 1t was then
that Frank realized that they we're
on q trail. doubtless the continual
tion OF the one he'd seen on the
other side Of the palm-trunk bridge.
He called out, stop. Janice.
Waltz They may be-"
He saw the running girl halt sud-
denly, She gave & short scream and
recoiled. Fran k snapped out his
machete and leapel forward.
The path had given way to a
small clearing. :. grass. thatched
roof hut stood on the farther side.
There was q small pipe Of rocks in
the middle OF which fire burned
But lying beside the fire. his JET
eyes cleaning coidls; on either side
OF his beaked nose. was the figure
OF the ahkin. high-priest OF the
bloody cult Of the Bat!
JANICE whirled and ran down the
y back trail Fur moment Frank
stood hesilating. swinging his ma.
chefe. and staring al the eyes OF liv-
Ing hate that burned in the dark face
u the priest
The mans headdress was gone.
Iis feathered ornamentation chung
10 him In damp DedraggIement. The
grIstly hide Of skin lay half over his
extended legs. Despite his wrecked
costume. the man's murderous IA
natleism clad him like garment.
Frank heard Janice call from a
distance. Warily he backed away.
The ahkin made no move to follow.
He,lay. hating Frank with his eyes.
He Joined his companion at the
streams edge Size admitted. with
nervous apology. that she'd lost her
heAe.
His eyesl" she exclaimed with a
shuddar. "They were like poison!"
sAe put her hand to her heart Il
seemed 20 feel bis glance here!
Let's 50 hack to our camp"
Thsy hurried. stumbling through
che vague tran they'd hacked that
morning. Frank was busy with his
GhnuRhta How had the ahkin sur
lsIved that terrible fall? How had
he come 70 this isolated spot.
A vague explanation was pressing
Into bis consciousness.--a reason
remote and incredible. That stream.
Gliding swiftly through this little
snnken vaIley-couTd II be that the
pool % the cenote beneath the pyra.
mid connected with this valley?
Was this valley Just another
elongated cenote. --through which
the stream ran too swiftly to dam
into 3 pooif That would mean that
this VALLEY was q freak formation
q nature. that the underground
riyef. gnawing its way through the
lImeslons had finally undermined its
archod roof and caused the ground
above % fall into the cavern below.
Ne wonder that the ellis bound.
I'm tie little valley were concave
and showed no lace up which they
mighe climb 70 the upper level
EEank followed close upon Janice's
heel2 he kept his machete hared
q his hard.