The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 1 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

‘‘ Het ees a misfortune, but what cam one de now—eh, wha-at?’’ he asked, with a shrug of his shoulders. After their frugal meal they set off on the blind trail which Manuel seemed to follow more by instinct than by sight. If the first day’s jaunt had been arduous this was doubly so. ‘They made scarcely ten miles from sunrise to sunset. The grandeur of the scenery in these Peruvian Andes cannot’ be surpassed even in the Himalayas; but grand scenery could not make poor Fitch forget the toils of the journey. Since the occurrence of the early morning the white men watched their guide very closely. ‘They feared he would play them some trick, and to be left alone in this wild region, with but a fleeting remembrance of the path over which they had come, was: not a pleasant possibility. ‘“ But how the dickens will we find our way back, any way?’’ demanded Ford; as they talked the matter over. ‘That is a risk we must rum if we would find the Incas’ cave, I take it,’’ replied Keeth. ‘‘ But what do you think, Senor Rodriguez? Shouldn’t we have reached the three pines you spoke of before this ?’’ ‘“We cannot be a great way from them now, if the man is not playing us false,’’ replied the Spaniard. ‘‘ But I haf yet to see the first familiar landmark, ’’ The pimes: were not sighted that day ; but upon being questioned Manuel declared. that. he would get them to the place by the middle of the next fore- noon. For fear that he contemplated treason, it was agreed that one of the white men should remain awake all night, and this watch was faithfully kept. 3 Soon after leaving their second night’s camping place they began to descend intoa deepvalley. The sides of the mountain were heavily timbered, and. Manuel led them through the pathless forest as unerringly as the crow flies. Just before noon they came out upon a high bluff overlooking a swiftly flowing river, several rods across. As soon as they came out of the timber, Jose Rodriguez uttered an exclamation of satisfaction. ‘« Ket is the same,’’ he muttered. ‘‘ I could not’ be mistak’.’’ ‘Recognize the place, do: you ?’’ demanded Keeth, who walked beside ‘Sz, senor. We be not far from the pines, and the wonderful bridge of which I tol’ you.’’ Manuel set off up the stream, which flowed three or four hundred feet below them. It rapidly narrowed until, just after passing a sharp bend, they reached a spot where it was scarcely a dozen yards across. <A few rods before them the three huge pine trees leaned over the gulf from the opposite bank. Near the trees a great log, surely three feet thick at the butt, spanned the abyss. 7 ‘“For heaven’s sake,’’ cried Keeth, ‘‘ what manner of men must have been the people who placed that timber in position ?’’ ‘““Ah, I knew the senor would be surprised,’’ said Rodriguez, showing his teeth im a smile. ‘‘ Hes eet not wonderful—eh, wh-at? ‘That, Senor Feetch,’’ he added, turning to the trader, ‘‘ was done by these same savages ) Eomichbooks (S@)