Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 928) (1923 07 13)
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oes ae FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY issued weekly—Subscription price, $3.50 per year; Canada, $4.00; Foreign, $4.50, Harry E. Wolff, Publisher, Inc., 1 f West 234 Street, New York, N. Y. Entered ‘as Second-Class Matter, October 4, 1911, at Ree the Post-Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Radio Articles For Wireless F ans On Pages 24 & 25 2 A No. 928 NEW YORK, JULY 13, 1923 Price 7 Cents a _ SEEKING A LOST TREASURE * 4 + OR, THE NERVE OF A YOUNG EXPLORER By A SELF-MADE MAN CHAPTER I.—The Ancient Mariner. clared were founded on his own personal ex- : periences during fifty years’ wanderings about the “I am the only white man who ever saw the world. Finally something reminded him of the ‘hidden city of the Andes and lives to tell the tale,” city of La Puz, in Bolivia, and then he told the said the old sailor, wagging his head solemnly. boys that thirty years before he had aceompanied There was a sad, reminiscent look in the speak- a party who attempted the ascent of Mount Illi- vet's watery eyes, which seemed to indicate that if mani in the Andes range. He had got separated he chose to tell all he knew about his experiences from the bunch, and subsequently losing his foot- connection with the city aforesaid he could ing on the snow-encrusted ground, had slid down ‘make his listeners’ eyes bulge with wonder. It the mountain-side to an unknown depth without was a sarge =e — = be SRTOK- ER a injuring himself in the least. Dudley and his chum, ur Hale, two brig While trying to extricate himself from the American boys, had come to the private wharf mountains he only succeeded in making his way on the Dudley property, situated on the banks of further into the range. Eventually, thousands of the Hudson, not far from the town of pi a feet below the snow line, he had unexpectedly ~ to fish, and there found the old sailor, with hook come upon a town, the houses of which were built line nad basket, seated on the end of a string- entirely of pure silver, or some burnished stone lece, apparently in a blissful ag mea ee resembling that metal. The town. was buried, it he was trespassing on private domains. r he said, in a green and fertile valley in the very as a square-built, grizzly, ai toa ag Noa heart of the Andes range, at no great distance Neptune, with a countenance bronzed to the color’ from the elevated city of La Paz. The inhabi- “of mahogany from constant exposure to the sun tants he discovered were descendants of the Incas nd wind. ; + of Peru. They had no more knowledge of the A short briar-wood pipe was stuck between outside world than the outgide world had of them. tobacco-stained lips, and a suspicious-looking, They were born, lived and'died in the valley ever nd-bellied bottle reposed by his side.. It was since their ancestors, generations before, settled d to say which was the more highly colored— there. Cox at this point in his yarn made the int of his large, luminous nose or the bowl assertion with which this chapter opens. his pipe; both were fine examples in their “What an old liar this féllow is!” whispered , and showed what constant practice will ac- Arthur Hale in his companion’s ear. plish in the ornamental line. A pair of par- The ancient mariner regarded the boy’ euldrly bright eyes glowed beneath the rim of cyspicion, as if he had some idea what was pass- ~ a well-worn hat, and he had cocked these upon the jng jn the lad’s sober face. two boys as they came upon the wharf. He had right right on the private dock, and Frank 44 Fyank, with a sober face. 5 * ¢ ad hint to that effect; but on second yy jite, and I've seen several since I*first went e a i “They had hardly cast their +, .04,”’replied Mr. Cox with equal gravity. enced to talk to them. 7 aes = ‘name was Tom Cox, and wanted “If it wasn’t silver, it was something that thur Hale whispered to his chum that «nodding his hedd sagely. ; the intruder had a great cheek. The “And were the door-knobs and other little y well on this — = things of Nee kind made of pure gold?” asked have tired o diversion’ ur, with an unbelieving grin. nie eae te a ta -4No,, they gla Pe the old | “Tt must have been a wonderful town,” remark- when he first saw him, intended to give «14 was the most wonderful town I eyer saw in the river before the ancient “And you say the houses were built of pure — ow what theirs was. They obliged him, © looked jest like it,” replied-the ancient mariner, _
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z “Didn’t you see any gold at all?” asked Arthur, & surprised that the sailer did not include that x preeious metal in his yarn. > - : “Sure I did. There was gold cups, and gold ornyments, and all kinds of gold gimcracks.” “And did you bring a few away with you?” went on Arthur, with a sly twinkle in his eye. “No, I didn’t,” answered the sailor, shortly. Mr. Cox gave a snort of disgist. “T was lucky to get away with a whole skin, without thinkin’ about no sich nonsense,” he said ® emphatically. “How did you manage to make your escape, Mr. Cox?” asked Frank. Bc * “J jest walked out of the valley one mornin’ mt after I’d been there a week with a bundle of a food strapped to my- back, and climbed the moun- stain passes in the direction I thought La Paz was, and after a week’s wanderin’ I met a native Injun, who directed me how to find my way to the city.” ; “T suppose you told all about your adventure -when you reached La Paz?” said Frank. = “TI did, of course.” : “And what did the people say?” “They said there was a legend about a silver city buried in the heart of the Andes, but no man had ever been there and come back again.” “But you had been there and come back, hadn’t -you?” “Sure I had; but no one believed me. They said it didn’t stand to reason; that Americans had a great imagination, and so on. They didn’t exactly call me a liar, but I could tell that they ht I was one.” , wy: “It’s too bad that you didn’t bring some evi- gence of the buried city with you,” remarked “I was lucky to bring myself back.” “And that was thirty years ago?” The ancient mariner nodded. “And I s’pose the buried city is there yet?” “T reckon it is.” “Unless it’s been swallowed up/ by an earth- quake. _* The old sailor nodded again. “You say you lived at the place for a week?” - gaid Frank. ; _ Another nod from the old man. _. “What kind of people were the inhabitants?” . “Sort of copper-colored.” “How did they dress?” __ “Most of the men went naked, except for a “kind of breech-cloth. They woré a band of silver or white metal about their heads, and carried . + agai when not workin’ in the fields. That was 4 common herd. The big-bugs wore long gowns of tecloth, had a gold band around their ds, and wore ornaments sich as armlets and stlets, with precious stones stuck into them accordin’ to their rank.” “And what about t The. ares SEEKING A LOST TREASURE ‘gust as he removed it from the hook and cast it _— “Burn you up, eh?” Why?” “As a part of their religious rites.” -“What kind of worship did they have?” “Seemed to be a kind of sun worship, as near as I kin remember.” ; “The ancient Peruvians reverenced the sun as the source of their royal dynasty, didn’t they?” - put in Hale, looking at his friend. . “I believe they did,” replied Frank. “& know. ~ I read‘that their Temple of the Sun, in Pizarro’s ~— time, was the most magnificent edifice of the em- pire. If they had any intention of burning’ you up as a victim to their god, it’s a wonder they let you get away from their clutches.” : % “T reckon they didn’t think I could get away.” “They kept a watch on you, I suppose?” - oe “Tf they did, it wasn’t a very good one, for when I made up my mind to leave I found no trouble - in skidooin’.” “You had to climb up through the mountains to reach La Paz, which is nearly twelve thousand — feet above the level of the sea?” put in Arthur. : The ancient mariner nodded. =: “How did you know what direction to go in?” =e. “T didn’t know. Just took my chance.” si “You must have had a nice time of it. Sup- posing you’d gone in the wrong direction, where __ would you have fetched up at?” = “T reckon I’d died of starvation.” ine _ “It’s a wonder you didn’t organize an expedi- __ tion to go in search of the silver city. You must _ have-had some idea where it was after having been there.” “ety “Young man, I wasn’t a fool,” replied the old man, regarding Arthur severely, “Even if 'd been rash enough to want to go huntin’ for it, I couldn’t have found anybody willin’ to go along — with me.” : ; . At that moment the ancient mariner had a bite, and he drew up a very small specimen of the finny tribe. The boys laughed at his look of dis- back into the water. Evidently he had had enough of fishing, in that particular spot at least, for he coiled up his line, put the round-bellied — bottle and small string of fish into his basket, — and seemed ready to leave the wharf, The boys — also wound up their lines, Frank picking up the half-dozen fish they had jointly secured. oo “We'll see you to-morrow, maybe,” remarked Frank, as the three walked up the wharf. “ should like to hear more about the silver city.” “All right, young gents,” leered the ancie! SS mariner, “I'll be proud and happy to tell cow re oat kin res iol e Ar ey par rom the old man at the head of ~~ the dock, and, though they came down Sat ea ee ing at the same hour, and for many mornings thereafter, they never set eyes on the old sai st again, nor could they find any signs of him in th neighborhood, nor find anybody who had n ed him in those parts. He had vanished as suddenly as he had appeared, and the boys agreed that hi advent and departure were as mysterious as ¥ his remarkable narrative of the buried city the Bolivian Andes. as : ee rc -_-__ - epee Fh
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SEEKING A LOST TREASURE 3 on-the Hudson, and they lived close together. They attended a military school in the neighborhood, as day scholars, and were regarded by the faculty as two of the brightest pupils. Frank, who was captain of one of the companies, pitched cn the baseball team, and quarter-back and captain of and football eleven, was easil# the most popular boy in the academy, while Arthur Hale was a close second. Mr. George Dudley, Frank’s father, Was a prominent civil engineer. He was em- ployed by the Panama Canal Commission, and Was at the Isthmus in charge of a certain part of the work then under construction. It had been arranged that Frank and his friend Arthur were to spend part of their summer vacation at the Isthmus with Mr. Dudley, then go to the town of Panama and take the steamer for San Fran- » cisco, returning East by rail. Frank and his chum weré delighted with the prospect before them, and could talk of little else during the re- mainder of the school term. looking port. r. Dudley was on hand to greet _ them, and he took them to the best hotel in the _ place, where he stopped himself. Next day he - carried the boys out to the scene of operations ' on the canal. Here they saw wien Md of Colom- bians and Chinamen at work in fangs of fifty or less, in ghange of native foremen. At first the were much interested in watching what was oe at this busy hive of industry. Along the li of the railroad, too, they saw ample evidence of the wreck of the French Panama Canal operations in the fields of abandoned ma- ehinery, much of it never put together, and more put “together, but never used—the whole invaded by tropical growth, and standing on the edge of the rank swamp through which the track runs. *“T’ve heard it said that the French company spent three hundred millions in five years,”. re- _ marked Frank, as he and Arthur were looking _ at a long row of abandoned dredges in the water. “In my opinion it was the most gigantic case of graft on record.” “Ill bet it was,” replied Arthur, with a grin. a politician all this devastation would Me green with enevy.” the third day after their arrival at the Isth- were introduced to a fine-looking American named Alfred Seabury, who immediately invited them to spend a week at — his which was ten miles from the town of a on the Panama railroad. Mr. Dudley was with Mr. Seabury, and conse- no objection te the boys accepting Accordi , on the following Mr. Seabury the two boys took the -train, which ran through to Panama, fe miles from Colon, and after a brief ‘halt “res River, went un to Bujio, where'they alighted i cars, A American, two-seat- on, with a , United “Get in, boys,” said Mr. Seabury. “We've a ten-mile drive before us; but the road is goad, and the country much more interesting than what you have seen along the railroad.” “l’'m glad to hear that, sir,” replied Frank; “for I’ve never-seen a worse-looking country than that part of the Isthmus we've already been over.” “That’s my opinion, too, Mr. Seabury. The vil- lage of Gaton, where the train stopped for a few minutes, seems to be made up of rows of plank huts with iron roofs, as like one another as peas in a pod, the only exception being a corrugated iron church in the center.” “You'll find a great improvement on all that out where I live; but you can’t expect to find things like they are in the States,” replied the gentle man, with a smile. It took about an hour and a half te reach Mr. Seabury’s property, which was situated just within the canal zone or new State of Panama. It was a cross between an. American high-class farm and a Spanish hacienda. The house was one of the most pretentious in the neighborhood, and built to conform to the requirements of the cli- mate. Mrs. Seabury was a handsome woman, a native Colombian, and she welcomed the young visitors in a broken English that fell charmingly from her lips. Tle Seaburys*had one child, a golden-haired little beauty of ten years, named Bessie—the idol of her parents and the pet of the hacienda. Frank took a great fancy to her at ence, and Bessie appeared to return the feeling with interest. The boys. were shown over the place, and found a great deal to interest. them. The estate had been laid out with an eve to land- scape gardening. Charming’ arbors were erected at pretty points of view. Under-the shadow of splendid trees they found a brick-lined swimming bath, excavated in the ground, with a little bath- ing-house built beside it, and a streamlet flowing through—an ideal place for a plunge. “If the young senors would like to go in the water they will find bathing dresses in the howe,” said their conductor, a man by the name of En- rique, who was a kind of majordomo on the estate. As it was a steaming hot day, the boys eagerly availed themselves of the opportunity, and were soon disporting in the pond. “T say, this is great,” exclaimed Arthur, after taking a header from the spring-board. “You couldn’t improve. on this anywhere.” “That’s right,” nodded Frank. “I'll race you to that staging yonder.” “Té’s a go,” eried. Arthur. gol” . ‘Frank won by a head. They stayed in fifteen minutes, and felt greatly refreshed after their “One, two, three— bath. : “We'll have a go at this twice a day while we remain here,” said Arthur, as he dressed himself. “T wouldn’t miss it for a farm.” “What’s the nearest town to this place?” Frank asked Mr. Seabury on the afternoon of the third 9 a eg Fest : “Bujio. I'd take you to see it, as it’s a typical Colombian town, only for the fact that the coun- try is a bit disturbed over the ceding of this ten- mile eh of territory for canal purposes to tates under the nominal title of. State of Panama,-and the Colombians are a
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SEEKING A LOST TREASURE They’ve been threatening to resort to arms to recover it, which, of course, would be very foolish on their part. At any rate, they’ve taken a temporary dislike to Americans on ac- count of the matter, and for that reason I’d rather not take you to Bujio.” Bessie was sitting in Frank’s tap, with her golden head on his shoulder in a most confiding “Why don’t you run and play with your dogs, Bessie?” said her father. “Don’t you see them sitting yonder waiting for you to romp with Bessie, with reluctance, left ner new friend, - jumped off the wide balcony, and calling to her three pets, who sprang toward her the moment she appeared on the grass, began to make them go through their favortie tricks. : and the two boys watched her from thetr chairs on the balcony. Bessie was just making one of her canine pets stand on its hind legs, when a bright flash, followed by a puff of white smoke and a loud report, came from a patch of green shrubbery that bordered the lawn. The child ut- tered a thrilling scream, and the dog she had been holding up by his front paws fell dead on the Mr. Seabury “My Heavens!” ejaculated Mr. Seabury, spring- ing to his feet, an example followed by the sur- “What does that mean?” ‘The three had hardly risen from their chairs, when a hatless, dark-featured man rushed out from the shrubbery and sprang at the little irl as she stood stupefied and dazed, looking at dead pet. He snatched Bessie in his arms - and made for the road as fast as his legs could ys _ carry him, . CHAPTER III.—At Bay. Mr. Seabury, white with excitement and anx- iety, dashed after the man, who was carrying away..the screaming child in his arms. and Arthur followed close at his heels. : ‘were both staggered by the incident, which they . 3 The man and child van- ished through the gate, and when the distracted _ father reached the road he saw the villain spring ‘with his little prisoner on/the back of a horse and gallop off toward Bujio at headlong speed. At that moment Enrique ran up with a shotgun in his hands, which he leveled across the gate at the fleeing rascal. “You will hit my child,” exclaimed Mr. Sea- “He is bound for Bujio, . could not understand. bury, staying his hand. and we must follow him on horseback.” “Tt is that scoundrel Carlo Sarrogog, whom you turned away last week for theft, almost howled the old servant, with whom Bessie was a great rite. hot at the child, missing her and illing the dog; and then, to make sure of his , he has carried her off with him. He is man. I will get horses while will catch him before he reach you get your of the place and his sturdy eld servant hurried _ away. “This is tough on Mr. Seabury.” s “Bet your life it is,” replied Arthur. _“T feel like taking a hand in this myself,” said his chum. “I can’t bear the idea of that little — girl being at the merey of such a ruffian. I’m afraid he'll get clear off while they’re getting ready to pursue him.” “T don’t see what we can do in the matter. We can’t run after him on foot.” : “No,” replied Frank, with flashing eye and bated breath, “we can’t, that’s true. If we only had a pair of horses.” : “Or a bicyle apiece,” supplemented Arthur. The words were hardly out of their mouths be- fore a couple of horsemen dashed around a turn in the road leading from Bujio and presently — drew up before the boys. = “Is Senor Seabury at home?” inquired one of the riders in English. . “Yes, sir,” replied Frank. Then he added — quickly: “We’ll take your horses.” Peiee > The gentlemen dismounted and started to walk up the driveway. te “Now is our chance,” said Frank to Arthur, in a tense tone. “We can’t stand on ceremony. Every moments counts. Mount the other horse and we'll start after that rascal Serrogog, if we ~= have to follow him all the way to Bujio, where Mr. Seabury believes he is bound.” ran? “All right, Frank,” replied Arthur, promptly. a “I’m with you.” Sees In their enthusiasm the boys forgot that at abductor of little Bessie was armed with a = = volver; but even if they had recollected it we — “doubt if that fact would have deterred them from — making this effort to rescue the little girl. The /boys leaped on the animals, and digging their heels into their flanks, started them at a hot pac on the road to Bujio. The boys had covered per- haps six miles of the distance as they rounded an elevated te bend in the road, his animal giving signs o tress. Frank lashed his horse with "the! bridle. rein and bent low over his neck. The beast — responded with a fresh burst of speed, and = a boy soon reached the turn around which the ductor had vanished. He was just in time see the villain dismount in front of a house and, with Bessie in his arms, lead the ani- mal through a gate, Frank at once reined in and waited for Arthur to come up. 75 “Stop!” he cried, grabbing at his chum’s arm. “What's the matter?” asked Arthur, pulling r We must go slow now,” said Frank. “The low has stopped at yonder house and gone into the yard. Draw up alongside the hedge here an ne gears — we had better do.” be oug! was going on to Buj Arthur, following the example of his sean who had dismounted. oe ae “His horse has given out,” replied F he has taken refuge in that | . No is known aces Ee Me dak
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SEEKING A LOST TREASURE 5 Mr. Seabury and old Enrique ought to be along pens: Then the four of us can storm the ilding together.” - So they waited, giving their mounts a needed breathing spell. Thus fifteen minutes passed away, and still there was no sign of Mr. Seabury and his faithful old servant. : “They ought to be here by this time,” said Frank. “I don’t think we could have got over ten minutes’ start of them.” ; Another five minutes passed, and still there Was no sound of horses’ feet in the road behind m. “Maybe Sen Big taken a short cut to Bujio,” ‘gested Arthur. wt don’t think there is such a thing, for if there was, surely Serrogog would*have taken it him- self. He ought to know the country as well as any one.” _“That’s right,” answered Arthur; “he ought.” It was now as dark as it ever would would be that night, and the boys had walked their horses close up to the roadside house. They saw a light shining from a second-story window, and so lights on the ground floor. “Well, what are we going to do?” asked Arthur, at length. “You hold Syed horse,”. replied Frank. ing forward to investigate. aeThen he pushed his way through the hedge and disappeared. He made his way cautiously to the rear of the house, where there were no lights, an ied one of the doors. It opened at his touch, and he entered the piace as softly as he could. The building was only a two-story affair. “T am ‘Tike many of the houses in tropical countries, where earthquakes are a common occurrence, The lower floor seemed to consist of a public drinking room in front, and a kitchen and other living rtments behind. The sleeping rooms were share where Frank was aiming for. the first door he came to and found the room un- tenanted. He then tried the next room, and was He opened disappointed to see no signs of Bessie. A third * room, overlooking the back yard, was next tried. A cheap kind of lamp burned dimly on a plain wooden table. As Frank’s eyes roved around the room his heart gave a great bound, for there, stretched upon a bed, ley Bessie, apparently un- “Now to carry her away without the people the house getting wind of my movements,” t the feeky y, as he closed the door behind him and crept to the bed. __A Mauser rifle stood near_a chest of drawers close by, and Frank seized and coé@ked it, ready for an cy. Then he shook Bessie softly, holding his Sans above her mouth to stifle any ery she might utter at being aroused. made no movement, however, and the boy looked at her in some alarm. He bent down and found that she was breathing heavily. He shook her harder than before, but she appeared under the influence of some drug. : “The villain has stupefied her in some manner,” thought, raising the it without injuring Bessie. While he was con- sidering the matter the door of the room was thrown open and Serregog entered. He took in the situation at a glance, and his surprise for the moment held him spellbound te the spot. The momentary inaction on his part was all that saved Frank’s life. With an oath, and some inquiry in Spanish, unintelligible to Frank, he drew his revolver and raised it to fire. But the boy comprehended his danger in the twinkling of an eye and, dropping Bessie on the bed, grabbed up the rifle. Serrogog, with an oath of rage, pulled the trigger of his weapon, and a loud report rang through the house, start- ling its other inmates. The bullet hummed past Frank’s ear. The boy, seeing that his life was in grave peril, for the rascal was cocking his revolver for a second shot, raised the rifle quickly and fired, with scarcely any aim. Serrogog clap- ped his hand to his breast, spun half around, with a terrible ery, and fell headlong to the floor. At that thrilling moment two fierce-looking men appeared at the open doorway. CHAPTER IV.—The Rescue in Panama Bay. Frank, now full of fight, from his toes up, cov- ered the two men with the rifle. “Throw up your hands!” he roared in a tone of voice that showed he meant business. The two men made no effort to comply with the command, as they did not understand a word he had said. They did understand, however, that they were in danger of being shot, and both made a jump to get out of range. They collided and went sprawling on the floor as Fred fired at them without effect. At that moment the front door was burst in downstairs with a crash that rang through the building and raised screams from a couple of women. “I hope that’s Mr. Seabury and Enrique, with Arthur,” breathed Frank, rushing toward the door and covering the men, who had tried in- effectually to make their escape from the room. “Frank! Frank!” came ringing up to him from below in his chum’s well-known tones. “Hello, Art!” he roared back through the open door. “I’m upstairs.” Immediately there were hurried steps on the Stairs, and presently Enrique, folfowed by Mr. Seabury, Arthur and the two gentlemen whom the boys had deprived of their horses in so sum- mary a manner, appeared at the entrance f the room. Enrique pounced upon the fallen rascals, while Mr. Seabury sprang into the room.” “My Bessie?” he ejaculated feverishly. “She is safe,” replied Frank, pointing to the “Thank heaven!” cried the gentlemen fervently, rushing up to the and raising the child in his arms. “Bessie, darling, speak to me. Speak to ng at : ut it was out of her power to do so, for she pa oa hea ‘ Seabury. ; Treat vens!” cried Mr. , in agony. Gnd can be the matter with her?” Boao aid she had eden tea pce » Sai some preparation to keep her quiet. ~~ * “=
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“The infernal rascal!” cried the excited father. -“To do such a thing to my poor child! Where --igs the scoundrel?” “T had to shoot him to save my life, sir,” spoke up Frank, pointing at the motionless figure of the abductor, as he laid near the door with cocked revolver still clutched in his right hand. “You did right, young man,” said Mr. Sea- bury. “Is he dead?” : “No,” replied one of the gentlemen, who was kneeling by his side, with his hand over the rascal’s heart. -“He is not dead, but he is badly wounded. The rifle ball passed entirely through his body. It will require the opinion of a surgeon to pass upon his chances of recovery.” “Such villains are better under ground,” said Bessie’s father. Dudley.” As a matter of fact, Serrogog did recover in ‘the end, though he had a narrow squeak for his life. He lays for weeks on his bed, and when well enough he was put in jail, duly tried for his crime, convicted, and passed many years of his life in a Colombian prison at hard labor—a fate he richly deserved. A week later the boys, hav- ing tired of Colon and the Panama Canal, took the train for the town of Panama, on the Pacific side of the Isthmus. This place has some of: the dignity and picturesqueness of an old Spanish city, and the boys found it a decided improvement ever Colon. They had a week to wait before ghey could get a steamer for San Francisco, but .they did not think time would hang very heavy on their hands during that interval, for there was a good deal to interest them in the place. On the second day of their stay the boys hired asmall American-built saitboat and went out on the bay. Frank was an expert boatman, and . Arthur was almost his equal, so that they did not hesitate to take this sail in strange waters. They shaped their course for a pretty, wooded island about a mile and a half off the town. : . “Here comes a sailboat around yonder point -of the island,” said Arthur, pointing the craft out to his companion. “I see it. Whoever is handling her seems to be a pretty rocky navigator,” answered Frank, watching the webbling girations of the boat. “She'll be over in a brace of shakes if that chap doesn’t look out, said Art, p y. _The words were hardly out of his mouth before the catastrophe happened. The sailboat heeled over on her beam ends and spilled her passengers —a dark-skinned native and a white boy—into the bay. y “We must pick them up,” said Frank, steering the boat in the direction of the two unfortunates. The native swam lustily toward the partly over- -turned craft, and soon succeeded in climbing up on her hull and supporting himself by the guy _ Tope that held the mast taut. The boy was not so fortunate. “While still a dozen yards eway the boy weak- ened and sank out of sight. _ “He’s gone,” cried Arthur, excitedly. “Oh, he'll be up-in a moment. Grab that boat- and stand ready to hook onto him when “You are a plucky lad, Frank SEEKING A LOST TREASURE you? he comes to the surface.” , _ Sixteen days later they reached the city aa ho orien ge up the boat-hook and gazed La Paz. The’ part of the journe 3 gerl: ‘the waves. Gps : made by automobile. It was at the e 7 at the same time moving the tiller a bit to port. The boy was sinking for the second time, whe Hale inserted the hook under the collar of his jacket and drew him a foot out of the water. With Frank’s assistance Arthur hauled the al- most unconscious boy into the boat and laid him face down in the cockpit, while Frank headed for the overturned craft to take off the other victim of tthe disaster. The boy they had rescued showed signs of recovery. He turned over on his back and then sat up, rubbing the water out of his eyes. “How do you feel?” asked Arthur, at last. “T feel rather shaky,” replied the boy. “I’m awfully obliged to you chaps. You’ve saved my — life. I held out as long as I could, but I’m not much of a swimmer. It it hadn’t been that you came to my aid I should surely have been drowned.” “We're mighty It would have lost.” “It would have been rough on my governor if I had been drowned. He lost mother a year ago, lad we reached you in time. m hard luck if you had been and I’m the only one he’s got left. My name is — Fred Leslie. What’s your name?” t “My name is Arthur Hale, and this is my ch : Glad. 8 kee both. ¥, Americans, ad to know you “ ou are Ameri g aren’t you?” ‘ “We are. We live at Irvington-on-the Hudson, — in New York State, when we're at home, And — you?” : 3 “'m English,” young Leslie replied. “My - father is the Hon. Edward Leslie, M. P. Weare on the way to La Paz, Bolivio, to do the moun- — tains.” Sa “You don’t say!” answered Arthur. i Their conversation was interrupted by Frank calling on his friend to lend a hand to help the native Colombian out of his unpleasant predica- ment. In a few moments the man was safe aboard the sailboat, and Frank, bringing their craft about on the other tack, headed for shore. & “Who was steering the boat when she upset?” OE aaa? exalind idle tik F was,” replie slie, ing a bit sheepish. “By the way, I think you said you were going 3 to Bolivia.” : Fn Sg Leslie. : ‘ wish we were going with you,” Frank \ “Maybe it could be arranged. > My grove: Z would be glad to take you. Where could I see “Art and I are stopping at the Panama House.” _ The boat had now reached thé landing the boys as vy as the native Colombian landed. Leslie insisted on the boys coming up to the hotel with them. ‘They went, and met the father. Upon Fred’s statin: Leslie. said he would be nial. py the boys in his party, and the trip wouldn’t them a cent. Mr. Dudley upon learning PE fet eh ~ en
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Os of a fathomless abyss, * onto the floor of the canyon below. SEEKING A LOST TREASURE 7 _of the Andes. Of course Fred was surprised and Arthur thought that Frank had given up the idea of hunting for the treasure of the buried city. But Frank stated the buried treasure had never been out of his mind since he had heard it out of the old sailor’s mouth. Then a long conversation anent the subject was entered into which lasted until lunch hour. That afternoon they visited an old monastery on the outskirts - of the town. One of the fathers showed them about the institution. The most interesting part of the old building was the museum. This con- tained many specimens of the handiwork of the ancient Peruvian Incas. ; Frank brought up the subject of the buried city and the old monk pricked up his ears and turned a strange look upon the boy, and stated he would like to hear the story the boy had in mind, whereupon Frank launthed out and told it in detail and the monk listened with interest. After Frank had finished the old monk stated that efforts had been made two hundred years before to learn the truth or falsity about the buried city, or Silver City, as he called it, but nothing came of it, and the idea had been dropped of ever finding it. After leaving the monastery and arriving at the hotel the subject again came up and they finally decided to make a trip to _ the Convent of the Black Brotherhood, a two days’ trip into the heart of the Andes. So seeking the landlord of the hotel, and stat- ing their intention, he furnished each of the party with a good stout mule, and one cool morn- ing a few days later the party started with a guide, from whom they learned that the convent was a long, low building situated on the edge and that the Black Brotherhood dressed in black gowns and never spoke, but carried on their conversation by means of signs. They traversed ‘many a dangérous spot on their journey—narrow paths beside high cliffs, where if it was not for the surefooted mules. they were likely to be dashed hundreds of feet When the shades of night were falling they came to a series of precipices, down the sides of which slowly pushed their way. : “Yonder is the Convent of the Black Brother- hood,” said the guide to Frank, pointing to a low, rambling building perched upon the summit _ of a high rock below them. They finally reached the outer gate of the convent, at which the guide rapped loudly.. Presently a face appeared at the wicket, then it. swung open, as if they , and the boys found themselves were expected within the walls of the Convent of the Black Brotherhood ~ CHAPTER V.—The Monastery of the Black Brotherhood. night, Presently two other monks, similarly at- tired, made their appearance, and each grasping the leading rope of a mule, led them into a court- yard, the boys and the two men following. » Not a word so far had been spoken, and the lads themselves were silent, under the impression that all conversation was barred, thovgh such was not the case with respect to outsiders. The visitors were led to a lavatory, where they wash- ed, and then were conducted to a. reception-room, where they were left alone. It was a plain, rather cheerless-looking apartment, lighted by two narrow slots of windows placed out of reach. The only illumination after dark was a swinging bronze lamp full of some kind of oil, on whicn a small taper floated. As may be supposed, it gave out a dull light, leaving the corner of the room in the grasp of the shadows. “This is a queer old place, isn’t it?” whispered Arthur. “Puts one in mind of an old dungeon.” ,“It does,” replied Frank, in a low tone. At that moment a tail, bony monk walked into the room as silently as a shadow and paused be- fore them. The guide, who was no stranger to the convent and its people, explained, in Spanish, not a word of which the boys understood, that the three lads had come from La Paz to visit the convent and pass the night there. The superior nodded and: left the room as he came. “What a ghostly-looking chap that was,” said ~ Arthur. “Is he the boss of the place?” The guide said he was, and added that they would presently be conducted to the refectory or eating-hall. In a short time another black- robed monk appeared and made a sign for them to follow him. He led them to a room with a low ceiling of rafters only, the furniture of which consisted-of a long table surrounded with three- legged stools. At one end five plates were spread, with knivessand forks, cups, saucers and spoons, all of the plainest description. The visitors took their places at the table and were waited on by another monk. When the party had ate all they wished, another monk appeared and led them to the bell tower, whence they had a view in the moonlight of the great black void on the edge of which the building stood. “I shouldn’t want to drop down into that awful . depth,” remarked Fred, as he hung over the wooden parapet. “I should say not,” replied Arthur. Then they looked up and around at the wild, precipitous crags of the great Andes standing out in bold relief in the moonshine, or lost in the deepest of shadows. Each of the visitors was shown to a separate, cage-like room, fitted with a small iron bedstead and a three-legged stool. The novelty of the situation kept Frank awake for some time. Every quarter of an hour a bell clanged softly somewhere in the courtyard. Fol- lowing the fourth quarter the hour was tolled. Frank heard the bell twice, then he fell into a dreamless sleep, from which he awoke to find the sun shining through the slit of a window that opened above the precipice. He himself and made his way to he found Arthur before him. The guide dressed lavatory, where
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= L e 8 SEEKING A LOST TREASURE “Hello!” remarked Arthur, “there are only four plates. Where’s Fred’s?” Fred called the attention the guide to this cir- cumstance. He spoke to the attendant monk. The recluse produced a pad and pencil and wrote something in Spanish, which the guide trans- lated to the boys. “Your companion had his breakfast two hours ago. “Two hours ago!” exclaimed Frank, in surprise. “And went outside the convent.” “Oh, all right,” answered Frank. “He’s stuck en the ‘scenery around here, I muess, and rose early to take a good look at it.” “Do you want to go out in the fields?” asked the guide, after breakfast. The two boys said yes, so the guide led the Way out into the little valley, where a dozen of the monks were working. Their hoods were thrown back on their shoulders, so the boys got a view of their rugged, solemn faces. After spending half an hour in the fields, Frank, Arthur and the guide returned to the convent, expecting . to find Fred waiting. for them. There was no sign of him, however. : wonder where he went?” said Frank. He asked the guide to make inquiries. The man found a monk who had seen Fred take the path down the mountain about two hours before. “Where does that lead to?” asked Frank. “To the foot of these precipices,” answered the guide. “No one goes down there—at least, not very far. He'll be back in a little while.” So the two boys hung around-the monastery | gate, waiting for Fred to return, but an hour passed and he was still absent. “Some accident may have happened’ to him,” said Frank, anxiously. “We ought to go down the path after him.”* “Tl send og tee said the guide. Sancho was the n who looked after the sup- plies, He was instructed and sent down the preci- pice pathway. Dinner-time came and Sancho had not come back with information about Fred. - “Tm almost sure something has happened to saan Frank said to Arthur. ~ “He wouldn’t ‘re- in away in this fashion if he could help him- self.” After the inti had had their dinner a place was made for the two boys and the guide and the meal was served to them. Hardly had ‘hey finished their dinner before Sancho made his ¢ p- pearance. He reported that he had not seen Fred, but had found a paper attached to a tree a thousand feet below. It had writing on it, in pencil, which he could not understand, and he had brought it back with him, To the boys’ sur- oe it proved to be a communication from as folloks: — '“Am following a strange clue that seems to point to the Silver City. If I don’t return by - foon, and you find this, follow me through tunnel below. Fred.” _ CHAPTER VI.—The Clue. got to follow-him,” said Frank, e paper out aloud to mane 1 hour past noon guest this Be le’ Pee eter the “I’d give something to know what kind of a clue he’s found, replied his chum. “The only way to find out is to go after him.” “That’s what we'll do. Put it up to our guide.” Frank explained to the man that they had de- cided to follow their companion down the cliff. The guide, however, objected strenuously. He said it was a perilous undertaking to any one not accustomed to mountain climbing; and there was nothing to see that warranted the risk. “But Mr. Leslie’s son has done down there, and he wrote on that paper that he wants us to follow him through a tunnel to some point he did not specify.” The guide shook his head, and said that he’d send Sancho on again, after he had had his dinner, with instructions to bring Fred Leslie back. This did not satisfy the boys, excited as ¢ they were over Fred’s intimation that he had found a clue te the buried city. They insisted that all four should go on until\they overteok their companions. A good deal of argument, on the subject ensued, but Frank was firm in his demand, and in the end the guide reluctantly yielded. He insisted that the scheme was fool- ish, and that the risk must be on their own heads. “all right,” replied Frank. “The risk shall be ours.. We don’t propose to jet Fred get into any trouble if we can help it.” Half an hour afterward, preceded by the guide and followed by Sancho, with a bundle of pro- visions on his back, Frank and Arthur started down the narrow pathway which wound around the giant cliffs. They soon found,-as the guide had warned them, that the journey was full of danger, particularly to persons inexperienced. in such kind of traveling. But the two boys pos- sessed their full share of American pluck and endurance, and they were not going to be out- shone by an English lad, who showed nerve enough to lead the way alone. Their path = _ beset with small rocks and oge boulders, and © often encumbered with shrub-li growths just coming into leaf. The descent finally led down . to a gully, where Sancho pointed out the tree on which the paper had been secured. : “There is a tunnel below here,” said Frank. “Fred wrote that we should follow him into that.” The guide _fbsneeed his shoulders, and they went on till they came out into the broad sk which stretched steeply down into the heart the range, narrowing .as it went. To descend further in a straight line without ‘ropes and mountain pikes was practically out of the ques- fact. “That tunnel must be somewhere around here, | ~~ ” said Frank, “for Fred never went down — ere. The boys hunted among the bushes for it, while the men, who seemed to have no interest in Shae expedition, sat on a rock and conversed in Spanish. No doubt the reckless conduct’ the boys was the subject of their remarks. Frank suddenly came upon a smooth place on the rocks. He gazed at it in surprise, for it was co with | Strange hieroglyphics surrounding a p’ representation of the sun. a arrow Pent 2 ed into a cleft eo ae ne “Come here. ee tion, and the guide called their attention to that = a j 3 a
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Se Of course neither Frank nor Arthur could make head or tail out of the inscription, but the meaning of the arrow-head seemed plain enough. < “Here’s a paper stuck against the rock,” said _ Arthur, eagerly grasping it. ; It contained the following words in pencil: “To Frank and Arthur: I am going to see where this tunnel leads to, and then return to the : monastery, unless you meet me on the way. The ‘sun inscription ,on the face of the rock outside ; was certainly made by Peruvians of the Inca _-variety. It may have been cut out two or three : hundred years ago, but to my eye its distinctness points to a much later origin. The arrow-head pointing into the cleft evidently is significant of : something. I believe more than ever in the actual -_ existence of an Inca town buried in the depths of Be this rafige. If we can find it, and then be able to - ‘ return to civilization, it will make us famous. = “I wonder if we are really on the right track __ t Silver City,” said Arthur, eagerly, as they en- tered the cleft and; striking a match, found that . they were in a tunnel that led gently downward. : “Then you are beginning to think that the an- - cient mariner was not such a liar, after all?” Jaughed Frank. 3 “T am not willing to admit that he actually went to the buried city, as he asserted,” replied his _ chum. “He could have picked up enough material in La Paz to manufacture a yarn out of. The fact that he probably sprung a fake story on us that morning does not disprove the theory that the buried city really does exist somewhere in this _ Fange.” “That’s true; but, still, it’s funny that nobody _ im this progressive age has seen fit to follow the eo rhc £ people have tried it, but cease, et lots of people have tried it, but gave up on atcount of the many perils they had to face.” __ “Danger only incites the right kind of person __ to greater effort.” ag “Admitting that it does, not one person in a a ‘hundred venturing this way would have dis- covered those hieroglyphics and the arrow point- ing into this tunnel. They would have turned yack after seeing the impossibility of descending ie slope except with the help of a long rope. Even if they were provided with every facility for getting down the y, they would only be going the wrong way, if there is anything in the __arrow-head.” et $3.5 arrow is plainly intended as a guide to some place,” ‘said , “else it wouldn’t be cut in this rock. Whether its meaning is of any use “oy late day is quite another question.” : ell, let’s get a move on,” said Arthur im- iently. "hie ought to have torches to explore n : “They would be a great advantage,” admitted ; “for there’s no what pitfalls might -up in our path. But I’m afraid we'll have é without them.” — 4 ex- in the sunshine. .-The returned to the spot where’ the guide SEEKING A LOST TREASURE 9 guide and his companion followed Frank to the cleft in the rocks and looked in. “You. say he go in here?” asked the man, with a doubtful expression on his face. “How you know that?” “We found this paper here,” said Frank. “Fred — wrote it and left it here for us to find when we came this way.” It was evident enough that neither of the men eared to continue on through the tunnel. If Fred Leslie had been foolish enough to venture in there, the guide reasoned that he stood a small chance of coming out again. Frank pointed the arrow out to him, arguing that that was a good sign that the tunnel led to some definite end, but the guide was not convinced of the fact. He advised the boys to give up further search for their com- panion and turn back to the monastery. “Not on your life, we won’t,” replied the boy, sturdily. “We’re going to find Fred first. We wouldn’t shake him in that fashion. We’re not built that way.” The guide didn’t understand the English slang expressions used by Frank in his impetuous way, but he did understand that the boys were deter- mined on entering the tunnef. He turned to San- cho and they talked the matter over for a quarter of an hour before the latter reluctantly agreed to accompany the boys. “We must have torches,” said the guide. “Where are we going to get such things?” asked Frank. “We make,” replied the man. X Four long torches were put together by Sancho and soaked in a resinous gum produced by a tree growing on the mountainside. Lighting these, the party entered the tunnel. CHAPTER VII.—The Underground Passage. The tunnel had evidently once upon a time, probably ages ago, been an underground water- way. In no other way could its existence be ac- counted for. The guide walked in advance, swing- ing his torch aloft; the two boys followed at his heels, and Sancho brought up in the rear of the rocession, The tunnel maintained a uniform eight of eight feet and a width of six as they advanced down the slope. They could see nothing ahead of them at any time but intense blackness. “We appear to be going down into the bowels of the earth,” said Fred. “I don’t see how Fred had the nerve to come all this way by himself in the ; dark.” t ¥ _ “He’s got good backbone, all right,” said Arthur ~ — in some admiration. “If I had been in his shoes I would have returned to the monastery to get the rest of the party to accompany me.” “Tf he had come back that would have been the “ end of the enterprise.” : “Why would it?” : x “Because Manuel, our guide, would never ha = consented.to come down this way on a purely ex- ploring expedition.” ; eas “Not if we had promised to pay him extra?” __ “I don’t think so. It is only because he knows Fred’s father is a person of some co importance in bie os , and has been ‘
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. far. : a call this tunnel the limit,” said Arthur. : must shave walked a mile already.” 10 reluctantly putting himself out to search for the boy. He is afraid to return to La Paz and report Fred lost in the mountains. He understands that ‘a certain responsibility attaches to him as our conductor.” . “Suppose that: we don’t find Fred at the end of this tunnel; what do you suppose Manuel will do?” . “I have no idea what he will do, uncertain proposition.” “Tf he refuses to go any further, what are we going to do about it?” ¢ z “Tt can’t say what we will do until the time comes. I hope to find Fred waiting for us at the far outlet of this underground passage. He would be very foolish to venture into any situation that would make it a difficult matter for us to find him, . It’s mighty easy to lose oneself in these mountains.” ; 23 “T’l] bet it is. It seems to be plain sailing so Even without our guide we could easily find our way back to the monastery from this point.” “That’s because we followed a straight path down the cliffs, and we can’t very well go astray He is a very - in this-tunnel, so far as I have seen.” “I suppose that’s the way Fred figured the mat- ter; but I should think he’d have thought of his stomach. He ought to be hungry by this time, and there isn’t anv chance of his finding anything to relieve his hunger down here.” “He relies on us to fetch something along.” “That’s all right; but it was reckless of him to ‘depend on those papers he put up as guides to his progress and intentions. A wind might have _ come up and blown them away.” “It’s my opinion he merely came down the pre- cipice for the novelty of the thing, for he left no ‘word of his intentions at the monastery. He clearly expected to return long before dinner- ‘time; but when he ran across that inscription on the face of the rock, with its Inca representation of the sun, and saw the arrow-head pointing into - the tunnel, his head, already filled with thoughts - of the Silver City, got excited over the situation, and he recklessly started to explore this funnel ik I am satisfied he has pondered more over is buried city of the Andes than we ever have _ ourselves. I'll bet he has implicit faith in its ce. co take an awful lot of faith to get me to come down here by my lonesomeness,” replied Arthur. = - “Pyed is an enthusiastic chap. -When he gets 1 idea in his head he follows it out to the limit.” doesn’t seem to be any end of it. We “We've come some distance, that’s a fact.” | ~ “Who knows but we may fetch up in China?” At n UP, fe might keep on until we reach the foot of sea-level, eh? That would give us ee ak on bok te Le pret ee mn 1 aes eine ae e tunnel now swung around suddenly to the ant an immense rotunda, the ne - ap SEEKING A LOST TREASURE eyes. The solid rock had been cut out in great pillars at one end of the room, if it might be called such, while in a central snot midway be- tween the pillars stood an immense flat rock, which showed that it had been fashioned into its shape by rude implements of some kind. Upon its widest side, facing the length and breadth of the room, was a clear representation of an im- mense sun, rays flashing away- from it in every direction. The stone had been cut away behind to make a platform, four feet lower, and this. was reached by a series of wide steps. Manuel, the guide, and his companion, Sancho, were clear- ly astonished at what they saw, and jabbered to- gether in Spanish. : “Well, what do you thin know, Art?” asked Frank. “Here is more evidence of Inca civiliza- tion. I shouldn’t be surprised if we were some- where on the outskirts of the buried city."@ “It begins to look like it,” replied Arthur. “It has the appearance of either a public gathering - place or a temple of religious worship.” “That’s what. I should think Fred would have halted here to await our appearance, but there is no sign of him. This is a long distance from the monastery.” “I should remark. I’m getting kind of peckish myself, and we had a good dinner before we started on this trip.” : ¢ After seeing all they wanted to see, and be- coming conscious that their torches would not last much longer, the guide was for retracing their steps and giving Fred up for lost. But Frank would not stand for such a proposition. To turn back would be to desert their compan- ion, who had gone ahead with the utmost con- — fidence that his friends would surely follow to rejoin him ultimately. : “We've gone too far to.turn back now. We're — only half a day’s march from the monastery, any- _ way, and we've provisions enough to see us - through for several days. I’m going to see this thing out. If you fellows don’t want to proceed ee er, let us have the provisions and you can go ack. ; ic That was Frank’s ultimatum to the guide, and - pn d eR PT ee ee sew Laer mF AOR * mei De ” ‘ Lae Ree kd sae AS Riders lah! Fe all ke ih la tla be we Manuel was afraid to desert them, lest the cofise- _ quences descend on his own head. So they hunted — around till they found the continuation of the tunnel, now much larger than before, and they continued,on into the obscurity, the descent being now noticeably steeper. The course of the tunnel was now tortuous, or corkscrew fashion. For half an hour they kept on, until the last torch dropped to the ground, leaving them in total — darkness; then, for fear of an unexpected pitfall, they began feeling their way alonz the wall. Sager minutes more of this kind of traveling, and th the tunnel seemed to grow less dark. a “Our eyes are getting used to the gloom,” ht ; 4 $y “Or else we’re drawing near an opening, plied Arthur. , pat The words fore th ‘the obscurity above, Teachi
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“Hurrah!” shouted Arthur. “We have reached _ the end of this underground passage at last.” All made a simultaneous rush for the open air. They now found themselves in the blight of a nar- row_ valley literally covered with green foliage, while high above their heads rose the rocky sides . ef the mountain range, till its numerous peaks and crags seemed lost in the blue ether of the sky. They sat down for a needed rest, for they were now aware for the first time’that they were fatigued by their Jong journey through the tunnel. CHAPTER VIII.—The Buried City. “Ti’s clear. that we’re a long way down the : range,” said Frank, glancing around the spot. - “The airs feels warm and dense. There’s a great difference between this locality and La Paz.” “Well, I should’ say so,” .grinned Arthur. “The important quéstion which now presents __ itself is—where is Fred?” , “That’s so. Where is he?” s As far as the four could see there was not the sign of a human being in that vicinity. 2 “He has led us a Jong and anxious chase,” went on Frank, “and I think it is high time that he let > up on us.” : +f think so myself,” replied Arthur. “If we = leave the mouth of the tunnel we stand a good — and open to pass any one unobserved,” said Frank. = _ “We can’t stay here long and expect to do any- thing, for it will soon be dark,” answered Arthur. - “¥ vote we eat and then move on.” ‘ es Vy suggestion was acted on. Sancho un- fo strapped his pack and distributed a certain quan- tity of provisions among the four, which they _._ washed down with cool water from_a wicker- _ covered bottle he had brought along. Rested and ee refreshed, the party started on once again, with _ the boys in the lead. After advancing perhaps fifth of a mile the valley swung abruptly to - the right, and then the party was treated to a genuine surprise. Right before them stood a solid-looking one-storied building that had evi- dently once been white; but it was now stained and discolored by exposure to the weather of numberless years. It possessed several narrow, unprotected openings that served as windows, and a wide doorway without a door. The general -eolor of the building was that of tarnished silver. t right angles to it was another building, of ‘similar size, but of odd design. Diamoud-shaped panels of a dark stone were set into egular intervals down to a doorway, while the rest er with a bur- ry effect in such : . rs SEEKING A LOST TREASURE two boys. It was 11 was that they were.- The silvery gloss was plain enough in spots to prove that-when new they must have closely resembled that precious metal. “We must be on the outskirts of the town proper,” said Frank, in-a voice quivering with excitement. “The next turn in the valley may take our breath away.” “Before we proceed further let us examine the inside of these buildings, the one nearest to us,” said Arthur. “I am curious to learn how it looks.” “I’m with you,” said Frank. The two men were directed to remain in watch outside. The boys entered the building and found _themselves in a wide hall ornamented with tar- nished columns that rose to the big ceiling. The floor was of solid stone. A doorway. with a ne- culiar shaped curved top, led into a large room, also ornamented with columns, and with a con- tinuation of a similar stone floor. A similar door- way, set at a right angle, pointed the way to still another room beyond. The columns in. the room they had entered were striped something after the fashion of a barber pole. The curved top of the doorways: were formed of blocks of pink and white stone arranged alternately, the pink ones being twice the width of the white. The sides of the room to the height of about five feet were of white stone. Then came a layer of pink, next a layer of light green, then a double layer of white, with a pink molding along the edge of the ceiling. The ceiling itself was of white stone, with an opening in the center to admit the light and air. “Tt took a lot of labor to put up this building,” said Arthur, “and yet it does not appear to be furnished in any way. I wonder why such a fine structure was erected away from the city proper, if there is a city further on?” “The city might have been originally intended to start here, and the people who were bossing the job changed their minds and chose another site,” said Frank. “That’s the only reason I ; can think of.” “Well, let’s go on and see the rest of the house.” They were about to proceed when there sud- denly tame the sounds of running footsteps and an old white-haired man, dressed something like a Turk, with red slippers, loose white trousers, a red short jacket, and a round cap, came rushing ‘through the arched doorway of the next room. He stopped on seeing the boys, gazing upon them in a stupefied way. From behind him rose a hubbub of sounds and a rush of footsteps. Four men, one dressed all in red and the others all in white, bearing flaming torches, burst into sight. The old man, who appeared to be fleeing them, started forward, slipped and fell almost at Frank’s feet. Frank and Arthur, scenting dan- ger, drew their seven-shooters. The lights of the torches drew nearer each moment; then the na- tives ran through the arch. Flinging up his arm and taking a firm grip on his pistol,-the boy shouted: aes “Stop! I'll shoot the first man who advances!” The oncoming bunch stopped and stared at the t searenent Sat ee eee of the weapons in the hands of the boys, the Bee ly nature of which the lads subsequently lear
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strange language, and for the moment did not seem to know what to do. The fellow in red, who appeared to be the leader, issued some kind of an order, and all rushed forward, grabbed the boys _ and the old_ man before they could act. The i boys put up a desperate struggle and shouted a for help, hoping that the guide and Sancho out- 7 side would come to their aid. What might have es been the outcome of the affair it is hard to sur- of mise but for the appearance of a dozen nearly ee naked men, cf copper hue, who now came on the p scene. : Each one of them held a rude spear, and the boys and the old man were surrounded and their capture made certain. Outside another hubbub arose where Sancho and the guide were being overpowered by a score of the copper chaps, who had taken them by surprise. The man in red and his. three associates carried the old man back the way he and they had come, while the copper chaps forced the boys into the outer air. A yell greeted the appearance of the lads. With cries of triumph and exultation the four prisoners were hustled forward up the green embankment and around a jutting cliff, where the boys and their “two companions caught their first view of the buried city of the Andes—the Silver City of the descendants of the ancient Incas of Peru. Even in the gathering dusk the strange town presented an impressive effect. It consisted of perhaps a hundred or more one-story houses, each erected in the center of a square plot -of ground of emer- ness, and each as like its neighbor as one to another, All were lined up with mathemat- Kal precision, with a walk composed of ° fine white sand from the single doorway to the broad, straight street. These streets crossed one another like the squares of a checker-board. Exactly in the center of the town was one building of un- - usual size and height, as compared with the others, and, instead of a flat roof, was furnished with a great dome, which shone with a weird luster. At regular intervals all around the four sides of this central building were enormous white columns capped with a ball of glistening metal, - similar in luster to the dome itself. Viewed from above and at a distance, the whole town looked like a collection of dazzingly white model houses set down with great exactitude upon a brilliantly green carpet, with a wide border all around it of emerald-tinted foliage. As the prisoners viewed it from a slight elevation, and close at thand, it presented .a ‘truly remarkable picture, and Frank and Arthur did not for a moment doubt that they were actually g4zing on the Silver City of the ancient mariner’s yarn. But the cir- - cumstances surrounding their introduction to it ‘were not of a nature to make them feel particu- “ by the triumphant squad of natives who sur- 2 rounded them and cut off all hope of escape, if _ any such thing was in their minds. That this f was a place of worship seemed reasonable to sup- ~ pose from the number of white-robed people who at that moment were either entering it through its wide-open portals between columns of shim- mering metal, or wending their way toward it ; along every street, and also because of a white smoke which rose through an opening in the roof, as if from an altar fire. To further confirm such ° a belief, the faint sound of sweet music arose in the air from the interior of the building, mingled with the sonorous chanting of many voices. CHAPTER IX.—Worship of the Setting Sun. When the crowd of natives with their prisoners - reached the foot of the main street, which led directly up to the portals of the central building, they came to a pause, and their cries ceased like magic. It seemed as though an invisible wall held them back at the very portals of the Silver : City. All but the men who held the arms of the = prisoners, and stood immovable like so many ; graven images, prostrated themselves in the — shrubbery in attitudes of reverence. The two > boys stood almost together on the very edge of a the creamy white pavement and watched the white-robed inhabitants of the Silver City walk- 2 ing singly and in groups up the wide steps of the dome-crowned edifice. They seemed to beahigher order of people from the dark-skinned, athletic £ and lightly-clad men who had captured the vis- ye itors to the valley. But the boys were not a Fie enough to form any idea of their personality. There seemed to be no doubt, however, that the | _ pisoners would shortly. be brought face to face with those who were in authority over the buried city. a At Iast every white-robed ma nand woman had entered the building, which the boys afterward learned was the San? of the Sun, and a stillness like that of death fell upon the valley for severat minutes. Then, as if from a preconcerted signal, — a pean of praise rose from the throat of every person within the temple. While the glow of the setting sun lingered upon the snow-clad k ef far-away Illimani the chant continued. At it died away into a purple tint the weird song ‘Sub- © sided in intensity. At length the light faded en-~— soa tirely away from the glacier, and then silence fell once more upon the temple and valley alike. A dense white vapor ascended heavenward — through openings in the dome, and the still even- ing air became Joaded with a sweet-smelling in- cense. Once more rose the street chorus of — young girls mingled with the chant of the eee. As the cadence rosé and fell, like the swelling and — receding notes of some great organ in a vast _ church, the boys seemed to forget their unusual and ticklish surroundings in the wonderful im- pressiveness of the invisible service they unpa rallelec Oe ey DOP, ei aie wees. eae. ne 4
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SEEKING A LOST TREASURE 13 and power, every note as clear as a silver bell, and as Frank. listened to it his emotioned nature was stirred to its very depths, while his eyes grew humid and moist. That voice maintained its supremacy to the last, dropping in exact proportion as the chorus and chant dropped, and its last liquid ndte trem- bled on the air and vibrated through the valley on the wings of the silence which succeeded. Then the white-robed people issued in a stream from the temple, but instead of dispersing they gath- ered in a mass in the immediate vicinity of the building. A score, perhaps, of white-clad girls next came out, but instead of descending the steps, as the others had done, they spread them- selves out along the portico. A white-haired man made his appearance with a measured stride. An immense ruby, surrounded by a glittering array of almost priceless diamonds, flashed from the center of the diadem which encircled his venerable - brow. His bare arms were ornamented with a pair of massiye circlets of solid beaten gold. Similar bands, but not so heavy, surrounded his wrists, and these were thickly studded ‘with jewels. Over & white attire similar to that worn by the other people was a sort of vestment on which was emblazoned in brilliant tints the figure of the sun, with rays projecting from it in every direction. This figure astonishing as it may seem, was fashioned entirely of topaz and rubies, and was a wonderful piece of handiwork. Following on the heels of the old man came ‘six men of varying ages, all dressed exactly like the priest, but in a much less impressive way, and in a descending scale to correspond with their rank. The rank and file of the inhabitants bowed their heads in token of respect for these exalted personages as they passed out of the temple and finally paused on the lowest step. The prisoners and their native conductors could barely see this ceremony from where they stood, owing to the gashering darkness and the distance which inter- vened, At some signal from the high priest a score of boys sprang out of the temple with flashing torches and took their places in certain elevated positions, the glare of their lights throwing a weird radiance upon the scene. A second signal came from the priest, and a dozen strong-limbed g men came forward and bowed one knee tefee him. The priest issued some command to them. Instantly they arose, turned around. and marched in a body rapidly down the main street toward the spot where the nativés and their pris- oners were drawn up in silent array. They halted on the inner edge of the pavement while one of their number, a handsome lad of perhaps eigh- whose brow was encircled with a narrow golden band without ornament, while his com- panions wore silver ones, advanced and addressed the natives in a tone strange to the prisoners ears, but musical and pleasing. A stalwart na- tive advanced a foot and replied in a languas some Agari ss harsher in tape: Wh “ . talking poin prisoners, and seemé to be giving an account of how they had ap- et im the valley. When he had concluded and back. his fellows,-the young man _ advanced and closely at each of the pris- _ His gaze rested longest on the ha manly countenance of Frank Dudley, who met his leok unfilinchingly, like the fearless lad he was. The young man finally tapped Frank on the breast and motioned to him to come forward. His attitude seemed almost friendly, and the bov obeyed. Then in turn he tapped Arthur, Manuel, the guide, and, last of all, the sullen-faced San- cho, and ordered them in pantomime to fall in behind Frank in single file, which they did, Man- uel and Sancho most unwillingly. At a signal the other young men closed in around them, and then the party_started up the white paved street toward the portal of the temple, where the high priest stood, with his as- sistants around him in a semi-circle, the girls on the steps behind, with one of their number, a young virgin of surpassing loveliness, whose jeweled diadem flashed in the light of the torches, a step in advance. As the Drisoners came within the glow cast by the torches they had a good view of the congregated inhabitants of the Silver City. In color they were many degrees lighter than the native population of the valley, who appeared to be slaves or serfs of the better class. heir attire was composed of “spotless white robes, without sleeves, gathered at the waist by a stiff cloth girdle of the same color. The only difference between the male and female dress was that the latter was longer, reaching quite to the ankles, and more voluminous in its folds, while it was much lower in the neck. The men wore plain silver armlets and wristbands; the women jeweled ones. Each wore a silver band around the forehead, without ornamentation. This was the costume of the majority. There were others whose headbands, armlets and brace- lets were ornamented with precious stones in keeping with their rank in the community. This select body stood on the rieht hand of the high priest and his assistants. The prisoners were lined up before the high priest for inspection, as it were. He looked at each critically, his gaze dwelling longer on Frank and Arthur than on Manuel and Sancho. Finally he addressed himself to Dudley in a rich and musical tone. Frank understood not a word he said. Nevertheless, he replied in good English, though convinced that his words would be equally unintelligible to the priest. The reli- gious head of the Silver City listened attentively and then motioned Frank aside, speaking some words to the handsome young man, who at once placed himself beside his prisoner. The high priest then spoke to Arthur, and having listened to his reply, assigned another of the young men to take charge of him. Manuel, the guide, now came in for his share of attention. His reply was in Spanish, and a frown gathered upon the face of the priest. When Sancho also answered in Spanish, the frown became darked. . The high priest issued some orders to’ the other young men. They formed close about the guide and his associate and marched them off down the street to where the natives were still waiting. Manuel and Sancho were turned over to them, and the whole crowd set cf with their two: prisoners, shrieking, and talking, and gesticulating violently. The high priest now made a signal, and the in- habitants began to melt away in groups to their several homes. The girls, the single ception of the-hepetiiak- aoc tn adeanee: na peared into the temple. The high ovriest. =
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tiie ’ rat “4 Fes = lowed by his assistants, moved in solemn proces- * sion up to one of the sections of the building. or There the six priests parted from the high priest, i who entered the edifice, and returning in a body, a entered the other side sections of the temple building. All the torch-bearers but one vanished; “he accompanied the beautiful girl down to where Frank and Arthur stocd beside the two young men. Her glance rested a moment on Frank’s face, and the boy thought her the loveliest girl he had ever seen in his life. That was also Arthur’s opinion. Preceded by the torch-bearer, she walked-to the house on the eastern side of the temple and entered it. The handsome young man indicated to Frank in friendly pantomime that he was to accompany him. He led the why to the same house, and soon Dudley stood within _ the portals of one of the buildings of the Silver City, while at the same moment Arthur Hale was introduced by-the other young man to one of the dwellings close by. CHAPTER X.—The Temple and-Treasure. Diss Frank scon had evidence that he was not to be =i treated like a prisoner, and he felt exceedingly a atified and relieved, He found himself in a - Jarge, square room, furnished with stone seats and lounges, equipped with soft stuffed coverings. It was the main or reception room of the house. Poors covered with a white flowing drapery led to other rooms beyond. The roof was open to the air, being divided in four sections by stone cross- jeces Supported by a central column that was Righiy polished till it shone like burnished silver. . ‘A eivcular stone-table surrounded this column, Be i and here the meals of the household were served + twice a day. Frank subsequently discovered that the general furnishings of the house were on a much more comfortable scale than he had had any dea at first. The handsome young man, whose ah. name he subsequently discovered was Rollo, tried i. ‘to impress the fact upon him in pantomime that - he was to make himself at home. Frank ap- eg — to grasp his meaning, and smiled grate- ay y. By the young man’s orders a meal was oe ijally prepared for him by a native girl, for , ; the family dinner was over two hours before. “It was served on silver plates, and, whatever it was composed of, it proved quite palatable to the boy. When. he had finished, and the dishes had been taken away, the beautiful young girl, whom Frank. subsequently found out was the young man’s sister, appeared with an odd kind Of stringed instrument, and she sang and played dn a manner so ravishing as to quite astonish our young hero. ecognized her voice as the He r soprano which had led in the service in the temple at sunset, though on this occasion she sang so low that the sound did not penetrate to Bes 4 reat distance. Both brother and sister i ‘an exceedingly friendly manner toward their visitor, of course all soe ages 5 with him had to be carried on in pantomime. “nine o’clock Frank was shown to an inner to the sky, where he’ found a on which he rested through morning he bi vand thereby a ing like tHat, chum.: ist “with pipers“ eae ee SEEKING A LOST TREASURE that their parents were probably dead, and they the sole occupants of the house. After the meal he sat for an hour with the girl, whose name was Alma, each trying to make themselves understood by the other. They met with poor success, but ; the girl seemed to take great delight out of the = tete-a-tete, laughing musically at their blunders, and at the same time casting many an admiring & glance at the handsome young American. By and by Rollo reappeared and motioned Frank to fol- low him. When the boy took up his hat, Alma took it from him and examined it closely, with exclamations of surprise. She put it on her cwa shapely head and looked at her brother roguishly, whereat Rollo smiled in a pleased way, but shook his head as if he did not particularly approve of the effect it produced in her. She then placed it on her brother’s head and~ danced gleefully around him.’ All this proved very amusing to Frank, who was obliged to admit- that the hat was not an improvement to the at- tire of the Silver City people. Alma then re- moved her brother’s headband and nlaced it on Frank’s head, noting the effect with critical earnestness. Evidently she greatly preferred it to the American hat. After that Rollo and his guest left the house and came out on the broad, white street. The sun was already several hours high, but it would not shine down into the valley until nearly noon, and then but for a short time, so hidden was the Silver City in the depths of the range. : The morning services, which took place exactiy. at sunrise, were gone through while Frank lay asleep, consequently he had no knowledge of th> fact. ‘The inhabitants of the Silver City wee either strolling through their white thorouzi- fares or seated in their reception rooms enter- taining one another or friends who dropped in to visit them. Rollo led Frank to the third house from his own,*and there Arthur was-found. The two vor were glad to meet each other again. “Well, old man, how did you get on sinee we perag obliged to separate last night?” inquired ~ rt, ‘ “First class,” replied” Frank, thinking of the lovely girl who had laid herself out to make things cheerful for him. : “Glad to hear it,” replied Arthur. “The people of the Silver City do not seem to» be such bad persons as we feared they were at first.” ? “I should say they’re not,” answered Frank, — emphatically, - eS: “The question that interests me very much is, what do they really mean to do with us? So far they’ve treated me as if I was a nob. Is this thing going to be kept up? And will they allow us to leave the valley when we express an inten- — tion to do so? You know what that ancient mariner said—though I still maintain that he — was a great liar—that he was the only white man who ever saw the hidden ‘city of the Andes and lived to tell the tale. I think he said that the people treated him in fine shape, but tha their ultimate intentions toward him were of © ae sty, Marts: wah a sacrifice to their gods. too rough on us.”
Page 15
thing happening,” reassured Frank. “These -. people seem very far from being blood-thirsty, ; either in their religion or otherwise.” “It is to be hoped you are right. But how about Fred? Is he a prisoner here, too?” “T couldn’t tell you,” replied Frank. “I don’t ’ see how we’re going to find out, as we can’t converse with those people, or make ourselves - understood except by signs, which is a universal, > but not aitogether satisfactory, language. eS “It worked pretty well between me and that chap who seems to have charge of me,” said Arthur. “We got along famously.” Ie “Then if you’re such an expert pantomimist, go and try your luck on him with reference to Fred.” 3 Arthur seemed doubtful about the experiment, Dut he was willing to try, as he was eager to hear some tidings about their English friend.- The young man’s name was Alazan, though, of course, the boys had no way of knowing that. Alazan and Rollo were conversing together when Arthur interrupted them with his pantomimic efforts. They both watched his motions atten- tively. Art began by holding up one finger and then pointing at Frank; a second finger, and then pointing to himsélf; a third finger, and pointing jn the direction of the mountain tunnel. After that he looked inquiringly at Alazan. ; “J’m afraid it won’t work,” said Frank, as he saw the perplexed expression on the young man’s face. _— Alazan said something.to Rollo, and Rollo an- -_swered; but it was clear they had not grasped the - idea Arthur was trying to convey. Finally Ala- zan shook his head. ~ - “That settles it, Art. Your pantomime is too rocky for any one to translate.” = Arthur made another attempt,, with variations, _ but with no better success. _ T give it up,” he said. ee In a few minutes both Rollo and Alazan started for the street, motioning the boys to follow: Their oBject was soon apparent They intended to show Frank and Arthur all that was to be seen of the - Silver City. They took them up one street and _ down another, and finally led them back to the ‘Femple of the Sun. They were pefmitted a peep ‘into the dome-room, where the religious services ‘were held twice a day—at the rising and the “setting of the sun. The room was truly a mag- nnificen The walls were thickly studded with tuberant ornaments d re to be seen at regular inte s. Hid- a SEEKING A LOST TREASURE - pany him to his home. 15 that of nature. It was under these conditions — ‘that Frank and Arthur saw the temple, and the impression it left on their minds was never wiped out. After leaving the temple, the young men took the boys to the treasure room, and here their eyes were fairly dazzled with the display of jewels and lumps of beaten gold and silver with which the room was fairly crowded. There were several men at work here fashioning bead bands, bracelets, and a score of other articles out of the precious metals, and incrusting some of them with precious stones. This room had no opening on the outer air, but its entrance through the in- terior of the temple building was just as open and unguarded aS the doorway of any house in the Silver City. Evidently such a crime as steal- ing was not known in the place, > “Well, I’d be satisfied to consider my fortune made if I owned half that is here,” returned Arthur, almost enviously. “Don’t worry; you’re not’ likely to own it,” laughed Frank; and with these words he and Art, followed by their conductors, left the treasure room of the temple. CHAPTER XI.—Planning to Escape. “What are we going to do about Fred?” asked = Arthur, when -they got outside of the temple. “We can’t stay here when there’s a possibility that he’s lost in the range somewhere. It’s our duty to hunt him up.” “That’s right,” responded Frank, “if these people will let us go.. I don’t like the way they treated Manuel and Sancho last night. Itseemed to me that that high priest who runs things here turned them oyer to the Indians, and from the racket those chaps made I don’t believe they meant any good to our guide and his companion. It seems to me that, in spite of the fine way they are treating us, we are actually prisoners.” “a The boys talked the matter over on the way é. back to Rollo’s house, and finally agreed to try and make their young hosts understand that they wanted to return by the way they came. Frank 2 made the first move by giving Rollo to understand —_ by pantomime that he wanted his friends to re- main with him. This worked. satisfactorily up to the general dinner hour in Silver City, which seemed to be about half-past four. At that hour — Alazan called for Arthur, and he had to accom- : Frank, Rollo and Alma — ate dinner together. After the meal Rollo went _ out, leaving his sister to entertain Frank. Frank _ and Arthur were both left entirely to themselves _ while all the inhabitants were at worship, and they took advantage of the fact to come together at = craton to the Rollo home. oe “The best thing we can do,” said Frank; “will be to get up early to-morrow; and, while the people are all at the temple for morning worship, — and ree ae oe we , make a break for the and ES >
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16 Everything went well with them until they reached the mouth of the tunnel, which they lo- eated without much difficulty. They were al- ready congratulating themselves’ on their '. luck when their way was suddenly barred by two stalwart natives, who had been lying in the grass near the tunnel, apparently on guard. The natives pounced on them, though without violence, and marched them back to the portals of the Silver City, where they motioned them to return toward the temple. The boys obeyed, much crest- fallen and disappointed. “What chumps we’are,” cried Arthur, angrily. “We might have shot those two chaps and have »- made our ecape.” cd Frank’s disappointment was so apparent that Adma looked sad. Every day for more than a week Frank repeated his desire to leave the Sil- ver City with his companions, but met with the same negative reply. “It was the 3d of August when we came into this valley,” said Frank, one morning, “and we’ve * been here now ten days.” “And likely to stay ten weeks or months, or even years,” growled Art in a discontented tone. “We were fools ever to think of penetrating down into the depths of the Andes in our crazy search for a lost treasure. You remember the priest at the couvent at La Paz told us that many “persons went in search of this place and no one, ' other than the two monks one hundred and six- teen years ago, ever returned to*relate their ad- ventures; and the monks in question did not find the Silver City, but merely some of the ornaments of the inhabitants, which are now in the convent museum.” “That’s right,” nodded Frank. “If any of those searchers actually reached this city, as we have done, they were either detained indefinitely or put out of the way altogether.” “We haven’t seen a thing of Manuel or Sancho sinee they were separated from us the night we were captured. They were turned over to the Indians, who are a fierce-looking lot, and pretty low in the human scale, I should judge. I would- n’t be surprised to learn that the rascal had done them up. It’s funny how the people of the : city, who appear to be entirely unarmed, can ta keep such a wild lot in subjection. They don’t _- dare pass the city limits, in spite of the fact that _ |. they possess ugly looking spars and are uncom- - ‘Monly strong. ey seem to do all the work for the Silver City people. The men till the fields and carry burdens, while each family in the _ town has one of their young women to do the eooking and housework.” ’ _ “It must be religious fear that holds them down. They’ve no doubt always been slaves, and ; zag away from that fact.” : a SMe, ie has of course got back to La Paz will use extraor- Of course, if Fred did not find his way the- tery of the Black Brotherhood short time, there is little doubt but he ~*o = ; himself in starvation. j mountains and has long be-- the others in a breath, clearly astonished ” ; words. \ SEEKING A LOST TREASURE must watch our chance, provide ourselves with food to carry, and then seek some other outlet up the range.” “That’s a pretty desperate risk,” replied Art: “but I’m ready to attempt it when you say the word, for I don’t care to stay here indefinitely.” “The chief risk is that we'll be lost in the fast- ness of the Andes the moment we leave the val- ley,” replied Frank. “We'll always have Mount Illimani for a*guide. We know that La Paz is only twenty-five miles to the west of it. All we'll have to do is to make - for the La Paz Valley and——” 4 “It’s easy to talk, Art; but to make our way two miles or more up these mountains, by the roundabout way we'll have to take, will be enough to try our nerves and endurance to the utmost. Still I don’t see that there is any other way left for us to escape./ Whether we survive the ordeal will be as muth a question of luck as anything else.” “T'll take the chance any time rather than stay here. I have had all I want of the Silver City.” And there the matter rested for the time being. CHAPTER XII.—The Dawn of Love. On the following day the boys, while walkin about the suburbs of the Silver City, noticed r commotion up the valley. Their hearts suddenly beat quickly, at the thought that this might be a rescue party in search of them. Their hopes ‘i dropped when they made out a party of Indians advancing with shouts towards the city. It looked as if more intruders into the hidden valley had been caught in the act, just as they had been. “Some more unfortunates, I suppose,” remarked Frank. “Can it be possible that this is Mr. Leslie and his searchers?” It appeared, however, that there was only one paeeer this time, and the boys were not kept ong in suspense as to his identity. To the lad’s surprise, and we might almost say delight, they recognized Fred Leslie. Not that they were glad . to find him a prisoner, too, on the principle that misery loves company, but because po the great relief they felt to know at last that their English — friend had not perished of hunger and thirst in the mountains. Still he looked something of a wreck, as if he and hard luck had lately been on close terms. - His captors halted; as was their custom, on the edge of the town limits not far from where Frank _ and Arthur stood, and uttered peculiar outcries c that were supposed to be signals indicating the cause of their presence there. Frank and Arthur deserted Rollo and Alazan in a twinkling and rushed up to Fred with outstretched arms. They expected he would be astonished to find them there, but he was not. : “Hello, dear boys!” exclaimed Fred, with a cheerful simle on his good-looking countenance. — “They’ve caught me at last, just as they did you.” “Why, how did you know we were here?” asked by his “Oh, I knew. I was hiding near those two.
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“warn you of what was ahead of you, for I knew those three chaps that faced you first were con- . eealed in the grass. Before I could do anything the crowd of Indians rushed out upon you and the mischief was done.” < <.“And have you been in the valley ever since?” -asked Frank. 2 _, “I have. I hid in one of those houses during the day, and foraged for provisions at night. I’ve tried my best to reach the tunnel so as to get away and bring back an expedition to effect your rescue. But it was no use. The place is under guard, night and day now since you were eaptured in order, I suppose, to prevent you from leaving the valley.” : “Now that you have been taken, too, there is no chance that your father will be able to learn of our fate.” | : = “Y’m afraid not,” replied Fred, soberly. “How- me ever, we must try and effect our escape on the sly at the first chance.” . At this moment a messenger came from the .temple to conduct the prisoner into the presence __ . of the high priest. Frank and Arthur insisted = on going with their friend, and Rollo and Alazan _ « offered no objection, though they accompanred _. their guests. The priest seemed surprised to see * another boy of the same color as the other pris- . oners, as we may as well call them. Rollo step- ped forward to tell him that the newcomer was a friend of the others. The result was Fred was placed in charge of a young man of the same as Alazan, and allowed the same liberty of action that. was accorded to Frank and Arthur. After that, except at night and during meals, __no restrjction was placed upon the three lads, __. being in each other’s company as often and as =) x long as they pleased. They spent the larger part oy their time Renee means of escape, though _ they pretended to ually fall into the ways and _- habits of the iakabitants of the Silver City. * hus several weeks elapsed without any oppor- tunity occurring to favor their strike out for liberty. Frank unconsciously became more and more interested in the fair Peruvian girl, and ~ gradually devoted a larger portion of his time to her society. Frank by slow degrees picked up _ hits of the dialect of the Silver City people, and "Alma helped him to acquire this knowledge by ~the most patient endeavor. Frank believed that if he could learn to talk with Rollo and Alma even a little bit at a time, he would greatly ben- efit not only himself but his companions as well. “Well,” said Fred one morning to Frank, “how leng have we been in the valley now? You’ve been keeping a record, I believe.” _-. Frank consulted his memorandum book and an- ~ nounced that that day was the first of October, and consequently they had been prisoners in the _ yalley for two months lacking three days. _ “And we seem to be as far from making our es as we were the day we came here,” said air. “I wonder if our fa- lost,” he added, soberly. they must be in a sad way a Gerapet on the boy’s spir- adually the effect wore off consider fresh plans for deliver- SEEKING A LOST TREASURE 17 asked Fred at last. “You ought to make good prices under such a beautiful teacher as you ave.” Frank colored; for, to say the truth, he was beginning to take an uncommon interest in Alma, and was even experiencing twinges of reluctance at the thought of leaving her, as it must be if he escaped, for ever. “Oh, rather slow,” he replied. “It’s pretty hard work, but I’m doing my best.” _ After that Frank devoted more time to learn- ing the dialect, while the other boys wandered around the valley together, picking up points looking to their final exit from the place._Frank, however, was learning something more than the language of Silver City from Alma, and she was also acquiring from him new thoughts and feelings. The more they were in each other's company the more they wanted to be. One night, after the boys had been four months in the val- ley, Frank and Alma were’ sitting alone in the early twilight after she had returned from the sunset service, during which Frank had sat with his coypanions at the door of the Rollo home more than usually entranced under the influence of her pure soprano voice as it floated out of the temple on the afternoon air. Fred and Arthur had been telling him of certain discoveries they had made that day, which promised to open the road to freedom to them, and they were jubilant over the fact. Apparently the hour when he must part with Alma was close at hand, and this thought made him somber and silent. The girl detected the change in his manner instantly and viewed ‘it with great concern. It was.the universal language of love that _ flashed from his limpid eyes as they looked into his, and the thrill that went through Frank’s veins showed that in spirit at least they under- | steod each other. Forgetful of every other con- : sideration except the fact that he cared for this girl more than any other being in the world, even his father, he suddenly threw his arms around her, andadrawing her to him kissed her on the lips. Alma uttered a cry-and started back in a startled way, and this action of her part brought Frank to his senses. He started to apologize in English, forgetting she could not understand, but he soon saw that she was not offended. For a moment she. covered her eyes with her hands, then steod trembling like a little —_ child before him. He graspedjone of her hands ~ and carried it to his lips without the least re- sistance on her part. Then he stepped back and eld out his arms to her. She looked up, gazed : into, his face with eyes that shone like twin stars, - hes and then, witha modest reluctance that well became her, she raised her own arms and - — them in his with head slightly bent. He ~ id not know that. by this act she had, according to the Inca custom, sacredly pledged herself to ~ im forever. But what he did realize was that she loved him unresistingly, and as she laid her shapely head-on his shoulder, he felt that he was i supremely happy. -
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18 saluted him with a kiss on the forehead. At first Frank was greatly surprised at this greeting, but when Alma entered the room and her brother, ‘aking her by the hand, led her blushing but S happily up-to the young American and joined =e their hands, Frank then understood that the , beautiful girl had told Rollo the secret that was se dear to her. The lovers, as we must call them, were left alone until breakfast was put on the table, and then Rollo joined them. For some Fe days after that Frank was unusually reserved : with his companions. They told him of the prep- ‘ *arations they were making for their escape. Of the food they had got possession of and hidden in a rocky cave, and other arrangements, all looking toward the fulfillment of their. hopes. ey They were surprised to notice that the enthusiasm he had formerly displayed in the matter seemed to have melted away. é “What’s the matter with you, old chap?” asked a Fred, inquiringly. “One would think you had oAg ceased to care whether you ever got away from the hidden city of the Andes.” But. Frank was in no humor to gratify their curiosity, and soon after he left them to rejoin Alma in the house. “Yl tell you what’s the matter with him,” said Arthur, with a slight grin. “He’s dead gone on that girl, and that’s all there is to it. I hope it won’t queer the business for us.” “I can’t say I blame him,” replied Fred. “She’s a deuced pretty girl, upon my word she is. But he'll forget alt about her when we get back to civilization.” A few days after that an unexpected denoue- ment happened. It was the hour of the service of the setting sun, and the three boys were sit- ting by themselves in their usual meeting spot, the doorway af the Rollo house. The sun was set, the incense had floated out on the evening air, and the chanting of the priests, mingled with _ .Alma’s wonderful soprano, had died away into silence. The boys were looking to see the people of the Silver City pour out of the temple, as was their custom at the close of the service. It was - Rollo, and he came directly over to his home. - “Come,” he said, marching up to the surprised Dudley, and putting his arm around his neck. “You must go with me to the temple.” _ Frank understood him and rose to his feet, but he was nevertheless astonished, for he had learned that no one but a believer in the Inca faith was permitted in the temple when the priests and people were gathered there. Never- theless, he could only obey Rolo’s request, which ' was practically an order. _ _ “What’s up now?” asked Arthur, uneasily, as - he and Fred watched their companion depart -. with Rollo and then ascend the steps into the ¢ temple. “J don’t like the looks of it for a copper “Tt’s a mystery to me,” answered Fred. “I hope’ _ they don’t mean him any harm.” _ _. Arthur insisted that it had a sinister look. “Something out of the ordinary is going to happen,” he said. “The people haven’t come out as u _ There’s some new ceremony about to ce in the temple. And Frank is going a part in it. I don’t like fo BEY, Shae Fe SEEKING A LOST TREASURE their uneasiness, the chanting of the priests and the chorus of the young girls was resumed, but the soprano voice of Alma was missing. Then once more came a solemn silence that filled Fred and Arthur with fresh anxiety. It was suceeeded with a burst of song from the entire congrega- tion of the temple, which continued several minutes. Then came a cloud of incense floating through the holes in the silver dome, and the chorus of the girls and chanting of the priests were renewed. When this had died away the people came flocking out, but instead of dispersing as usual they formed in two lines from the temple to the edge of the Rollo property. “Gee whiz!” cried Art, in astonishment, “what’s this, any way?” Out from the temple came the bevy of chorus girls singing a simple air, and throwing flowers and sprays of green leaves in front of them as they walked down the lane formed by the people. Immediately behind them followed Frank Dudley and Alma hand in hand, the girl decked in flowers from head to foot, through which her es oe diadem and ornaments flashed in the ight of numberless torches. “Suffering sixpence!” gasped Arthur, to the amazed Fred. “It looks like a wedding show.” Behind Frank and Alma walked Rollo, and be- | hind him his six personal friends. As the short — procession passed along the people shouted and waved their arms,’ and seemed to be delighted beyond measure. Then as the Rollo home was reached the procession paused and Alazan and his friend, who had charge of Arthur and Fred, came forward and beckoned the two boys to come along. They did so and were accorded a posi- tion on either side of Rollo himself. The pro- cession then moved on again. It passed three times around the temple, the high priest and his assistants standing on the steps to view it. and then it mounted to a big gathering hall in the southern wing of the building. Here were tables — spread with fruit and nuts, and silver fi ms of a liquor resembling a rich cordial. the — inhabitants of the Silver City crowded in after the principal participants of the show, and for — an hour there was a species of high jinks, with Frank and Alma as the head and front of it all. “Say,” whispered Art to Fred, “do you think Frank has been married to that girl?” “Well, it looks mighty like it, doesn’t it,” re- plied Fred. : “He never gave us a hint about such a thing coming off.” a: “I don’t believe he knew anything about it him- self till that chap, Rollo, came and walked him off a the br coal 2 at’s rather a sudden way of ringing in on a fellow, don’t you think?” (3s “Rather; but probably that’s the way they do - OE ey Gate et the teatk ths tage the close of the feast igh priest ap- pared, clothed in his ordinary attire, without is glittering vestment he wore during the religious services. He made a short = w Pe in stood To ley he -bracelets and a =4 Sos.”
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‘with a large and particularly fine ruby. It was - the custom of the Incas that the bride, and groom, with such friends as they selected, should spend the marriage night in the sacred cave of the “Sun. Accordingly, when the high priest with- | drew, Alma selected her brother; and she suc- ceeded in making Frank understand that he could choose his two friends, which he did. Sur- rounded by torch bearers, they made their way to the cave in the great mountain to the east of the city. Here the five were left for the night. The cave was partly natural and partly hewn out of solid rock. An immense figure of the sun was cut on one of the walls. There was nothing else in the place but a long stone seat directly under the image of the sun, and on this the five seated themselves, Rollo next to his sister while Arthur and Fred sat alongside of Frank. — “Arye we to stay here all night in this fashion?” asked Arthur, thinking how uncomfortable it was going to be. . Pena spoke to Alma/in her native tongue, though he was not very successful at it as yet, and she gave him to understand that all were to remain until the sun rose, and Frank passed the information on to his friends. : “So you’re really married to Rollo’s sister, are you?” asked Arthur. “According to the Inca custom, I am,” he an- swered. e ‘ + “You’ve caught a dandy wife all right; but '. how is this going to effect your escape from the - ‘yalley? We are almost ready to light out.” - + *} mean to take Alma with me.” : “But will she go? Will she leave her brother 7 * ee : : Pte never completed the sentence, for just then, _ without the least warning, the ground began to ‘rock and heave in the throes of a great earth- “quake, alongside of which all the others the boys had felt since they came to South America were like flea bites. ak * es sa CHAPTER XIV.—Conclusion. Pe ate nsternation ‘ensued among the five young ae in the cave. They would have oaned rth into the air, but in the glare of the fallin torches they saw the whole front of the cavern fall in with a fearful crash. Alma uttered a thrilling scream and threw her arms around her young husand. There she hung limp and in- " Zenéible in his arms. A second and then a third unheaval followed the first, until in their terror it seemed as if the mountains were falling in about their heads, A fourth and last shock dis- lodged a good bit of the debris from the mouth of the cave, but those inside did not know it. They crouched about in total darkness, expect- _ ing nothing short of a terrible death. ‘The move- ment of the earth finally, subsided, and absolute nies ess reigned once more over the face of mature. How they passed that long and fear- E » It was as ‘if concussions ad felt and quarter of Alma re- punderous, rile SEEKING A LOST TREASURE of the Silver City and coul s. ~ 19 At last morning dawned, and then the occu- pants of the sacred sun-cave saw that they were not buried alive as they had feared they were. The cavern was badly shattered, the front of it being completely demolished, but there was a large spening through which they were able to make their way into the open air. Then an astonishing sight met their startled vision—a sight that brought cries of acute despair to the lips of Rollo and his sister as they stood gazing across the valley. Where was the Silver City - of the night before? Gone from sight. Van- ished as the dew before the morning sun. It was buried under heaps of rocky debris. And with it had disappeared every man, woman apd child who dwelt within at the moment.the earth- quake swooped down on the devoted valley. As soon as Frank recovered from his astonish- ment he devoted his efforts to comforting Alma and his brother, but it was some time before : their spirits became at all composed. Alma clung to her young husband in a truly pathetic manner, - while Rollo looked on the site of the now truly buried city like one in a dream, his head bowed under the grief of the awful trial. As Alma’ wouldn’t let Frank from her side, Fred and Arthur went forth together to ascertain how things stood in the valley with reference to their escape from the place. They were gone for more than an hour, and® when they returned they brought what they considered remarkable news. First, they had discovered the storehouse of the Silver City in the hills, filled ~with dried > cereals and fruits. Second, the earthquake had opened up to view a swiftly flowing underground river, which they believed led to the Pacific Ocean. Third, caught in the bight of the bank, they had discovered a flat-bottomed boat, in good condition and ladén with empty petroleum cans, - that must at some time have come down from the lower part of the La Paz valley. Fourth, they had found that a great crevasse had opened in the valley, cutting off all approach to the mouth of the long mountain tunnel. The' only feasible way -of escape that they could see lay~ in trusting themselves to the boat and floating in it down to its outlet.” And this proposition they laid before Frank with the expectation that it would meet with his approval. # The two boys had each brought with them —~ an armful of dried fruit and cakes, prepared by : the Indians, of powdered meal which had bee mixed with water and baked. When the boys h satisfied their appetites the party set out for the spot where the boat was lying in the indentation __ of the underground bank. While Frank was ex- _— amining her, Rollo and Alma sat together with arms entwined, entirely oblivious of what was — going on. .The cans were removed from the boat, and a number of them washed out and dried with —__ grass to make them suitable to hold a quantity of: provisions to support the little party for a week — or two, By noon everything was in readiness for them to embark on the underground river, = ‘Long before this Rollo and his sister had picked eir way over the broken wand to the ruins seen the tem that portion of the stones of which alone
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7 aa * __ valley and their dead race forever. Before speak- ing to them Dudley walked slowly about the ruins of the temple. The sun was now shining down into the hidden valley, and its rays, shooting into _-. the solitary section of the former magnificent _ building that was not wholly buried from sight, were reflected back from a thousand brilliant objects. For a moment or two Frank was puz- zled to account for this strange circumstance un- til he discovered to his astonishment that he was _ gazing down into the treasure-room of the buried city. Instantly it occured to his mind that it would be foolish of them not to secure for their subSe- quent benefit as much of this_wealth as it was _* possible for them to carry away with safety in _ the flatboat. He signaled to Arthur and Fred to come out there. The two boys did, and were - equally astonished at the sight Frank pointed out tothem. Preparations were immediately made to -secure the treasure, It took the rest of the day to clean out the balance of the cans and fill them '_ partly full of gems and blocks of pure gold and a ae small quantity of silver. The treasure was care- __- fully packed and covered with thick grass, the jewels alone filling several cans. - All were dis- tributed about the boat so as to maintain a proper balance. It was just sundown when they finished - their last meal in the valley and were ready to _ go. By this time Alma and Balto were resigned o to their great loss. : “The last rays of the un lay upon the snow- “capped tip of Mount Illimani, and toward that ae point Rollo and Alma faced. They both began ‘ _to sing a mournful requicm to the departed souls of their people. It was a sad and weird melody, S, and as the three boys listened to it in respectful / silence the tears came into their.eyes. Especially = was this the case with Frank. Alma’s clear _ soprano voice rose palpitatingly on the air,. as Ge it did the first night he had listened to it while _ he and Arthur stood in the mirst of their Indian captors on the edge of the Silver City. But it aS a different strain now—a strain the boys d never afterward forget. At last it ceased é Brother and _ sister aie -a while in prayer; | Alma, leaving. Rollo’s side, walked up to and placed her hands in his confidingly, as : to say: Henceforth your people are my to your care my brother and I confide. ive days later the flatboat shot out alley baked by | SEEKING A LOST TREASURE | ud the hidden valley of the Andes had heard it a Siete sany of the a a man who could speak English fairly well. From, him Frank ascertained that the Peruvian port ofi Mollendo, where they had disembarked: for their trip to La Paz five months before—for the date? was now December 18—was only fifty miles to the north. Arrangements were made to have the flatboat towed to that port, and four days later they entered the harbor of Mollendo. While — Fred and Arthur remained to guard the treasure on the flatboat, Frank escorted Rollo and Alma to the best hotel in town. Their singular dress, as well as their personal beauty, attracted great attention along the streets and at the hotel. Frank as soon as possible called on the mayor and gave a rough outline of the adventures he and his two friends had been through since leay- Ing La Paz to inspect the convent of the Black Brotherhood in the Andes. The boy learned that their mysterious disappearance had been pub- lished throughout southern Peru and the State of ~ Bolivia, and that the government of the latter State had been searching for them for months without success. Mr. Leslie was at La Paz, hop- ing almost against hope. A dispatch was at once sent to him that the boys had° turned up safe and sound at Mollendo, and he hastened to — that town as fast as traveling facilities could carry him. Telegraph messages were also for- = warded to Frank Dudley’s father at Colon, on the Isthmus, and to Arthur Hale’s parents, in New — York. Before leaving Mollendo for Fanatics Alma and her brother were persuaded to assume ~ the regulation costume of civilized continuo and to lay aside their splendid headbands and™ other articles of adornment not in keeping with — 2 modern style. A portion of the treasure- was disposed of in Mollendo, the amount realized being over =? ‘$100,000, and the balance was boxed and conveyed to San Francisco, en route to New York, where the bulk of it was sold, and something over a million in money received in exchange, which was. equally divided among the boys and the last two survivors of the Inca race. Frank and Alma ~ were regularly married at his father’s Irvington ~ home, and with Rollo for their constant com- — panion, took up their residence there. Fred Les- lie subsequently returned to England with his” father, and during the summer of that ‘year Frank and Alma, accompanied by Arthur and Rollo, visited them at their Surrey estate. Tt was a happy reunion for the young people, frequently recalled their adventure i in statins when Seeking a Lost eas =
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: : _ SALT LAKE CHIMNEYS HIGHER THAN AT 3 SEA EEVEL ; Chimneys and smoke stacks in Salt Lake City mast be built from 10 to 20 per cent. higher than is necessary at sea level because of the diminished __ atmospheric pressure. _ TONS OF FISH SMOTHERED UNDER ICE - Tons of fish were smothered in Glenmere Lake, range County, N. Y., last winter by ice which Sieesed the lake from shore to shore, according ~~ to a report in the Scientific American. The ice _ Was more than two feet thick, and on this was foot or more of snow. When a hole was cut the surface and were carried over the dam. Hun- dreds of live fish in oeare® of air filled the holes which were cut. aye OPEN LANDS TO VETERANS __ More than 250,000 acres of public land in six - Western States were ordered thrown open June = 2 by the Interior Department for homestead en- = to ex-service men of the World War. Exact Saree for the filing of entries will be announced the Land Office in the various States. =. FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY -.- CURRENT NEWS _-through the ice thousands of-dead fish came to, 21 The tracts include 3,800 acres in Fresno-Coun- ty, Cal.;.33,000 acres in Montezuma County, Col.; 64,500-acres in Power County, Idaho; 37,500 acres in Phillips and Fergus Counties, Mont.; 19,500 — acres in Teton County, Mont.; 44,000 acres in Emery, Wayne and Millard Counties, Utah; 59,- as acres in Carbon and Hot Springs Counties, yo. . DISHWASHING MAKES THE HANDS BEAUTIFUL Mrs. Wilbur E. Fribley, State chairman of -home economics of the Illinois Federation of Women’s Clubs, Chicago, says dishwashing beau- tifies the hands instead of damaging them. * “‘Never use too strong a soap or chemical in the water,” Mrs. Fribley advised. “Use mild soap, and apply a lotion afterward. Dishes can be done so daintily that itis a pleasure. Soft white hands will result. I venture to say that the poet who ~ sang ‘I was @lover of ladies’ hands that were pale with the pallor of ivory’ was talking of a lady who washed dishes. In fact, tradition attributes his finest verses to his love fora girl who worked in her mother’s cafe.” _ doubly interesting. at Ree a copy and my will be delight _ The Number Out ‘Today Is a Dandy! = Pen t ee Tt -- A BIG CHANGE IN “MOVING PICTURE STORIES” — Magnificent Art-Work Covers in See — Handsome Sepia inside illustrations — Twice as many and better pictures than before — Intimate talks with the greatest picture - stars — Splendid stories of the very best film plays — And all sorts of news from the studios TAKE NOTICE! . Sot Fe, you thought “Moving Picture Stories” was a bright, sparkling little magazine in ‘the past, you oucht to see it now! Improved 100 per cent. in every department. big portraits of actresses, the zippy short articles and up-to-date interviews make it — No room here M tell you all the good things x contains. _ Just at all you get for 7 cents.
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Wrecked On The Desert THE ADVENTURES OF TWO BOY y ss cage inital don By GASTON GARNE CHAPTER ITI. Jack Makes A Disagreeable Discovery. All this was very plain, but in other places the “\atk had blurred by the wetting the map had re- ceived and it was impossible to make out the words. - * But Fennister had deciphered enough. His was a most adventurous spirit. Nothing could down him. The greater the difficulty the greater determination to overcome it this boy had ever displayed. “I go all right even if I have to go alone,” he declared, while talking it over that night. “As I told you before, you won't have to go alone,” replied Arthur. “There’s nobody to in- terfere with me. If you decide to go I’m with you, but it won’t do to forget your guardian. He may refuse his consent.” “That’s to be thought of, surely, Arthur; but as he happens to be in Europe at present I don’t propose to ask ‘his consent.” “Oh, that’s-another part of speech! I didn’t know. Shall you use your own car?” : _ "No; mine is not adapted to such work. I’ve ~ a few loose thousands in the bank; what I is to buy two cars and we will each f anise one. This will give us a lot more stowage room. If one goes all to smash we can double up in the other. water that way and bring out more gold.” Sy “Sounds well. It wil cost you a pile of money, _ “Never mind the cost,” declared Jack. “My . ambition is aroused. Others have safely crossed _ the Ralston desert in cars and there is no reason _ why we should fail. The only wonder is that Adams did not go back to his find.” _ “Probably his sufferin Fs were so great that he could not bring himself to it,” replied Arthur, “but now let’s turn in. If we are to break camp in the Loe siete as you propose, we want to get a - good night’s sleep.” _ Camp was broken accordingly, and the boys ran the big moter boat back to Seattle without mishap. Jack now an preparations for his journey. The cars were selected after much debate and the ir thes suitable both ae os warm ee ile there was no to what ele- be We can carry more food and. or it was now. 2 Se ee ie Ar ee eed ee an FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY sion to climatic conditions, Jack resolved to be prepared for anything. At last the day came to say good-by to old friends and to make a start. Arthur’s principal leave-taking was with his girl, Fanny Russell, and he spent the final even- ing with her. Jack as yet had no girl, nor did he at all approve of Arthur’s selection. “Fan’s a regular little flirt,” he said to him- self more than once. “Art will find it out some of these’ fine days or I’m greatly mistaken. Be that as it might, Miss Russell was by no means poor, and it was Jack himself who had introduced them. Not that there was any en- gagement. Fanny always pulled back if Arthur seemed dangerously near popping the question. It was necessary to cover much grounds before reaching the point of beginning which was the city of Reno, Nevada. The boys ran the cars down through Washing- ton and Oregon and took up the Nevada road in California. - It was a long run and took time, but to the great satisfaction of our boy prospectors the cars stood it well, proving to be all that had been claimed for them, nevertheless there were punc-. tured tires to contend with, as might have been : expected, and various other’ delays. At last just oS at evening they ran into Reno, where they put : up at the Empire Hotel. iz Arthur went directly to their’ rooms to wash up, but Jack remained a few minutes in the of- fice to consult a large wall map of Nevada, the biggest he had ever seen. Two gentlemen came up behind him and began studying it, too. : “Here you are,” remarked one presently. “It’s this mountain which resembles a camel, and it, really does. I’ve seen it. If he hits that he’s all 2 right. This dry lake bottom is fourteen miles due east. Jack pricked up his ears on the instant, as — will be believed. - The men seemed well-to-do persons, in fact gentlemen. a Jack continued to study the map, listening to 2 their talk. > “Tt may be just money.thrown away,” con-— tinued one, “but I’m always ready to take a chance. You see, I know this man Adams per- sonally. I also know that he actually did go pros-— pecting in the Ralston desert five years ago. The ~ young fellow is plucky and knows his business, If he can’t find this dry lake bottom, then no one 2) por did he get hold of the secret?” the other — aske x5 “Through some woman, I believe,” replied the — other, and the pair walked away. ¥ » Jack was furious. He and Arthur had made a sworn compact ie : mention the matter to no one. ae But had Arthur broken his agreement? ; It was not safe to jump at any such hasty ¢ clusion. For all Jack Fennister knew Budd m tearansp peli Sicae a
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NEWS TOOTHACHE MADE HIM EMBEZZLER ' +Two years ago Stanley Evans, 25, of 860 ~ 107th avenue, Woodhaven, Queens, falsified his books of the security firm of Bonbright & Co., 25 ’ WNassau street, because he had a toothache and ~ needed $100 for the dentist. Since then he has embezzled $6,000, the police say he told them when he was arrested on a sicay 3 oS irae lar- e on races de by his employers. with the money, he said, but never won a bet. ’ ~— Byans was arraigned in the Tombs Court be- fore Magistrate Alexander Brough, who held him in $2,500 bail for examination. Detectives said money was to make out vouchers for cash, spend a of this on the object for which it was ob- aoe ed and keep back the remainder, entering only the part legitimately spent in his books. TARANTULA OUSTS TRADERS ‘A crowd of customers was Watching the stock yuotations being chalked up on a blackboard in t of the offices of Eisle & King, 9 Clinton street, Newark, N. J., the other afternoon when ‘an enormous tarantula, said by ordinarily relia- ble citizens to have been fully six inches across, climbed over the board, poking its long hairy feelers ahead of it. The crowd fied to the other “Side of the street. The man with the chalk be- -eame panicky and backed off a dozen yards. The tarantula clearly had the upper hand. Then came Dr. James T. Wrightson of 25 Wal- “nut street, who was taking a new bowl home, he ‘ the bowl over the tarantula and in a mo- ‘ment held it captive. He presented it to the Newark Museum, where all who never have seen a tarantula may view it any time. How it ame to be in the financial district of Newark is ; ry, for it is the type of black, fuzzy spider that flourishes best in the semi-desert country of Arizona and New Mexico. = DEATH PITS OF THE AGES Preservation for scientific investigation by bio- ‘logists of the asphalt beds of Kern County, Cal- ornia, in the belief that “they are the death ; of the ages” for birds and animals, is ad- ated by Dr. William Bebb, curator of the den- tal museum of Northwestérn University here, fol- _ ng a three months’ inspection of the area. Dr. Bebb found many well-preserved skulls, he d, and has brought back to his collection a i identified as that of the saber-tooth tiger. The a extended about five inches below the ‘was these saber-teeth, intended by nature as ‘pon, that ultimately caused the extinction of 7 Dr. Bebb said, because, as the teeth Beg eating became difficult and the it beds were described as a mire for which, once involved in the sticky bout and slowly sunk fet a ae is that the clerk’s method of obtaining the firm’s _ until cov- FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 93 FROM EVERYWHERE ~ ANY ONE MAY LIVE 150 YEARS Somebody once advanced the theory th ‘ is only as old ashe feels, and then ss tiagoae tion of how long should a man live before he be- gins to feel old. It’s all a matter of relativity (no connection with the Einstein theory): At the age of ten, we’re young in comparison with our fathers, but we’re old alongside our three- year-old sister. According to the latest scien- tific information, the man of fifty isn’t old It fact, he really hasn’t reached the prime of life yet. He has ahead of him one hundred years—a century—of activity, and no man with that great span of life ahead could be said to be old Dr. Josiah Oldfield, English scientist, says the ripe old age of 150 years may be reached by an one who will follow the prescribed formula of diet. Coarse bread, porradge, buttermilk vege- tables, butter, cheese and home-brew will do the work, he says, and adds that maybe the home- brew could be left out of the diet without chang- ing the effects greatly. Vitamines in the barle that is used in old home-brewed ale are aged Stagg es me the general good health of the oa age Englishman durin Oldfield believes. plies Ftp a SSS, “Mystery Magazine” SEMI-MONTHLY 10 CENTS A COPY — LATEST ISSUEs —_ 127 WHEN C . HEN CROOKS CONSPIRE, by Harola F. Pod. aski, 128 THE MYSTERY = witton cra 7 OF THE BLUE CAR, by Ham- 5 STECTIVE AX a - chive. AND THE LAW, by Frederick . > HAND IN THE DARK, by Chas. F. tat Tate Pee + by - F. Oursler. = en Homara THE ROGUE, By George Bron: ae OMAN FROM NOWHERE, by Jack Bech- 133 THE TIME DETECTIVE, by Frank Blighton. 124 THE WHISPFRING-ROOM. By Reulah Poynter: ONE CLUE MISSING, by Chas. F. Oursler. The Famous Detective Story Out Today in 136 Is THE DOOM OF THE DAMNED By JOE BURKE HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc. 166 West 23d Street, New York City RE TE ee “Moving Picture Stories” A Weekly Magazine Devoted to Photoplays and Players PRICE SEVEN CENTS PER COPY ~ Each number contains Four Stories of th ma the Screen -- Elegant Half-tone soonest yy ‘. fa ie Fans" Bole eta tod “Actas aR _ ors 2 oe Studio and Lessons & Scenario Writing ead : SS ae
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P94 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY = Rs _ A TINY SET 3 Charles Plewinski of Philadelphia has made a 3 complete radio set to fit inside a peanut shell. “The shell can receive music and talks at a dis- tance of at least eleven miles,” says Charles. WAIVE RADIO MUSIC FEES That music publishers allow radio stations to broadcast copyrighted music without paying fees am until] broadcasting reaches a commercial stage, was recommended recently by a committee of the Music Publishers’ Association of the United ie States, of No. 105 West 40th street, New York ony, es : = The publishers were asked to waive their strict 7 rights, partly because radio is regarded as a con- Sve tribution to the popularizing of music. The ---—s yecommendation has been adopted by the asso- ___ ¢iation, though none of its members are bound by port, i j NEW WAVE LENGTHS A change in radio broadcasting of great inter- est to all who are using radio receiving sets went into effect on May 15 through an agreement among operators of twenty radio stations for use of the new wave lengths made available by the Department of Commerce. These new wave lengths will make it feasible for listeners in the local area to make a choice of their evening’s en- tertainment from a list of half a dozen pro- grams, instead of two programs. The new ruling of the Department of Commerce provides three classifications. Class A stations will be those using power not in excess of 500 watts. Class B stations will be those using in ex- * cess of 500 watts but willing to comply with the > rules drawn, with a view to broadcasting only _ high-grade programs. Class C will include those stations which desire to keep to the old 360 meter _ wave lengths. “MEAD SPOTS” IN RADIO TRANSMISSION _ Government scientists are trying to determine the cause of “dead spots’ between a number of _ cities in the United States which form an almost _ impenetrable barrier to the direct exchange of radio messagés. - The most pronounced of these appears to be be- Dr. J. H. Wellinger, Chief of the Radio Di- m of the Bureau of Standards, who is trying ; een Pittsburgh n . S INTERESTING RADIO NEWS in these dead spots which so affects certain layers of the atmosphere as to render transmission of radio waves impossible. In the case between Washington and Baltimore, theories advanced in either quarters are that the dead spot may be caused by the electric railway line between the Gties, by the numerous high ten- sion cables and ‘conduits between them, or by the topography of the country. PICK-UP DEVICES. With the radio audience growing more and more critical regarding the rendition of radio programs, it has been necessary for radio broad- casters to devote no little attention to their mi- crophones or “pick-up” devices. In the early days of broadcasting, not so long ago, considerable at- tention was devoted to the accoustical properties of the studio, particularly troublesome sound re- fiections or echo, until this phase of the new art was finally mastered. However, it has been found that the microphone or “pick-up” device is the . main link between the studio and the radio au- dience, and no matter how perfect the studio may be and no matter how flawless may be the musi¢ __ at the studio end, the microphone or “pick-up” stands in the way. The usual carbon microphone — is far from an ideal “pick-up” device. It misses ~ many notes because its diaphragm, having a natural period or tone of its own, cannot be ex- cae pected to vibrate over the wide range of fre- — . quencies encountered in a musical pro Furthermore, its mechanism: is somewhat “heavy” __ and represents considerable inertia to rapid ascil~ lations. The question of natural period also ap- plies to the condenser “pick-up” device, in which __ the vibration of a diaphragm causes a change in the capacity of the modulating circuit in aceord- ance with the sound values. The General Electric engineers have been experimenting with the pallo- photo-phone device, which is also employed for Siiaies sounds on-a motion picture film by means of a photographic record. In the case of - radio broadcasting, the pallo-photo-phone adapta- tion consists of a very sensitive diaphragm at- tached to a tiny mirror, which projects a_beamof — light. on to a photo-electric or “light sensitive” cell, The cell, of course;forms part of the modu- lator equipment which, in turn, controls the trans- — mitter. It.so happens that the pallo-photo-phone diaphragm and mirror are so light and sensitive that they will pick up sounds which would be lost when using the heavier diaphragm and y some mechanism of the usual microphone. _
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aa FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 25 solute truthfulness. Any one listening to KDKA during tests of the glow discharge transmitter, will immediately note the marked quality of the emitted music. ELECTRONS FROM HOT FILAMENTS When metals are heated in high vacuum elec- trons, or atonis of negative electricity, evaporate from their surfaces. If there is another electrode in the evacuated space to which a positive charge is given the electrons drift over to this electrode (anode) so that a current flows between the two es. The electron emissions from a large number of different materials have recently been measured, according to Electrical World. The thoriated tungsten cathode gives a current at a temperature of 1,500 degrees absolute, which is about 130,000 times greater than that secured from ordinary tungsten. Some of the cathode materials have even greater emissions. In order to get all the current that a cathode is capable of giving, it is necessary to apply to the anode a high voltage to overcome what is known as the space charge effect. By putting,gases inside the tubes positive ions are formed in the spece be- tween the electrodes by bombardment, and these neutralie the negative space charge and allow the current from the cath to pass across the space with much lower anode voltages. The effect of therefore, is to increase the current-carry- ing capacity of the two. The thoriated tungsten filament is a tungstan filament containing 1 per cent. or 2 per cent. of thorium, usually in the form ef an oxide. When such-a filament is heated to about 3,500 degrees Centigrade, a little of the thorium oxide is changed into metallic ‘thorium. In the meantime, however, any thorium on the surface of the filament evapofates, leaving only pure tungsten. If the filament is then low- ered t® about 1,800 degrees, the thorium grad- ually wanders or diffuses through the filament, and when it reaches the surface if the vacuum is quite perfect, remains there and graduallly forms a layer of thorium atoms which never ex- eeeds a single atom in thickness. The thickness of this film is therefore about one one-hundred- millionth of an inch, and yet this film increases the electron emission of the filament about 130,- 000 times. ; RANGE ‘ When consideration is given to the distance a transmitting station will radiate signals or to the operating radius of a receiving. set, it is im- t to make a distinction between the re- ‘liable range and thev ariable or occasional range, says the Brooklyn Eagle. It is necessary, there- ' fore, when specifying the range of either trans- Mitting or receiving sets to use the. reliable range over which the set will operate under nor- mal conditions, rather than the occasional range, which under particularly advantageous condi- - tions have provided distances of transmission or reception many times in excess of the average distance which been conservatively esti- ‘range of a receiving set depends i iusasure upon local conditions, wh mia ‘in open country with but few inter- pesing obstacles to absorb the radio waves, or whether it is surrounded by lofty buildings con- structed on frameworks of steel. The single, well constructed receiver employing a crystal detector and using a single wire an- tenna approximately 100 feet in length, elevated at least 80 feet above the ground, has a daytime range of about 25 miles, while at night signals from much greater distances are easily. received. The crystal detector does not possess the am- plifying, properties of the vacuum tube and con- sequently does not supply an equal intensity of signal. If the crystal detector is replaced by the vacuum tube detector, the reliable operating ra- dius of the set is increased to approximately 75 miles, and there is considerable improvement in the receiving qualities due to the sens ve prop- erties and amplifying action of the tube which secures louder music or speech. A simple regenerative receiver or the “tickler coil” or “tuned plate” type using an outdoor an- tenna ‘will cover a distance of approximately 100 miles, The increased range obtained by regen- eration is due to the fact that a circuit of this type is practically ther equivalent of a simple non-regenerative circuit to which has been added one stage of radio frequency amplification. When it is desired to receive the signals from a distance of 200 miles or more it is nmceuanee to employ two stages of audio frequency am- plification. . Signals having sufficient energy to actuate the detector are thus rendered andible by ee amie whereas without/this form of magnification they would either be inaudible or barely heard. One stage of audio frequency am- plification builds up the strength of the sounds from four to five times their normal intensity. The addition of the second stage amplifies the magnified sounds of the first stage four or five times more, thus producing sounds which have a resultant intensity of 15 to 25 times their nor- mal strength. It is not advisable to add more than two stages of audio frequency amplification due to the fact that interfering sounds due to tes ——— or tube noises are amplified to such an extent as to prevent satisfa i reception. Bye Sogn The addition of two or three stages of radio frequency amplification inserted between the an- tenna and the detéctor provides a means of build- ing up the strength of the feeble impulses, from a distant transmitting station, at the original frequency with which they were radiated through the ether. The minute amounts of energy are therefore increased to a strength sufficient to actuate the detector. An average operating ra- dius of several hundred miles is available by this arrangement, which also permits the use of a loop antenna with its directional and interfer- ence-reducing properties. It must be distinctly understood that the aver- age ranges herein stated are based upon simple standard tyes of equipment operating under nor- mal conditions and do not include the exceptional distances covered in many cases by special and unusual circuits performing under particularly advantageous conditions, as for single tube receivers, which have clearly received broad- over distance of approximately i le = :
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ame = 2% _ An old law permitted % - As is still customary they went to their hus- ’_bands or fathers for the wherewithal, and hence _ the term “pin money.” 26 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY NEW YORK, JULY 13, 1923 TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS @ingle Coples............ «.++sPestage Free 1 Cente Que Copy Three Months..... ” = 90 Cents One Copy Kix Months........ of ad $L.16 One Copy One Year.......... ed e 3.58 Canada, $4.00; Foreign, $4.50, HOW TO SEND MONEY — At our risk send P. O, Money Order, Check or Registered Letter; remittaness in apy other way are at your risk. Wea t P Stamps the same as casb. When sending silver wrap e Coin in a separate piece of paper to av e envelo rite your mame and address plainly. Address letters to HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc., 166 W. 28d St., N. ¥. ITEMS OF INTEREST 2 FLEAS DISPERSED WORKMEN Fleas, millions of them, are holding up the in- installation of a heating plant in the subcellars of the Hospital of St. Louis, Paris. The plague appeared about a month ago when, after working for a half an hour under the ground, a score of laborers came out with their faces and arms bleeding. Acetylene lamps and sudphur torches failed to exterminate the invaders and the munic- ipal laborators have been called in to provide a solution. Meanwhile, the laborers refuse to go down into the infested cellars, declaring that not only is their personal safety involved but they si unwilling to risk earrying the insects to their omes. WHAT BECOMES OF PINS? It has been stated on what is mrepoees to be good authority that the world’s total output of pins is at the rate of 200,000,000 a day. If so, it may seem surprising that the world isn’t becom- ing carpeted with pins. We know how easily they are lost—where do they go to? Most of them decay into nothingness, for actually the pin is not such a time defying article as it seems, Every pin dropped in a p place soon turns into.a few grains of rust. With new pins turned out by machinery in such immense numbers our grand- mothers’ maxims about picking up pins are for- gotten, but in the fourteenth century, when pins were first introduced, they were valuable articles not to be lightly lost recalls Everyday Science. the sale of pins on only two days in the year, the first and second of Jan- wary. It was then the custom of all the woman- folk to buy their pins for the following 12 months. . . ; SUICIDELESS GAS Regent geri suicide will be destroyed invention of a British engineer is uni- adopted. For a number of years the ide by” from illu- FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY minating gas has been comparatively high, as suicides rates go. Recently a British engineer, after three years of research, developed an il- ~ luminating gas that is utterly harmless. When substituted in the gas mains of an English town it was found that no ill effects were suffered by persons who purposely or accidentally inhaled the new illuminant, while its heating and lighting properties were not impaired. The inventor de- clares his new gas less costly than the old poison- ous variety and its general adoption through . Great Britain is expected. Death by gas has been the most common means of suicide in England. The next most popular was liquid poisons, but government regulations have become more and more strict, so that it is difficult for the. would-be suicide to buy poisons. One of the Government laws requires that poi- sons be put up in distinctive colors so as to pre- clude, in so far as is possible, the danger of them being taken by mistake. Carbon monoxide is responsible for the many deaths from illuminating gas. In the newly de- veloped illuminating gas carbon monoxide is pres- ent in a negligible quantity. LAUGHS Mother—Ethel, are you saving anything for a rainy day? Ethel—Yes, mother. I never wear my silk stockings around the house. _ Small Elsie was standing at the window when it began to hail. ‘Oh, come and look, mamma,” she exclaimed. “It’s wainin’ pills.” “Is he swayed by his prejudices?” “I should say so. Anyhow, he’s the sort of a man who cheers when the ball hits the umpire on the shin.” Boy—I want another box of pills like I got for mother yesterday. Druggist—Did your mother say they were good? Boy—No; but they just fit my air-gun. : “Goodness, John,” said a woman to her hus- band, “your suit looks as if you had been sleep- ing in it!” “Well,” replied John, “why not? Isn’t that the suit I wear at church?” # “Now, Albert,” said the Sunday-school teacher, “can you tell me who Moses was?” “Yes, ma’am,’ replied the little fellow. “He was the only man who ever broke all the ten commandments at _ once.” “Mother, didn’t you say that some one get pepe if my new doll got broke?” “Yes, I id’. “Then would you mind spanking dolly most severely, mamma? The naughty thing has just broken Old Lady pa Bagr gg Uap res: boy, 1] waiting some time to waited on. ; Boy—Yes, ma’am. What can I do for you Lady—I want a 2-cent stamp. is Yes, ma’am. Will y er arm!” 3 58
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST GIRL BITES DETECTIVE Miss Dorothy Terry, who gave as her address 208 West: Seventy-eigth street, New York, bit Miss Saddie Vreeland on the arm after she had been accused of stealing a two-piece silk bathing suit valued at $25 from B. Altman’s store in Fifth avenue, where Miss Vreeland is a store detective. _ After biting Miss Vreeland she broke away and ran to Thirty-fifth street, where she boarded a Fifth avenue bus. She was pursued by Miss Vree- land, at whose the East Thirty-fifth street station, who was on the bus, arrested’ Miss Terry. The prisoner was sent to the station house, charged with petty lar- ceny and felonious assault. PLATFORM HIDES TREASURE More than $300 in silver, dimes, quarters and halves, with pennies and nickel, was dug up by workmen getting ready for the opening of No- rumbega Park, Boston. The silver mine was dis- covered when the men about to build a new plat- form in front of the ticket office took up the old planks and got their first glimpse of the shining silver. Also among the treasure were seven hat- Pins, two vanity cases, a lady’s gold buckle gar- ter and six jew€lled pins. General Manager Hanson of Norumbega ex- plains the discovery by the fact that the plat- form had not been renewed for many years, Dur- ing that time hundreds of. thousands of péople purchased tickets there, and in their hurry dropped the coins, which fell between the cracks in the platform. Norumbega management allowed the men to —P the money, but the jewelry _may be claimed at the park by those who can identify the same. THE BEETLE GLUTTON One of the most useful importations is an ac- tive green beetle—a tiger in the moth world. He is a special enemy of the gypsy moth, another unwelcome foreigner which has created such from time to time in the farmer’s fields. For his size the beetle mentioned is a terrible creature. Beside him the pig is a beast of most delicate appetite. The green beetle would de- your ten times his weight in gypsy moth cater- rs in a single day and be ready to repeat performance on the morrow. : two seasons of active life are a wild orgy of slaying and feasting. _His span of life in- “3 two summers of ‘adult existence, repre- senting less than five months of activity alto- _ gether; but during that time he will normally de- . . vour nearly 650 moth caterpillars or pupae «as large as himself. A single pair of beetles have been chserved to eat 2,000 caterpillars within eight weeks, gluttony almost beyond belief. OLD MAINE HOMESTEAD between Water- request Detective John O’Brien of ~ > fs Te eet on his expedition to Canada one of-his bateaus capsized near Getchell’s and several thousand dol- lars’ worth of gold was lost. The following spring three of the Getchell boys went down and salvaged the gold and with it built this house. The house is a big square building with an el attached in back. An ancient flagstone walk leads to the massive front door with a big brass knocker. Inside the scheme of decoration and fur- nishing is just as it was many years ago. Quaint furniture, ancient candlesticks and a big brass warming pan are of interest. The big doors were fashioned by hand and swung on LH hinges that the superstitious people of ‘long ago put on. The LH stood then. for “Lord Help Us and Keep Witches Away.” The beams of the building are hewn and of huge proportion. The boards in many instances are two and three feet wide. Upstairs there is a wonderful old bed made more than 200 ytars ago. The four posts are carved from walnut while overhead an arched canopy ef white linen is arranged. : Hundrels of autoists pass this little village every day during the summer months. but only a few of them realize the beauty and historical interest that are in that little plot of land less than a mile square. REINDEER DRIVERS EXCELL WITH LASSO More skillful even than the cowboys of: the West in the use of the lasso are the Eskimos of Alas- ka, according to Capt. Joseph Bernard, Arctic ex- plorer, in an address at Loyola College, Mon- treal, June 2. Captain Bernard expressed admit- ration for the way the Eskimos, time and again, could pick out a reindeer in the middle of a close- ly packed herd and send the noose over its antlers without touching any of the surrounding ani- mals. The Captain declared there is little democracy among the primitive Eskimos, especially those in Siberia. There, he said, a man may have as many wives as he can pers ei His wives form an index to the amount of his possessions. Fine, tasty deer meat could be had. in part of the North for $7 for 160 pounds, or a little over 4 cents a pound. As there is practically no tree growth there the natives make their sleighs largely from drift- wood, which they lash together. The explorer remarked on the vast difference which he found existed between the natives of North Siberia and those of Alaska. Twenty years ago, he said, they were the same, but now the Alaskans are prosperous, intelligent, honest, and easy to trade with, while the Eskimo subjects of Russia, over the straits, are degenerate and wholly untrustworthy. ‘ The Alaskan Eskimos have churches and schools; they can read and write, and are on a general equality with the class of whites in that district. , The whole se tinte 3F the speaker ascribed to the different policies the American and Russian. Governments. The former ines education while the other simply neglects i. af siptec cee See ae
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: INTERESTING a COMPARE YOUR LIFE TO A TREE’S LIFE __—.. Human beings cannot compete with trees in the matter of longevity, but human beings are more fortunate than trees up to certain ages, according to mortality tables. A forest at ma- turity contains‘about 5 per cent. of all the trees that have started life there. The percentage of ~~ persons living from ten to fifty is much greater yh than in the case of trees. About 95 per cent. of trees die before they are eighty years old, while we only 87 per cent. of persons will die before reach- ere on Beages age. “ip = But when it comes to trees 100 years of age and over, it is necessary to go back to Biblical his- -. tory to find human beings who compare with ' them in length of years. Methuselah and Noah were far ahead of the majority of common trees as centenarians, but no man or no nation has ~ lived as long as have the séquoia trees. The sequoia attains an age of aboue 4,000 years. "A spruce tree in a forest requires about 4 square feet of space; at 40 years, 34 square feet; at 60 _ years 70, and at 100 years, 150 square feet. Pine trees are said to demand at least 15 per cent. more light space than spruce and nearly 40 per cent. more than fir trees. In some natural pine forests, where the trees grow very close together, statistics show that more than 4,000 trees per acre die between the ages of ten and eighty, and that only 300 out of ze the remainder die between the ages of eighty and _ £00. With some this natural dying proceeds faster than with others. With pine, birch, aspen and all _ species which demand a great deal of light, the death rate is enormous. The. spruce, beech, fir and, generally speaking, all species which are satisfied. with less light are not affected so seri- * ously... a AON NATIVES IN PAPUA WEAR SCANT ee CLOTHING ° Papua, better known as New. Guinea, is no place for a manufacturer of woman’s waists, nor for a shirtmaker, a haberdasher, nor a hatter. Any one of them would go into bankruptcy in - Jess than no time. ; : ; an interesting reform which is now en- - forced in Papua is that the natives must not wear _ elothes above the belt line and there are about 200 natives to every white in a territory 92,000 square miles in extent. _ This rather primitive dress ation was laid - may be*gained by the experiment. FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY NEWS ARTICLES used to be the other way; the missionaries in- sisted that the native women and men clothe themselves, but experience has shown that. to the native in that climate any superfluous clothing is harmful, even dangerous, _ “The population of Papua, which was decreas- ing, is now rising,” added Mr. Murray. “But there are only 275,000 natives and 1,200 to 1,300 whites * in all the great island. One thing we did was to offer a bonus for native babies. The Papuans objected to large families, two children was the limit.. Women with more were fegarded with con- tempt. _Now, if a woman has four living children, her husband’s tax is remitted and she receives an annual bonus of $1.25 with 25 cents more for each additional child. The idea is to make the mother of a large family a person of importance.” od . EARTHQUAKES MAY BE LOGATED Earthquakes have iong been classified as a thing of mystery and a study forever. The chief trouble lies in the facet that earthquakes don’t ‘operate on schedule. Day after day and week after week, even month after nionth, the geolo- gists-and other scientists visit the scene of the proposed earthquake, but in vain. The earth doesn’t quake. Then, after they have given up hope and fail to appear on the observation job, ° along comes the quake, and finds them unpre- pared. Scientists refuse to be thwarted again.. They are preparing a quake all their own—one that will operate on schedule and that will pa = them with enough data, they hope, to enable them to calculate the speed of earth tremors and _ so locate the origin. Se Twenty tons of high explosives are to be planted in a deserted mine one mile under the earth’s surface. Delicate instruments are now _ being made and these will be placed at various distances from the scene of action, When all is in readiness, the hight explosives will be dis- charged and the results noted. pee Calculations based upon seismographic records are only approximate because the speed of the earth waves, corresponding to the wave lengths in radio, cannot be determined. The s be noted in the man-made quake, and it is hoped that sufficient data will be obtained to en ; scientists to tell the exact location of a quake by the speed-of the earth waves. a Cee There are three lines of force-emanating from — a quake—two passing through the earth and on wave tremor that travels along the surface, _ Still another result may be obtained. Some — idea of the construction of the earth’s interic ; : _ There_ been considerable discussion in the world of ence on the composition of the interior earth. One theory is that rock 1 un he bs NPP mie) Ap | aa \ yer ' he) ie oy a abounds and another is that posite mass exists. Seienti
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TROUT FIGHTS | FOR LIFE 35 MINUTES A fishing rec- ord for New York} % waters was made the other when a nineteen- pound brown trout was cap- tured in Loon Lake, near Ma- lone, N. Y., by A. E. Paye. The great fish gave its captor a long and wearing struggle before it Surrendered its life. Mr. Paye, one of the County, Supervisors, was fishing in com- pany with E. R. Hayes of Loon! Lake, using an} Archie spinner and minnow with| a steel rod. When the fish struck it Was realized that a large catch was hooked put -the fishermen thought it was a “laker,” which sometimes reaches large size in these waters.} They were there- fore greatly sur-} prise when it} roved to be a rown trout. From the mo- ment of the strike a battle was on. Again and again day | in repeated rushes the big! fish ran out Mr.) Paye’s reels un-| til nearly the! whole of his line! was in water, and| at -_ times the tackle was under The str strain. | = struggle last- | thirty-five} eee. before the fish, in ex- haustion, gave up. Mr. Paye has en- tered his prize in @ contest for a reel offered by a Malone firm. GENUINE GERMAN ses MAUSER -s: Latest mode! 9 shot automatic, Shoots stand- $ 95 ard cartri iagee see flat in pam Pe cal a s famous 25 cal. Hand of a: ovine out ¢: ae ae gal: 32 cal. $13.95 $16.95. $17.95. genuine’ ‘All brandnew |atest models. Guaranteed boy'mm deivery SEND NO MONEY Plus Postage Satisfaction pen or money promptly refunded San, 65. Sunt, like you naed over there. Imported Top Brake Revolver. £2 cal. 33.65; 88 cal. $8.95, 25 cal. Pocket Automatic 95 Automatic $8. 45; 32 cal. $10.45; Officer's Auto~ Universal Sales Co. 141 B’way, Desk 9 Now York nas rie 25 cal. $12.95; Military Trench , 32 cal. 10 shot extra magazine FREE, PERSONAL APPEARANCE is now more than ever the key-note of success. Bow- Legged and nock-Kneed men and women, both young and old, will be glad to hear that I haye now ready for market my new appliance, which will suc- cessfully straighten, within a short time, bow- leggedness and knock-kneed legs, safely, quickly and permanently, without pain, operation or discomfort. WII not interfere with your daily work, being worn at night. My new ‘‘Lim-Straitner,’ Mode! 18, U. 8. Patent, Is eusy to adjust; its result will save you } soon from further humiliation, and improve your personal appearance 100 per cent. Write today for my free copyrighted physiological and anatomical book which tells you how to correct bew and knock-kneed legs without any obligation on your part Fnelose a dime for nostage. M, TRILETY, SPECIALIST 585 --L. Ackerman Building, Binghamton, N. Y. Spectacles F REE! on Ten Days Free Trial famous “True Fit” Shell Rim Spec tacles. 33 ungredy at pe sos aes the smallest print, thread Let me send you Glasses will enable an — asterackceier fines and near headaches, If after fying them on re TF days and nights you fiassea scld elsewhere at $15.00, send $4.49; if you n’t want to them, return themand t will be no pe a a I Says bestitl ve lined, tered Spectacle Case FREE, DR. RITHOLZ Madison and LaflinSts. Dept, 2013 Chicago, lil, OLD MONEY WANTED $2 to $500 RACH paid for hundreds of Old Coins dated before 1895. Keep ALL old or add money. Send 10cts. for New Ill's. Coin Value Book, 4x6. You may have yuluable aps Get posted. We pay cash. CLAEKE COIN CO, Ave. 13, Le Roy, N. ¥. & Sell Shirts Sell Madison “Better-Made” Shirts, Paja- y mas, and oh cag ed direct ee oe our earer, Nationally advertised. patterns. Large eesured. *Fatirel new WRITE FOR FREE SAMP: (amma MADISON SHIRT CO., 603 B'way, N.Y. City Pimples Your skin can be auiokiy —e of Pimples, Black- MPLES. are balan FREE E rect t, oi FREE: af eae or silcted fork eco E.S.GIVENS, 186 ae sons ES. GIVENS, 108 Chemical Bide., Kansas City,Mo Kansas City,Mo. TOBACCO Habit Cured or No Pay Ary form, reer eiee chewhek iba! 4 eee Acne tions ——s Senere > ore " Comple atment SUPRA ‘CO. MIT Ba diss Sit Removed at home; no knife. sistent ceed for ‘ * Bd Rook and mag oitre = Seat 488 West G3rq suc OROUAYLE SANTTARUM, Depe. 971 MAD! aa THE ELECTRICITY Sos Staiger tura & needle through your table er NEE Cures Rheumatism, Liver aad Lame Back, ete. Fox igive Owe But Pause te Address E.J. SMEA’ VINELAND, NEW W SERGRT, How and Where to Find em faded lodel P -__ 21 Coma Bulidins. “Ghisan’ » finest ar vin wich 22 WAKE UP! somethi NEW a: about you yourself... ava *—Know your fotare se », You knew your past.— ee ee = = COUPON = = oe ee oe ‘To avoid tamperers enclose TEN CENTS to cover cost of mailing, ete. Your birth date insertion, DIMNGS y os Vk CESS sw ae wen sonecccese | Mon... cecese Bt. ded Ned picks - 2 50d son tig he sescoes Day .iscceses City ahd State. Foes Vinca g- «ado en Year... 2+. ese BK. OKtE, 207 W. 139th St., New York, N. ¥. Devt. B-
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ts decide what : _ your head can—und - “Life Aint in Holdin’ a Good Hand but in Playin’a Poor Hand Well LIFE AINT IN aa Gila | ary Ay HERE 18 NO FINER THING IN THE WORLD than courage. It is the warm and beautiful flame which lights the fires of ambition in every man’s soul and burns a forward path through every difficulty. It is easy to be courageous ‘when the odds are in your favor. But the greater hero is the man who smiles a brave smile when days are darkest and keeps on fighting toward the ultimate goal—“to the Jast a warrior unafraid.” As Grantland Rice so beautifully expresses it:— “God grant that in the strife and stress Which all must face who linger here— Upon the Field of Hopelessness Or with the laurel swinging near, Upon the world’s red firing line The battle of the st and weak— The fate of all the Fates be mine— I will not show the Yellow Streak. “lf Fortune play me false or fair— If, from the shadowlands I creep Up to the heights and linger there, Or topple downward to the deep— up the rugged path of fame, Where one man falls—another mounts; God grant that I play out the game, For there is nothing else that counts.” ‘As the old cowboy saying goes—“Life ain’t in holdin’ a good hand, but in playin’ a poor hand well.” What if you did have to leave school when you were but a boy! What if you have been working for years at a small salary with little or no chance for advancement! Do you think ‘that makes any difference to a real fighter? What you have done with your time up to now - accounts for what you are Today. What you do with your time from now on will u will be Tomorrow. Your hands can’t earn the money you need. Byt will!—if you give it the chance. No matter what your age—your education—or your means, you can get out of the rut and make good grit your teeth and say “I will.” > By R.C. Templeton O you want to advance in Business? In Adver- tising? In Saemeeeh ips Many of the coun- 's foremost Sales and Advertising Managers, Chief Clerks, Accountants, Office Managers, Book- keepers, and Private Secretaries have won success with the help of the International Correspondence Schools. More students have been enrolled in the I. C. S. Business Courses than in any other business courses in the country. Would you like to be a first-class Draftsman, Mechanical, Electrical, Civil or Steam Engineer? A Chemist? An Architect? A Butiding Contractor? An Automobile Expert? Thousands of men have climbed into big jobs in the technical professions through I. C. S. help. The I. C, S..\is the biggest and oldest correspon- dence school in the world. For thirty-one years, it has been helping men out of routine drudgery into work they like—helping them to win advancement, to have happy, prosperous homes, to know the joy of getting ahead in business and in life. How much longer are you going to wait before taking the step that is bound to bring you more money? Isn’t it better to start now than to wait five years and then realize what the delay has cost you? One hour after supper each night spent with the I. C. S. in the quiet of your own home will prepare you for the position you want. z Here is all we ask: Without cost, without obligat- ing yourself in any way, mark and mail this coupon. It takes only a moment of your time, but it is the most important thing you can do today. Right now is the time to say “I will.” oe — — — — — TEAR OUT HERE — — — — — — - INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS Box#®4489-B, Scranten, Penna. Without cost or obligation, please tell me how I can oat for _ @he position or in the subject before which I have marked an x: : BUSINESS TRAINING DEPARTMENT y Business Management Salesmanship Industrial Management Personnel Organization Advertising Better Letters ‘Traffic Management ‘oreign Trade Business Law aphy and Typing anking and Banking Law usiness English roe my hy eee C.P.A.) Civil Service Niehelson Accounting ailway Mall Clerk Bookk Common School Subjects Private Becretai Business 8; OD French Illustrating TECHNICAL AND INDUSTRIAL DEPARTMENT Engineering Architect | Blue Print Read Engineer and B Mechanical Draftsman Architectural Di Practice Conerete Bufider meer Operating Hosting Automobile Work wigation neering Agriculture and Poultry Radio OD Airplane Engines ~ Name..cccccchisecesocsssore csceesossesssensersnesssecenenreeceestonsnssesneepnanstecentoteten oodhatlings + Btreet 10-23 x joocees es4nyy onsets aneeyEMUAeEy seest eeseansees neaeerseeeeen gusangunaenensnrre seeerremmnena City. oansbacopusaonen sesnansnpeesSSUOR sesessnnssnannnnnenennnnanacnngeenenteerse asc seeee dee _ oe pagheitasnses ee a ‘gona residing lanada should tional Correspondence Schools Canadian, Limited, aie ‘
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OUTFIT To those ht now I will give this complete Finger Print Outfit absolutely free. It is @ regular oo aieg wee wake whe same kind that I use myself—the same~kind that you will use we | When you are ready to accept a position as a Finger Print Expert. This offer is for a limited time only, ey So you must hurry if you want to take advantage of it. Send in the coupon today for full information, _|Be a Finger Print Expert me - Learh at. Home--30. Minutes. a Day Only thirty minutes a day for a short time. That is all that is necessary. I am a Finger Print Expert te 5: and I know just what issrequired, -I give you just the kind of training that prepares.you to be a Finger , PrintsExpert—that assures you of a position just as soon as you have finished my course, The Finger Print Expert is always in demand. You need not give up your present occupation while studying this fascinating profession. Get into this big paying profession right now. More Men Needed Right Now |. _ The professional Finger Print Expert is always in : demand. I haye so many positions waiting to be filled right now that I am guaranteeing to place I Guarantee ap si 4 ig ae ig as soon as he finishes” my oem ma ' y ~8™ backing up this remarkable offer a Y bank guarantee deposited with the Phillips State ou a Bank of Chicago. Let me make you a Finger Print e e Position _ | Expert and start you in a big paying position. z : as soon as you have finished this course, Send Coupon Today Write today for full information. « LE OE SR Se _The big opportunity you have been waiting for -4s here. Remember you have a position waiting for you as soon as you have finished this course. Also _ to every student that I accept now I will give abso- lutely free a complete Finger Print Outfit as Mlus- trated above. ‘Besides a valuable course for Secret Service In- Mce is also given free to all my students. This information itself is worth many times the cost of ‘the complete course. Send coupon today and learn U. S. SCHOOL OF FINGER PRINTS, Room 10-95 7003 N. Clark St., Chicago, Hl. Without any obligations whatsoever please send me full information about yours“Gnaranteed Posi- tion Offer—Free Finger Print Outat.” Also tell me how I can become a Finger Print Expert. all about it. U.S. School of Finger Prints NGWAG, o5v:b n'y i'nawde os tle aig ss sABOUSs dc tw dea eRe RAGLOH.. sakes os ce gstcetonectiactvsbencdocsetacen F BN wale ene ete +3 (eae eeeeee - State. «ous See ‘ ¢ ss i. ete >> ~ — Citys. sees
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ie €ASee = . | Fame and Fortune Weekly z " . LATEST ISSUES —— - $85 In_the Lumber Trade;:or, A Winning Speculator. =? 886 A Boy’s Big Deal; or} The’ Wall St. Tip That Won. = 887 Prince, the Printer; or, The Little Shop That Was . Made to Pay. 888 sa Pati gs Money King; or, Tempting Fate in Wall ree 889 ADne the Missing; or, The Treasure of the Silver it? : y.- 890 Lucky Larry; or, The Boy Who Made Wall Street Take Notice. 891 The Young Wrecker; or, The Boy Who Dealt in Derelicts. $92 In the Game for Gold; or, Beating the Wall Street Market. 893 Messenger eg Pepe or, Hustling for a Living. 894 Old Kitson’s Kid; or, The Best Tip in Wall Street. 4 895 Lineman Jack; or, The Boy Who Built a Business. % 896 Barry & Co., Bankers and Brokers; or, The Boy Money Makers of Wall Street. 897 On the Fast Mail; or, From Clerk to_ Postmaster. 898 His Last Chance; or, The Boy Who Made Money in Wall Street. 899 Shipped to Sea; or, The Treasure of the Coral Cave. 900 An Errand Boy’s Fortune; or, The Office of the S Wall Street Secrets. 901 In the Film Game; or, The Boy “Who Made Moving Pictures. 902 A Smart New York to Wall Street. 902 Mark Milton’s Mine: or, A Schoolboy’s. Inheritance, 904 The Young Banker; or, ‘(he Mystery of a Money Box. 905 The Secret Chart; or, The Golden Treasure of the Crater. : 906 The Boy Behind the Deals; or, The Luck of a Wall % Street Broker. 4 907 See wae the World; or, Starting Business with 5; a Dollar. =# 908 A Speculator at 16; or, The Lad Who Worked His = Brains. 4 _ 909 Tom, the Steeplejack; or, Winning a Living by Boy; or, From the Tenements Nerve. 910 Saving a Million; or, Ben and the Wall Street Brokers. Ont; or, A Hard Boy to Beat. 911 Down and . 912 The Roy Banker's Double; or, A Strange Wall St. ; Mystery. 913 ey Be pa Beach Comber; or, A Fortune in the and, 914 The Tittle Boss: or, After the Wall St. Money Kings. 915 $250,000 in Gold; or, Hunting a Hindoo Treasure. _ 916 A Corner in Money; or, Beating the Wall St. Loan Sharks. 917 Going Tt Alone; or, The Boy Who Made His Own uck. 18 Ltile ven Tucker: or, Making Big Money in Wall t reet. Py 919 Fighting for Business; or, Beating a Bad Start. 920 A’ Boy hee, or, In Wall St. on His Nerve. 921 Buried Gold; or, The Treasure of the Old Buc- 4 caneers, 929 Hitting It Rich; or, The Luckiest Firm in Wall St. 993 Sam the Salesman; or, The Boy With the Silver “ -.... Tongue. ; 924 Playing in Lueck; or, A_Plotter’s Dangerous Deal. 5 After 2 Big Stake: or, Brains Against Brawn. ; 926 sie ty the Mexicans; or, The Secret of the Aztec’s . Geld. ; 927 Fighting for Fame; or, The Luck of a Young Con- 2 tractor. ~ For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any ad- _ Aress on receipt of price, 7c. per copy, in money or pos- tage stamps, by P ’ Ss HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc., 166 West. 23d Street, : New York City SCENARIOS HOWTO som 1S _ Price 85 Cents Per Copy in the —Yonu can tell by a glance at OUR TEN-CENT HAND BOOKS Useful, Instructive and Amusing. They Contain Valuable Information on Almost Every Subject No. 1. NAPOLEON’S ORACULUM AND DREAM BOOK. — Containing the great oracle of human destiny; “4 also the true meaning of almost any kind of: dreams : eeeaer with charms, ceremonies and curious games © No, 2. HOW TO DO TRICKS. — The great book of magie and card tricks, containing full instructions on all leading card tricks of the day, also the most popular magical illusions as performed by our leading magi- cians; every boy should obtain a _ copy of this book. ; No. 3. HOW TO FLIRT. — The arts and wiles of flirtation are fullly explained by this little book. Be- sides the various methods of handkerchief, fan, glove, parasol, window and hat flirtation, it contains a full list - of the language and sentiment of flowers. No. 5. HOW TO MAKE LOVE.—A complete guide to love, courtship and marriage, giving “sensible advice, rules and etiquette to be observed, with many curious and interesting things not generally known. No, 7. HOW TO KEEP BIRDS.—Handsomely illus- trated and containing full instructions for the manage- ment and training of the canary, mockingbird, bobolink, blackbird, paroquet, parrot, ete. No. 10.—HOW TO BOX.—The art of self-defense made ~ easy. Containing over thirty illustrations of guards, blows and the different positions of a good boxer. Every boy should obtain one of these useful and instructive books, as it will teach you how to box without an in- es miet fog o. 1 HO TO WRITE LOVE-LETTERS.—A Fe ih hs hon pty ns; eg Hines full directions for bows ng love-letters, and when, to use them, givin neers for 2 Shed and old. : = —— o. 13.—HOW TO DO IT; Or, BOOK OF ETI- - QUETTE.—It is a great life secret, and one that every Ce man desires to know about. There’s happiness n it. No., 14. 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Fall tustractions are giver ia Maelo little book, together with instructions on swimming and _ riding, companion sports to boating. ney No. 28. HOW TO TELL FORTUNES.—Every one is _ desirous. of knowing what his future life will bring — forth, whether happiness or misery, wealth or overty. is little book. <p and be convinced. ik, Bay. one No. 29. HOW TO BECOME AN INVENTOR. boy should know how inventions originated. This book explains them all, giving examples in’ electricity, hy- draulics, magnetism, optics, pneumatics, mechanics, ere No. 30. HOW TO COOK.—One of the ayost instructive books on cooking ever published. It contains 28 for cooking meats, fish, game and oysters; alee athens puddings, cakes and all kinds of pastry, and a grand — collection of recipes. “ as No, 38. HOW TO BEHAVE. — Containing the rules and etiquette of good society and the easiest and mast approved methods of appearing to advantage at ate balls, the theatre, ehurech, and in the ng-room, ie For sale by all newsdealers or will be seat address on receipt of price, 10 cents per copy, er postage stomps, by = x WOLFF, Publish