Beadle's Dime Novels No. 119: Blackeyes — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

IN THE HUY. 29 tiled roof of the building, just in time to see the priest dis- appear down a trap-door, and they followed him, descending a short ladder, until their feet rested on the tiled floor of a large room. They could see, by the dim light of the little lamp at the window, that the building was divided by an adobe partition, and that dark forms were seated around the room, against the walls. “This isa strange way of entering a house, padre,” said hiewsesant Bent. ‘“ It would seem more easy and natural to cone in through-a door.” “Tt might be more easy, but less secure,” replied the priest. “We have been subject to depredations of the In- dians, but I hope we will not be.troubled by them any more, now that we are to be proteeted by the great and powerful government of the United States. © Besides, this mode of, entering our houses has been customary ‘with us for ages, having been handed down to us by our Aatec forefathers. % Aztec!” exclaimed Bent; “I must have heard that word in a dream, or have read it in some forgotten’ history, for it does not seem real. Is it possible that your people ape the de- scendants of the Aztec race?” . “We are, indeed, the representatives of that calities the oldest on this continent. These warriors whom you see pround you are all children of the great Montezuma.” The men having descended the ladder, a girl or ‘Sethe woman followed them. She came tripping lightly eet the steps; and took a seat in a corner of the room. = “ Tetold you that there: was a woman among them,” whis- pered. Luke Royston. “Did you see her, lieutenant, as she. came down the ladder? Her eyes shone under that queer _ little shawl that she wore on her head like a pair of thebig- gest kind of diamonds. What a foot and ankle she has! I | am willing to swear that she’sa beauty. . Wonder if one are: going to give us a fandango in this ranche.” “If they do give us, a fandango,” . replied Bent, wy am afraid they;may: make us dance in the air. I don’t like the appearance of things here, and Bill. Ward looks suspi- | cious. x: A number of wax candles were lighted in different parts of the room, rendering all the objects within it quite plain to . COMMGCHOOLS COMI