The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 1 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

A PERUVIAN PARADISE, 25 nearly a mile they remained in the shadow of the wood. ‘Then they came out upon a broad plateau. Great fissures opened in the rock in all directions, and they had to pick their steps with care around boiling springs and holes from which clouds of sulphurous steam escaped. ‘‘ Nice country, this,’’ said Ford, in disgust. But Keeth glanced about him with appreciative eyes. He saw unmistak- able signs of the richest mineral deposits. They were nearly an hour in crossing the plateau. ‘Then they descended through a narrow ravine, which turned and twisted like a snake, and sud- denly, without warning, came out into a most luxuriant valley. The white men could not suppress exclamations of surprise at the view which met their eyes. A long, gently undulating stretch of prairie lay before them. It was surrounded on all sides by unbroken cliffs. As far as they could see, the opening through which they had entered the miniature paradise was the only entrance to it. At its widest point it might have been three miles broad, ‘There were great patches of luxuriant grass and here and there small gardens. There were three or four groups of houses, but by far the larger number were just at the left of the ravine through which they had come, and stood in a rude circle about a great, flat roofed structure which covered surely an acre of ground. All the houses were of gray stone, without the least ornamentation. They looked as stern and forbidding as the cliffs which surrounded the valley. A little stream, like a crinkled, silver ribbon, crossed the prairie and disappeared at the base of one of the towering cliffs. Herds of llamas were grazing in the meadows ; but no other animals were visible. The old man and the girl led the way toward this nearest group of dwell- ings. As they approached, the people began to swarm out. But although they were evidently very curious regarding the three white men they stood respectfully aside at a motion of the old man’s hand. Evidently he was a power in the tribe. In a few minutes they reached the center of the little town, where stood the great building. Its front was a vast porch, the mighty roof upheld by rudely graven pillars, and before the porch, in the center of what might be termed the plaza, was a broad, low altar. ‘he armed escort went at once into the main building (the temple, Keeth decided); but the old man and the maiden led their guests to a row of small houses just in front of the principal entrance. ‘The man opened the door of one, and motioned Ford and Fitch to step within; but when Keeth tried to follow them, he waved him back and pointed to a somewhat larger house beyond. Keeth hesitated ; he did not fancy being separated from his friends, But Ford, who saw his hesitation, said : ‘Go ahead, Ronald. We’re in for it now, and might as well go the whole figure. His Nibs evidently thinks you are a great chief and you'll get better treatment than we. I wouldn’t mind taking dinner with that girl myself.’ “If anything happens, fire your pistol,’’ Keeth said, in a low voice, and CoOTmmiclool< (@)