All-Story Weekly, Vol. 112, No. 1 — page 71: what you’re looking at

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

LAND OF THE SHADOW PEOPLE. and he is doing his best at it now. But why should I be downhearted? Iam not.” His chubby fingers sought papers and tobacco, and he rolled himself a consolation. Presently Nambe and the arrieros re- turned from Huantar; and the Cholos held an impromptu but vociferous wake over the remains of Enrique. Don Castro had been delayed, and Jones did not see him that night. Soon after the arrival of the morning sun, Jim Arnold rode in from the mountain- trails, stiffened and weary from hours in the saddle and a fruitless vigil among the rocks. ‘‘ Saw nothing but moonshine and mists,” he reported to Jones. “ Didn’t even meet a thief, though they seem to be fairly plen- tiful hereabouts. I think that some of the town boys i in this neighborhood work while “ we sleep.” “‘ After breakfast come to my tent,” ” enid Jones. “I can give-you one good reason why you didn’t find your. mysterious en- chantress—and I guess we will hold a council of war.” “My eye! What’s the dirge?” Jim turned his head, and for the first time he saw the body of the dead arriero, which his brother Cholos was noisily preparing for transportation. “That’s a part of one hellishly queer mess. Your little experience in the rocks night before last was only a sample,” Jones answered. In Jones’s tent Jim found Katherine, Jones and the Martian waiting for him. As briefly as he could, Jones set out the tale of their experiences among the ruins of the castle of Chavin, including the inexplicable presence there of the girl Nee-Nah. Hecdid not -in the relation see fit to make any mention of that young woman’s puzzling multiplicity of shadows, which Katherine and Kelly had seen, OF thought that they had seen. Jim was tremendously excited by the story. Almost before it was finished he was upon his feet, flushed and eager. ‘You saw her!” he exclaimed, turning to Katherine. ‘‘ Couldn’t you keep her? Did she speak to you? Which way did she go? What was she like?” 61 Without sequence the queries tumbled from his lips. His usually cool, gray eyes were all alight, and his rather matter-of-fact countenance bespoke an inward disturbance which surprised his friends. Next to Grimshaw, Jim was the last one of the party whom they would have sus- pected of being led afield by the rare-hued goddess, Romance. But here he was, mounted upon one of her fleet horses and spurring it desperately. Jones, who in his time had ridden one of those steeds, and ridden it hard, watched the youngster through narrowed lids and with a gleam of sympathy in his deep eyes. Katherine smiled. The Martian looked troubled. Katherine held up her hand. ‘I will try and answer you categorically,” she said. “ I saw her. I called to her to stay, but she would not. She did not answer; but she did wave her hand. ‘“She disappeared on down the valley. With the exception that she wore a crest of green feathers in her hair, your descrip- tion of her was almost photographic; and— she is very beautiful.” “Does she look like a Cholo woman?” asked Jim with a triumphant glance at Jones. ‘Most assuredly no!” ‘“ Remains the question of what she was doing at the castle of Chavin yesterday, where, to put it mildly, the proceedings were very unconventional,’ said Jones. Arnold’s broad jaw crept forward at least a half-inch. His expression became almost challenging. ‘Do you mean to infer, Bob, that she had anything to do with that—that—”’ ‘““ Murder,” Jones finished for him. ‘ It’s an unpleasant word, Jim: but a murder was done yesterday. I don’t know just how they handle these matters down here, but I as- sume that there will be some kind of an investigation.” ‘Pardon my getting hot under the collar, old man,” rejoined Arnold with more moderation. “ But that girl! Say, Bob, if you had seen her face as I did, at short range, so to speak, you’d hesitate a deucedly long time before you linked her up with anything as ugly as a murder.” comiclboolk C©