Beadle's Dime Novels No. 300: The Crested Serpent — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

THE CAVE OF THE PROPHETESS. 68 Sion bell chimed the hour of twelve: Its strokes had not _ Ceased to sound before Marta stood before them. z “ Follow !” she said. “ - They followed until a secret place for the three animals e Was found, when they were tethered and left in charge of ‘Humfredo. Dut the group were hardly out of sight before s * sped troupe the chaparr al, circled around them and entered * “Your eves must be bound,” said Marta, sheets Vidal 2 and Murieta. They submitted to the operation, and after walking a short distance entered the mountain side. The door closed silently behind them. Marta lighted a taper, took the bandages from se the eyes of Murieta and Vidal, and led the way to the Aztec _ Chapel and the chamber of. the crested serpent. The room _ Was’ brilliantly lighted, and the effect upon Murieta was ~ Wonderful, She tightly grasped the arm of Vidal, exelaime ___ Can this be an abode of mortals; or is it a home of a3 ‘SUpernatural beings? How sublimely beautiful ! How ee 3 aly dazzling |” At that moment the music echoed dbicngh the obamber and tavern with all its varied effect; now swelling high and &rand; now weird and solemn; now wild and fierce; and ain, plaintive and wailing. e __ Marta appeared upon the altar in a robe dark as etioin yet ‘ Dlazing with the glowing light emitted by the fire-fly, which e nsects she had confined iu little gauze pouches, extending gas *tom feet to. shoulders. Upon her bead was a wreath that — _ tsembled the nopal, and surmounting it was'a golden repre- | -*ntation of an eagle in the act of alighting. | on . The se ene, by its originality and vividness, astonished even Vidal, and Murieta, her naturally wild senses captivated, and _ 5 Yara yes dazzled with the brilliant scene, sunk upon her knees oh ab Wonder aud amazement. a ‘Woman, thou and Arnaud Bonssard are born to rule, oe prophetess of the mountain looks into futurity and sees Sinn, hee Upon a throne, surrounded by all the noble in the-Jand. ‘eR ne nations of the earth recognize thee as sovereigns, and all preted als in the nation are vocal. with musi¢ to_ thy = comicbooks: com