All-Story Weekly, Vol. 112, No. 1 — page 65: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

LAND OF THE SHADOW PEOPLE. floor. Around the interior of the shaft, descending in spirals to the lower dusk, was a stairway, the granite steps of which in centuries past had been worn to the smoothness of polished agate by the bare feet of Inca priests. This staircase, declared the Cholo guide, led to an underground court and two strata of corridors and cham- bers hewn in the heart of the plateau. Enrique resigned his rifle to Tomas, re- newed from his pouch the quid of dried coca-leaves and lime which is as inseparable from the Cholo as is the betel or areca-nut from the aboriginal of the Orient, lighted his torch, and removed his sandals. In an-. other instant his leathery soles were pat- ting on the granite steps, and the smoke of his torch was drifting upward on the cur- rent of cool air which came from below. For a distance of nearly thirty feet those above watched the flaring blaze. Then it disappeared, leaving only a patch of flicker- ing radiance on the wall of the shaft. Suddenly that light vanished also. Sim- ultaneous with its disappearance, the watch- ers at the top of the stair heard a startled exclamation from the Cholo. It was fol- lowed by a burst of hissing, as of angered serpents, and then a single, prolonged screech of unbearable human agony. So poignant of mortal anguish and horror was that frightful yell, that. leaped echoing from the black throat of the pit into the twilight of the ruined hall, that the four beings who heard it shrank Dack from the gloomy brink and stared at one another with whitening faces and tongues that re- fused their office. The three men as one sprang to the head of their stair and leaned over the ancient orifice, so suddenly become grim and terrible. “Enrique! Enrique!’ shouted Tomas. Only the echoes of the powerful voice were flung back from the murky bottom of the shaft. Out of the velvet silence the steady flow of cool air brought a few curling drifts of smoke from Enrique’s torch. En- rique did not answer. Then did Tomas the Aymara prove for all time that he was a brave man. ‘“‘ Stay you with the senora, senores,” he said, and lighted another torch. 55 Few are the Indians of South America, who have come under the influence of the curas of the Church of Rome, who do not carry a talisman which has been blessed by their padre and which they venerate as a Kaffir does his fetish. The amulet par- ticular to Tomas was a tiny copper image of the Bleeding Heart. In this his hour of need he drew it from his bosom, where he wore it on a string, and pressed it to his lips, after which he loosened his heavy machete in its leather sheath and looked to his rifle. | | Having thus put in order his weapons, both spiritual and carnal, Tomas went steadfastly down to face whatever terrors might be in the pit which had swallowed his companion. Shaking himself like a man newly wakened, the Martian struck a match and applied its flame to one of the remaining torches. “T will go with him, Robert,” he said, and followed the Aymara. Before Kelly was half-way down the spiral, Tomas and his light disappeared as had Enrique. A moment later he called to Jones in a strained voice: “ Patron, tell the Senor Kelly to go back. and give me room.” | The Martian turned on the stairs. Be- hind him came Tomas, breathing heavily and muttering to himself. He had left his torch below, but still clutched his rifle. By the light which Kelly carried, Jones saw that the Indian bore a heavy burden on his shoulder. He stepped from the staircase and laid at Jones’s feet the limp body of Enrique, its throat horribly gashed and torn. “He has met the ghosts of the Gentiles, patron,” said Tomas gravely: “He has killed one, and has been killed.” CHAPTER IX. _ THE SHADOWS OF NEE-NAH. 7 HAT’S that!” cried Jones, looking V¢ down at the mutilated throat of the Cholo. He kne!t and touched Enrique’s breast and wrists. Beyond a per- adventure, the man was dead. ‘“ What has done this?” he inquired of cCoOmiclbooks C©