Beadle's Dime Novels No. 300: The Crested Serpent — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

aes HE AZTEC PRIESTESS. | Sete cen | Ss e presides over the ceremonies. Twice a year the Aztecs as semble in the mountain cave and receive from her the bless- ings that are transmitted from our deities, enjoy the sacred rites that were observed by our ancestors, whose bones rest in almost every mountain cave in Mexico; then return to their abodes in the north, the south, the east, and in the west. My mother is now weeping for Senor Vallejo, and she mutters of revenge. We will tell her of our determination—our vow, and call ber strong aid to assist in destroying the Arab wo- man, Arnaud Boussard, and the ak + We will. Call your mother.” A woman of at least sixty years entered the room, Her body was tall and straight, eyes of an intense blue, and hair hanging in thick, white folds. She had been weeping. ‘“ Marta,” spoke Paula, “ we have been deeply wronged,”. “ Deeply, senorita,” and the voice sounded tremulous: and sad. “Ts not revenge sweet ?” “Ay, Paula,” and the Jarge blue eyes looked inquiringly at the speaker. cs “Will you assist Humfredo, and Paula, whom you have — been a mother to, to revenge the death of my father and your master?” | i ‘Our ereed teaches revenge. Tell me my duty and I will perform it.” “The cave in the mountain, Marta ?” “ Humfredo bas told you ?” 4 Yes.” ] “Paula, you must become one of us. Yours is the blood of the Castilian ; ours that of the Aztec. ; Will you_become a daughter of the Aztecs ?” = “T will, any thing to have my revenge—deep and terrible— | on the murderers of my father. Yes, I will become a daugh- ter of the Aztecs,” “We will visit the cave to-night, and you shail learn its “mysteries : but ne mortal foet has trod its BAGEER floors un- less the blood of the Aztecs coursed their veins.” Again the old mission bell, in low, silvery tones, announced : the hour of twelve. Ou the mountain peak glimmered a ~ - solitary light, telling where the Tigers and the Arab woman — scomichbooks,com—