Avon Fantasy Reader No. 9 — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

; 7 ‘, F : : , ; though badly tattered, were unquestionably Chinese, as was the cap with a button in the center, which surmounted the broad head. | “A Chinaman or an excellent makeup,” I replied. “Wonder what he’s doing out here in his native costume?” - : Our speculations were interrupted by the clarion supper call of Alamo from the camp behind us: _ “Come an’ get it, or I'll feed it to the coyotes.” “You go down and eat,” said’ the professor. “’m not hungry, anyway, and I want to stay here and watch this curious newcomer. Bring me a bacon and egg sandwich and a bottle of coffee when you have finished.” Knowing my friend’s disposition—for once he had made up his mind, a fleet of tractors could not drag him from his purpose—I did not argue with him, but descended to the camp Se While Alamo grumbled about dudes that were too interested in rocks to come for their chow while it was hot, I finished my evening meal. Then, taking my binoculars, I carried his light snack to the professor as requested, The last pink glow of the sun was fading in the west, and the moon was rising when I reached the top of the ridge. : “Sit down here beside me,” whispered the professor. “Our visitor seems to be preparing for a religious ceremony of some sort, and I dislike dis- turbing him.” | : : While my friend munched his sandwich and sipped his coffee, I used my binoculars to watch the Chinaman. He had erected four poles supporting four others which formed a square above a low, flat-topped. rock near the center of the. crater. Suspended from the horizontal poles by cords were many small objects which were apparently very light in- weight, for they stirred like leaves in the breeze, A lighted taper stood in the center of the flat rock, which was surrounded by a ring of thin sticks that had been thrust into the ground. The Oriental was on his knees before the stone, immobile as the rock itself, his face turned in our direction, : “Seems to be keeping his eyes on us,* 1 said. T think he is waiting for the moon to rise above the crater im” replied the professor, once more applying his eyes to his own binoculars. My triend was right, for as soon as the first shaft of moonlight entered the crater the kneeling figure was galvanized into action, Bursting into a singsong chant, quite audible, if unintelligible to me, the Celestial applied the flame of the taper to each of the thin sticks he had_ planted around the stone, all of which were soon glowing like burning punk. Then he stepped beneath one of the objects suspended from a horizontal pole, made a short speech in the direction of the moon, and lighted it with the taper. It burned out in a few seconds, casting a weird, yellow light Over the scene. Stepping beneath the next suspended object he made an- other speech and lighted that object also. This one burned with a blue flame. He continued thus for several minutes until all the dangling objects had been consumed—each with a different colored flame. Then he extin- iGcbookszEo