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14
THE YOUNG MEN. OF. AMERICA::
*You look well enough.”
“Well, “there ain't anybody out there now,
_ and I feel lonesome.
“ Everybod ly gone?”
“Yes,
“ Finished your work?”
~ “There ain’t none to finish,”
“All right, Joseph, you’re excused,” said
Howe, though Stover Jooked as black as ink,
Joe did not wait to hear any more but got
out as sudden as if he had been fired from a
cannon,
“ Now for the boss racket of the season,” he
“remarked, as he skipped away inthe direction
of the elevated railroad station,
We are afraid that Joe’s reason for wanting
to get away was no different than those of the
other employees, but that he was more frank
about the matter.
The sequel may prove that we are right.
’ [To BE CONTINUED.]
{This story commenced in No. 526.]
THE ;
DIAMOND EYE
or,
THE SECRET OF THE IDOL,
By D. W. STEVENS,
2? Railr
YS Peadertle Sach,” The Iron pari a cap
Roy,” “True ds Steel.” “Peppery etc.
CHAPTER x.
IN THE RAVINE—THE RETURN TO THE TEM-
PLE—CLINT’S COOLNESS SAVES HIM—CON-
TEMPLATING ESCAPE.
)}HE tropical moon shone high above
the tree-tops, sent its silyery rays
into the ravines, and lighted up the
distant rivers as they hurried on to
the
in ‘the ravine which ran along one side of
the plateau Clirt Miller lay hidden, listening
for sounds of pursuit.
He had distanced the horde of Hindocs who
were in chase of him, and had thrown them
off the scent bya elaver rnse.
They had surrounded his torch, stuck in
the crotch of atree, but when they’ came up
they found its hearer missing.
en he had laid his course toward the
ravine, plunging boldly into its depths, and
ing along upon the back track toward
the temple and the m sterious idol.
The thorns pricked his bare arms, the stones
bruised his feet, and the cola dews chilled him
to the bon
“ Traveling in this style is not as pleasant
as what I’ve been used to,” he mused, as he
at lergth paused in the shadow ofa huge tree
and listened.
Only the usual sounds common to the place
could be heard,
“The boys are safe enough in the tower,”
he murmured, “and the next thing is to re-
turn tot
“These priests and Hindoos are not the best
sort of fellows to run across, but I must take
the risk. They won’t suspect that the boys
are in the tower, and as for me, I must try and
fool them.
At last, ‘after an hour or more of patient
waiting, during which no suspicious sounds
had been heard, Clinton determined to return
to the tower.
He climbed a tree, and from its top sawa
light in the distance which he knew must come
from the diamond eye and nothing else, for
the moon was shining full upon it.
“Aha, the diamond eye my guide this
time,” he mu
dreaded to look upon it.”
Descending the tree he took his course to-
ward the plateau, aad presently entering an
opening in the underbrush, he was able to get
his bearings,
Altera long seramble over rocks and fallen
trees, through brush and brier, and across
a tumbling streams, he came out upon the level
ground and saw the temple in the distance.
He could distinguish no forms at that dis-
fance, and if any humans were stirring, ho
ould’ not make sure of it.
= wy the -gky grew lighter, and as he
he grass-grown flight of
the day began to
daw
‘As | he approached nearer, some
forward and questioned him eagerly.
He shook his head and appeared not to un-
derstand them, and the words were repeated,
Fortunately,’ he h hs ree tne tanned what
indoos, and
came
ars, is mou th and
4 p “ea moat tot Seine oepned
sa alias sai at age
could ne er understand
him not Ee Hindoos veangan be. a °
picion, and charged him with all sorts of evil,
sed, “though at times I have | in’
to which, as he knew nothing of the language,
Clinton paid no attention.
he understood the words spoken to
him it might have been impossible for him not
to have shown some emotion, but as he did
not he was Saved from betraying himself in
that man
As the sun arose Clint looked around upon
the men sitting or standing in groups before
the | temple to see if he recognized any familiar
aces,
The Hindoos themselves no longer trouble!
him, for the; nf pitied his affliction, and, now
that’ they ha goased to suspect him, would
never molest
He sat ey from the rest, at the foot of the
great black idol, whose single eye now blazed
forth and reflected the sunlight from a thou-
sand facets.
e had taken note of a few faces while in
the chambers below the temple, but none of
these were visible now.
As the sun rose higher and higher the men
began co prepare their breakfasts, showing no
disposition to leave, however, when they had
finished eating.
There were evidently no priests or Brahmins
among them, and they were undoubtedly of a
lower caste or order, and only associated
among themselves.
“ T hope they are not going to remain here
all day. thought Clint. “ If they do, it will be
awkward for my friends up yonder,
Breakfast being over, some of the party
wrapped themselves in coarse rugs or blank-
ets, stretched out under theshade of some fal-
len’ on column or overturned masonry and went
sleep.
Others sat quietly on the ground and talked
in low tones, while a few paced up and down
like sentinels and some retired to the obscuri-
more of suspense Clint
arose and walked deliberately through the
ruined doorway into the ‘e:
No one opposed him, no ‘one called him back,
treating him rather as o: ®, who had the best
right to do just as he had “Jon
e saw two or three fellows stretched out
upon. ‘the stone floor asleep, but these he pass-
and made his way to the vaults below.
A few scattered lights were burning, but
nota sound could be heard nor a form be
seen,
There might be hundreds down there, but
they were not visible, and he did not care to
search too closely,
Returning to the ground floor of the temple
the young fellow made bis way to the tower
stairway, keeping a careful. watch for inter-
ruptions,
No one saw himas he turned a sharp angle
and suddenly darted u the stone steps, and
evidently no one hear
When early to the top bo whistled softly
and the signal was returne:
Then he hurried up to tea top, and received
a hearty welcome from his friends,
e@ wondered whether you would be able
oO get 2p here with those fellows camping
pe 6 temple,” said Charlie. ‘* Are they
there yet?” .
“Yes, and they seem likely to stay.”
“We knew they hadn’t caught ye,” observed
Nate, fur we saw the pesky critters meme
back, and they had no pris’ners with ’e
“They have not molested you, havo. they?”
asked Clint.
“No, not a bit,” said Tom, “but we're dy-
ing to know what has happened to you since
you went away.”
Clint then 7 ated his adventures, and told
them just what,the situation was as regarded
their enemies,
“Do you think they know we are up here,
“No.” trying to starve us out?” asked Ton.
“Do }o you suppose they will stay down there
all Aayt’ asked Charlie.
may do so, but when night comes we
will te able to escape.
“T reckon we'll have to get away pretty
soon, ” muttered Nate, ‘fur we ain’t got noth-
to eat, and the longer we stay here the
further 3 away the cap’n and the rest will git
rom us
“There will be sentinels at night as well as
during the day,” remarked Charlie. ‘ How
can we pass them?”
“We must pass them!” returned Clinton,
firmly. “If we canvot steal by we must make
2 bold dash and so esunpe.”
Shortly after this Clint stole down to the
temple without being observed, and sat, as be-
fore, among the ruins,
When noon came a repast was prepared,
and he was given tood in abundance by the
Hindoos, though they did not*invite him to
eat with them.
e ate just enough to satisfy his hunger,
and then, when quiet once more settled upon
the little camp, made his way to the tower,
I" << food with him, concealed in his loose
robe,
“T have brought you something to eat,” he
said, re OE his. provisions, ‘The me
are still encamped before the temple, and I ace
no sign of breaking up as yet.
“Praps ye can tell better when evenin’
comes,’ ” said Nate, talking with his mouth
full. “7 hate to have ye resk yerself among
them fellers, but if anything happens just you
yell out, and we "ll sailinto ’em, all hands, and
give ’em a warmin’, the pesky varmints,
They’ re wuss’n Jersey skeeters any time.” -
80 Clint went down again, paid a visit to the
waults, and then sat by himself in the open
space before the temple,
In the vaults, though he went from room to
roo, and followed ail the assages as far as
he dared, he saw nota single e sign of life.
the evening, just before sunset. the
Hirdoos ate theirs suppers, prov iding for Ciint
as before, and then lighted two or three large
fires, changed the sentinels, the number being
dour bled, and composed themselves for the
nizh
When it was quite dark Clint stole up to the
tower again, being now, from force of habit,
quite able to make his way through the som-
ber corridors of the old temple without the
aid of a light,
«The guards have been doubled, ” he said,
when he joined his friends, ‘ but, in spite of
that, we must leave here this very night.”
CHAPTER XI.
TEE ESCAPE—THE MARCH THROUGH THE FOR-
_EST—NATE’S NOSE.
T was nearly midnight, and all was
~ dark and silent around the old tem-
3) ple.
2X The moon had not yet arisen and the
fires had died down till only the faintest spark
was left to reflect from the eye of the great
black idol.
The Hindoos were all asleep save one
drowsy sentinel who leaned against the door
post a“ the entrance of the dark and silent
tem
The. others had fallen asleep on their posts,
and the one wakefal one seemed about to fol-
low their examp!
Suddenly a Bint footstep is heard behind
him, and he comes to full wakefulness with a
tart.
a
Then a heavy hand is laid upon his shoul-
der and a voice, speaking in his own tongue,
says:
**Silonee! We must pass!”
*Not so, sabib,” he answered, “I was
told to let none pass save the Brahmins.”
“They are behind us, stand aside,”
“Not till hey give the signal,? ” returned the
man, stoli
«Plague fake the feller, he’ll awake the
others,” muttered Nate, for he it was who
had si soken to the guard,
hat say you, sahib?” the man asked, be-
ginning to grow suspicious,
H s the man whom Nate had captured
ona for ormer oecasion, and he was now almost
convinced that the voize of the speaker wus
that of the white stranger.
“Step back and see if I have not spoker the
truth,” said Nate.
“Not so, sahib, I must first hear the sign.”
“Follow me, boys!” hissed Nate in English,
as he made a sudden dash forward.
He caught the sentinel by the throat, and
held him while Charlie, Clint, and Tom quick-
ly passed hing.
“ Whistle, “t anything’s wrong; if there
aint, keep “Tight on to the top of the ter-
Th ne boys passed through the lines of sleep-
ing Hindoos and reached the top of ‘the little
slope unharmed,
h ri am afraid-——” began Charlie, and there
e sed.
At that instant the light of the rising moon
fell. upon the temple walls, and drove the
shadows back into the ruined doorway.
“Where is Nate?” muttered Clinton. ‘ We
ught not to have left him to fight it out alone
with that fellow. .
“Shit bere ho comes!” whispered Charlie,
as the tall form of their friend appeared in
the moonlit doorway,
Hurrying down tho steps, across the open
space and up the slope, Nate soon joined
them, and whispered :
“ Follow me, boys. I know the way like a
book, and they ain’t no chance o’ my goin’
‘round ina circle like you did when you was
2
th non he led the way across the level, the
boys following ina body, and all four keeping
up a steady dog-tro
at lonsth, when considerable ground had
been covers, Charlie asked:
“What did you co to the, sentinel, Nate?
ou tie him?”
i ‘Oh, I fixed him so he won't be likely to
give the alarm very sudden,” returned the
Yankee, shrugging his shoulders and never
a king his pae
se “Di id on kill him?” whispered Clint, in
v ecsttuck tones.
Oe , Lreckon I stopped his hollerin’ for
one while, * returned Nate, evasivel
The toys asked no more questions, and
Nate safd nothing, but it was the general con-
clusion that the Yankee had clutched the
Hindoo’s throat so firmly that he was stran-
led before he could utter a sound.
In the course ofan hour the party reached
the stream where Nate had met them a few
days before, after their aimless wanderings in
the forest.
“7 reckon they’s a ford lower down, after
eget below the falls,” the guide muttered,
“ “sfind where ye step, for they ain’t any too
much light bereabouts
Clinton had resumed his own costume, and
having on stout boots, could follow the rough
path as well as any of his comrades.
His skin was still dark, and would remain
so for some time, especially his face and
hands, from being ‘exposed to thes
Both he and Nate had socured the treasures
which they had taken from the temple and j 2:
the idol, though they said nothing about them
to the others.
Ni ate now Jed the way down the bank, which
was quite precipitous, and more than once
serious falls were prevented just in the nick
of time by his watchfulness.
At last they reached the level ground again,
and in another hour came to a place where
the water ran over pebbles, and chattered and
gurgled in the noisiest: mai
“Reckon this’ll be the best. piace to cross,”
observed Nate, coming toa halt. * The river
is shaller were, and we'd orter be ab'e to ford
it without much trouble, Anyhow, we want
to be on t’other side before we take a rest.”
Then he stepped boldly into the stream, the
water soon reac’ ing to his knees, at which
height it remained for some little ti
he three boys followed, holding ‘bne an.
other by the hands so as to prevent their being
carried away in case the water became deeper.
“Come ahead, boys,” shouted Nate, the
noise of the stream waite quite loud just here,
“It don’t get much deeper, I guess.”
Presently it reached his waist, and the boys
when they came to that depth were obliged to
exert all their strength to keep their fee
eep right on, youngsters,” cried Nate,
encouraging. “Tes gettin’ shallerer, I
kon.”
Then he changed his course a bit and the
water shoaled rapidly, scarcely reaching to the
nees,
From that on it grew more shallow, till at
last the boys waded ashore in water only a
little above their ankles,
“There!” ejaculated the Yankee, as he
shook the water from him, ‘Them Hindoo
fellers may be good at follerin’ a trail,'as D’ve
allus heard they are, but if they hed the noses
of bloodhounds they | couldn’t foller us arter
we struck the water.”
“ Are you going to stop pretty soon?” asked
Charlie, presently, Nate having shown no dis-
position to halt.
‘Yes, if ye’re tired, but I reckoned mebbe
ye could cee on till sunrise.”
“ Wou it be safe to stop now?” asked
Clin
“ Gartainly. They ain’t no danger now,
though I'd aleetle rather——”
“Go ahead |” eried Charlie, cheerfully. “I
ean stand it, I guess, though’ I do feel pretty
well used u Have you a pipe and tobacco?
I haven't, and I'd Jike to take a smoke,”
“ n oblige ye with that,” returned Nate,
“and o im give ye suthin’ that'll take ont the
tiredness better than that. Ye’ve got a leetle
mite o’ fever, I reckon, but I’ll knock it out 0’
e.” 3
Nate was an old traveler in those parts, and
he was always supplied with brandy, quinine,
and other preveutatives against malarial dis-
2
2
Se.
He geve all the boys a strong dose of medi-
cine, taking one himself to keep thera com-
pany, and the march proceede:
Charlie, pipe in mouth, puffing away and
sending out clouds of rich § moke, followed
Nate’s lead, and felt decidedly better for his
dose, thongh his head swam a little,
“T can’t have that boy gettin’ sick, ”” mused
Nate, as he plodded on. ** neh sleepin’
out Rud, excitement and gettin’ wet "ll tell on
him if I don’t look out, Clint stands it like &
major, but yom and Charlie look a bit peeked,
I must hurry up and overtake the cap’n
before I have two sick boys on my hands.”
Nate kept on until the sun arose, and then
he stopped, in a pleasant, for glade, where
there was an excellent site for a eamp, With
plenty of sunlight and fresh air...
The boys started a roaring fire, aud Kept it
up while Nate was off looking for provisions,
returning in an hour with enough to last all
day.
Tie had taken both revolvers with him, but
had used up allhis spare cartridges, so that
after that they would have to de vend on some
other means for procuring supplie:
AH four enjoyed the breakfast, and then the
three young men lay down by the flre and
went to slevp, while Nate smoked his pipe and
kept guard,
“Tt may be that them Hindoo heathens may
pet on our track arter ali, and folly us like a
lot o’ Jersey skeeters,” muttered he, ‘and Pl
be frizzled if Ta like that. Reckon the eap’n
won’t wait very lony fur me toturnup, Won’t
Hard Winter be surprised when I do, and
bring the boys along? He an’ I didn’t hey
time to finish our argyment that day, ’cause
the elephant broke into it, but I know where
I left off, and Ill give it to him as straight, as
a honse, sure’s my name’s Nate Simmons,”
After two orthree hours of sleep Nate awoke
the boys, and the march was renewed, the
fankes declining to take any rest, declaring
t he had had all he needed,
tothe y pushed straight on, the path being
good “the most of the way, and at last, when the
sun was low in the heavens, the boys began to
show signs of weariness,
«Let's go a little further,” suggested Nate.
“T don’t like this place very well for a camp.
We'd orter find a better one further on a bit.”
They kept on for half a mile, when Nato
suddenly gave a sniff, and exclaimed:
“ Hooray! Ismell bacon a-fryin’ an’ coffee
a-bilin’?! Them ain’t no heathen dishes!
We've struck the camp at last! Hooray!”
[TO BE CONTINUED.]
—— > o-0+ —_____.
In bis recently
South Ameri
ublished notes
»Mr. John
of a naturalist is
Ball says that at Tocopilla, on
ichen, although he paamined
te
magnifying lens for the pur the rocks with a