Beadle's Dime Novels No. 119: Blackeyes — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

THE. CEREMONY. 43 warriors, richly attired, entered from a subterranean apartment, bringing, in.a@ golden basin, a few coals of: fire, at. which all bowed reverently... The fire was laid. upon,the altar, the war- rigrs holding their crossed spears over it, and the priests. laid the coals some pieces of light wood, which they fanned into a = dane from which arose_a_thick amoke of a slightly pung- ent and very fragrant odor. Then the drums and stringed instruments again struck up, and the white-robed men and women surrounded the altar and the statue, with joined hands, dancing a slow and monotonons measure. When the dance was finished, the two warriors lowered their spears, carefully gathered the remaining bits of fire into the basin, and returned to the place from which they had come. . The light was suddenly shut, off,and when Bent’s eyes hac become accustomed to the comparative darkness, he mee that, the priests and Indians had disappeared. _.“ You have seen, my son,” said Padre Abrojo. “T haye seen, it.is true, but I do not understand. I thought your people were Christians.” __ “ We are Catholics, in some matters of form, but it is not an easy matter to change the religion of such a race as ours, The worshipers whom you have seen are Children of the Sun, descendants of Montezuma, and it is thus that they adore the Source of Light, and honor the memory of their great father, praying him to return and deliver them from bondage, , Come with me, and I will show. you a still stranger sight.” . Curious to see and hear more concerning these, people wad their strange. proceedings, Bent silently followed his guide, who took the small lamp from the recess in which they had eaten, lifted a stone from the floor atthe side of the hall,and Jed the way down a flight of ten or twelve stone steps, at the foot of which further progress was barred by a wall and a stout wooden door. The padre opened the door and requested Bent to enter, placing the lamp in his hand. “ Why do you not go first *” inquired the young ‘man, with : & touch of suspicion. It is forbidden to me to enter that room at present; but you, who are of a different religion, may do as you please. ” conmmicbooks.com