Beadle's Dime Novels No. 300: The Crested Serpent — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

“20 ss *?PHE CRESTED SERPENT. ee) rested in repose, and away to the west the mountain spur loomed up and extended its dark front northward as far ag the vision of the eye could reach. It was a formidable fast- ness. From the narrow point, for leagues; on either side, towering rocks hemmed in the mountain as grim battlements around a feudal castle of the olden time, Two Jeagues from the Tigers’ camp it swelled to the east, and monster rocks, as if an upheaval had left its trace from medieval days, lay around, moss-covered and grim; and from the rade center it feathered down to a point in the north, as in the south, and a deep pass came between it and a sister-chain, whose rocky and tree-covered top trailed its long on to the Sierra Madre as a huge serpent. Humfredo, Paula and Marta, muffled in cloaks and blans kets, emerged from the hacienda as the ‘mission bell ceased ringing, and mounting horses, followed a narrow path that led to the mountain side. The night was clear, and the air bracing. Rapidly they rode in the direction of the cloud-like pile, and soon reached the undergrowth of chaparral and cactus that grew heavily on the swells of ground at the mountain’s base. Dismounting, they fastened their horses securely to mescyutte trees, and commenced an ascent toward the base rocks. In single file, silently, they approached them until they stoo@dybe- fore a barrier not made by human hands. <All around the small semicircle where they stood, clustered densely the mes quite, the stunted oak, the chaparral, and the cactus; and fronting them ae mountain base, with a small aperture at least ten fe up the rocks. | * This is A gptrence Senorita Paula,” said Humfredo, and. be pressed and upon the rock,and an opening, large, encugh to admit the form of a man, presented itself. “ Enter,” They entered. The slab mbered silently back, and yet the stars shone from the hole above. Lightivtg a small wax taper, a kigh, narrow passage extended upward. <A cool draught of air pervaded the passage. Occasionally a spa- cious chamber would be entered, then rade paths, in spiral shape, wound upward and upward: At Jength @ barrier in- terposed. A touch upon the reck; it moved, and a chamber, broad and spacious, presented itself. Conmicelooolksieormnn)