The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 1 — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

eee A PERUVIAN PARADISE. ‘‘ By Jove! that was Jose, sure,’’ declared Ford. ‘“ We may reasonably suppose so.’’ ‘“And he went through that hole and never came back ?”’ The three white men looked at one another. ‘‘ Wot do you think of hit?’’ whispered Fitch hoarsely. ‘‘If that’s the w’y Jose got hout it’s the w’y we can get out.” ~ Let us be sure that the prisoner Gonnatzl meant was Jose,”’ responded Keeth. ‘‘TIl try to sound the fellow further, or ask some of the priests. But we must not arouse their suspicions. ’’ ~ It’s not an inviting looking hole,’’ said Ford reflectively. ‘* But if we’re reasonably sure that Jose escaped by that means, you will risk it ?’’ asked Keeth. Ford was silent a moment, but Fitch did not hesitate. | ‘“Hif you harsk me that, Mr. Keeth, Hi’ll tell you mighty quick,’’ he said doggedly. ‘‘ Hi’m goin’ to try it if there’s the least show of getting hout alive. Bob Fitch ’as stayed. among these ’eathen just as long as ’ee wants to. ’He’s gyme for hennything.’’ : ‘“I shan’t be behind you. fellows,’’ said Ford quietly. ‘‘Life is sweet, but liberty is sweeter. And there’s no knowing when the apparent kindness of our friends here may change to something different. I don’t like that Gonnatzl’s eye, and you say he’s a high cockalorum in the tribe, Keeth?”’ 3 Keeth nodded, but he kept his suspicions of Gonnatzl’s enmity to himself. There was no use in worrying Ford and Fitch further. But he firmly be- lieved that the young man who, some day, would be at the head of the tribe, was anything but friendly toward them. He had a demonstration of this fact . within a few hours. | That evening he had an opportunity of speaking again with Imozene for a few moments, although one of the women servants crouched in the corner all through the interview. He did not know how to broach the matter of their last /é¢e-a-/éte, although that lay nearest his heart ; but he told her of the tour of the valley which he and his friends had made that day and asked about the captive of whom Gonnatzl had spoken. ‘“Ah,-yes, I remember him, my lord,”’ responded Imozene, with her head turned so that he could see only the profile of her face. She seldom looked at him now, and all the childish frankness and candor were gone from her manner. ‘‘ He stayed with us many moons—but he was not like thee. He was of that nation who conquered our fathers in the days that are past.”’ ‘“Gonnatzl said that he was swept into the cavern by the river,’’ sug- gested Keeth. _ ‘He was seen to go there, my lord,’ she answered. ‘‘’[he great rain which the gods sent carried him down—down to the abode of the gods. He was seen never more; but his spirit sometimes walks and wails about the river. It has been seen at night or early morning by the herdsmen. ‘They will not go near the place except by broad daylight.” ‘So he was a Spaniard?’’ said Keeth. ‘‘He was not treated as kindly as are we, then ?”’ Eomichbooks- co