Beadle's Dime Novels No. 300: The Crested Serpent — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

44 | THE CRESTED SERPENT, stood in the entrance of the Aztec chapel. He ie back with amazement at what he saw. “ Courage, Senor Lopez. If the devil himself is here we must have a round with him. We came here for wine, and, and he stepped upon the terrace ”? carajo, we will have wine, where Marta had lain down for repose, her gray hairs falling down to the stone flvor. “A mountain witch! Santa Marie, what next! I was foully entrapped in this place, and this woman knows the way ; out. She’s human, and Pil arouse her, Wine I came for, and wine I'll have,” and he chuckled hoarsely. Catching Marta by the shoulder, he shook her violently. She opened her eyes, then sat apright and looked into the hard face of Lopez, + _ “ Who is he that enters the Aztec cave ?” _“ Lopez—Senor Lopez, of the Imperial army.” “ Does he know Marta, the bigh priestess ?” “No; he was fraudulently put in this den of darkness by aspy. He said there was wine here that rivaled sunshine; wine that would make a man feel like a god. When I ont lay hands on bim [ will cut his throat. You old rat-eater, © have you any wine—wine that will set the blood on fire and put hew life in one’s stiff limbs—the elixir of life, which flows like the oils of the Israelites of the holy land Y” Marta looked at this burly Mexican, and she guessed at once what bad occurred. Something quick and decisive had ‘to be done. | ; } “Yes, Marta has wine that is as old as the hills, and as red as blood; wine as clear as the waters that run in the limpid Tula.” “Then give it to Lopez, or he will cut your throat as he will, to-morrow, cut the throat ua the vile young dog who heat. him up in this wizard’s den. “ Follow,” and she stepped down into the serpent’s chamber, — entered a side door, and in a momeat returned wilh a flask and goblet. He had followed, and stood by her side. She poured a goblet full to overflowing with yellow, oily wine, and handed it to him; and as he drank it off, closed the el, ture where they had entered: ‘‘ More !” he said, and extended the goblet. 3 ae Comicbooks:com, i