The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 1 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

16 A PERUVIAN PARADISE, Keeth fell face downward upon the timber, and clung there with both arms outstretched, striving to pierce the swiftly flowing water with tear blinded eyes. But neither the Indian nor his victim came to the surface again. CHAPTER IV.—TRAPPED. Wrru limbs which almost refused to bear him up Keeth finally crept to the end of the log and stood upon the solid rock. Ford and the trader were but a moment behind him. In their excitement they crossed the yawning gulf with scarcely a tremor ; but the engineer was so dizzy and ill he could scarcely stand. ‘Poor Jose !’? exclaimed Ford Kinsale. ‘‘ We should have kept a closer watch on that fiendish savage.’’ ‘What an awful death !’’ murmured Keeth, still unable to look over the cliff’s edge without shuddering. ‘‘ But wot are we goin’ to do now?’’ demanded Fitch. ‘“Come,’’ said the engineer, shaking himself together. ‘‘ We must find some way to descend this bluff. We must find Jose’s body and give it decent burial, at least. ‘Twhe river is full of eddies and snags. It may be along shore there.’’ | ‘““ We've got hourselves to think of first,’’ objected Fitch. “Oh, come along; let’s be unselfish,’’ said Ford. ‘‘ The poor chap is dead, of course; but, as Keeth says, we may recover the body. I believe he’d done as much for one of us. I must say he was the only Spaniard I ever cottoned to.’”’ : Keeth was already examining the rugged face of the bluff. It was not all rock ; there were some treacherous looking gravel slopes. In a few moments he began to descend, and his comrades, trusting themselves to his leadership, followed. He had found the only place in the bluff, as far as they could see, where descent was possible ; but when they got within thirty feet or so of the foot, they were forced to halt. From that point the place was a sheer precipice, so smooth that a mountain goat could not have found a foothold. “Got us hin a box, Mr. Keeth, you ’ave,’’ declared Fitch. ‘Oh, dry up,’’ said Ford. ‘‘ We can go back and try again.”’ ‘“‘ 77 don’t try no more,’’ declared the trader, with emphasis. ‘‘ Hi’ve got enough. It looks mighty like we wouldn’t be able to crawl back hup there, any’ow.’’ “We won’t talk about getting up till we’ve got down,”’ said Keeth quietly, and he began to uncoil the rope he carried. “There you have it!’’ exclaimed Ford. ‘‘I’d forgotten the rope. Here’s just the place to fasten it.’’ A huge boulder, sunk deep in the bluff, hung over the narrow beach be- low. Keeth quickly knotted one end of the cable over this projecting rock and then swung down the remaining distance to the verge of the river. Ford and the trader quickly followed him. The shore was not a dozen feet broad at any point within their view, and Eomichbooks.co OLS is | Ap ‘