Cornelius Shea

“ When the villain saw the man he had abandoned in the African wilds to die, a look of terror came over his face.
"Wha-a-t!" he gasped. "Are you alive?"
"I guess I am, John Moreland. So you were not satisfied when you thought you had left me to die; you made up your mind to find your way back home, after a number of years of your villainy, and murder my brother! But a Nemesis got upon your track, John Moreland! My son, Van, had pluck enough to chase you clear to this spot, which is entirely unknown to the outside world. Now, you vile hound! you have but a few minutes to live! ”

“ Since the death of Masie Langford, Jack has never been exactly himself, and the poor fellow, no doubt, wants to get back to the balmy African clime and visit the grave of the girl who loved him, and who, for the sake of being at his side, traveled in the guise of a boy until she met her death at the hands of a cruel assassin. ”

“ As they rounded a cleft of rock, Andrew Jones came to a halt, and, pointing downward, exclaimed:
“Look there! Did you ever see anything to beat that?”
The swamp explorers followed the direction his finger pointed, and beheld a truly marvelous sight.
Beneath them was a rift of many feet in length, and in the sides, at irregular intervals, were small apertures resembling the portholes of a war ship, through which, ever and anon, came puffs of flame and smoke.
To look at the scene in a certain way, one could almost imagine that a pair of immense ironclads were engaged in battle. ”

“ The two villains had no sooner tumbled from their steeds than the rest of the horses scattered in every direction, their riders flopping about upon them like a set of scarecrows.
"By thunder!" ejaculated Lank Edwards. "If them ain't dummies on them horses I'm a living sinner!"
"You are right," returned Van. "Come! we will go out and see if Doc Clancy and his partner are really dead."
The words scarcely left our hero's lips when Doc Clancy suddenly sprang to his feet, and, mounting his horse, sped away with the speed of the wind. ”

“ But say, Percy, if you could only get some one to come here and represent himself to be Percy Heartache, what a joke it would be! Miss Renwick is an old maid, and the way she paints her face is disgusting. Imagine her wanting to marry a handsome young artist! Why, she is artist enough herself. ”

“ Azurma was the fifth one to draw, and when a black ballot was disclosed to her view, she uttered a cry of dismay, and staggered blindly from the spot.
The next to step forward was a girl as young and fully as beautiful as she.
As she lifted the ballot from the box a murmur went up from the assemblage.
She held the piece of crystal in her hand!
With an expression of triumph upon her beautiful face, she held out her arms and approached Leo.
But she never reached him. A figure bounded forward with the swiftness of an enraged panther ”

“ But Van did not notice him. The boy's eyes were riveted upon the back of a man who was just entering the door of a saloon.
As he passed through the doorway the object of his gaze turned his head around for a single instant.
"That's the murderer!" exclaimed Van, and with a single bound he sprang from the car platform into the street, leaving the driver staring at his retreating form in blank amazement.
Van was satisfied that the man he saw was Doc Clancy, alias John Moreland. He had the features and general appearance of the villain stamped too deeply upon his mind to be deceived. ”

“ Then he again went over the legend of Hez, and wound up by pointing to the identical spot in the pool where the beautiful woman, whom he afterward made his wife, arose so mysteriously.
De Amilo told his story in such a solemn way that his hearers were more or less impressed with it.
“I believe that in some manner that man has become satisfied that yarn is true himself,” said Leo, in a whisper to his cousin.
“Yes,” assented Dick; “either that or else the legend is true, after all.”
Leo smiled.
“Why, you don’t believe it, do you, old fellow? Has the beautiful queen told you the same thing?” ”

“ The woman looked at him in mute astonishment as he uttered the words.
"Why, surely you are all willing to marry," she gasped.
"I am not, for one," returned Jack.
"And I would rather die first!" exclaimed Joe, with flashing eyes.
"You kin count me out, too," chimed in Lank Edwards.
"Same here," echoed Dr. Pestle.
"I wouldn't think of such a thing," observed our hero.
"Well, I suppose I will have to do as my friends do," said Prof. Drearland; "although I don't think it a half bad idea to marry."
"You shut up, professor," Jack exclaimed. "You have got a wife in England, you know you have." ”

“ A few yards distant was the mouth of a gallery or passage, and at the command of Leo Malvern they rushed for this with all possible speed.
The inhabitants of the underground place came after them with all their might, uttering, for the first time, loud yells of triumph.
“Hurry up!” cried Dick; “if we can reach the mouth of that passage we’ll give ’em fits.”
The arrows kept flying all around them, and Lucky, the darky, was wounded in the arm.
A minute more and the spot was reached in safety.
“Now!” exclaimed Leo, “give it to them! Everybody fire as fast as he can.” ”

“ Also, it is the law of the African Utopia that a man who is proven a murderer—whether the crime was committed here or in any other part of the world—must die. Your confession proves that you are a vile murderer, and therefore, you must die!"
"What!" screamed Doc Clancy, in a frantic voice. "Van, you will not allow this, will you?"
"Come away!" exclaimed Poppet, taking our hero by the arm. "Bandy no more words with the scoundrel." ”

“ More than one pair of eyes cast a bewitching glance at them as they passed, and Lucky and the Yankee grinned in a wholesale manner.
Queen Olive was at the further end of the long hall through the center of the building, and Dick noticed that her face wore an anxious look.
When all had assembled and the utmost quiet reigned, she arose and addressed the audience in Spanish.
“Women of Hez,” said she, “we have assembled here this morning, according to our ancient custom, to choose five husbands. Our law is that no woman shall ever marry, unless her husband be a stranger from the outside world. ”

“ Why is it you faint away so often? You put me in mind of a girl sometimes."
"Do I?"—and the face of Joe turned a deep crimson. "I suppose it is my weak nature that makes me swoon every time something awful frightens me; but I won't do it any more, for it might be the means of us both losing our lives."
"Well, never mind, Joe," said Jack, in a kindly tone. "You are a brave little fellow in times of danger, and I can't blame you for fainting when such a thing as those down there gets a hold of you." ”

“ Second—was the legend of Hez true, and was Roderique de Amilo as old as he claimed? Third—was the pool and fountain in the dazzlingly lighted cavern really the Fountain of Youth Ponce de Leon was in search of? And, fourth—was it really the discharge of the cannon that caused the earthquake that wrought such a ruin upon the city of the Naztecs and the Land of Hez?”
As the Yankee asked these questions he knocked the ashes from his pipe and glanced around at his hearers.
“Your questions will never be answered in this world,” replied the professor, gravely. ”

“ Van ran into the forecastle to get the few things he possessed before the ship was abandoned.
As he reached his bunk a cry of horror escaped his lips.
By the light of the blazing rigging he saw the body of a man lying in a pool of blood in the bunk he had so lately occupied.
"Great heavens!" exclaimed the boy, "this is the work of the red-whiskered sailor, and I firmly believe he mistook this man for me. Poor fellow! he no doubt crawled in my bunk after I left it, thinking it was cooler there. I am now sure the man with the thumbless hand is Doc Clancy." ”

“ I congratulate you, old fellow! Why, it don’t seem possible that you are a man of family. And your wife! Well, she hasn’t lost any of her good looks. I tell you, wonders will never cease. I am the only single man left in our party of swamp explorers now.”
“Is that so?” asked Dick. “I thought that none of them could marry until two years had elapsed.”
“The new queen changed the law. The professor, Haypole and Lucky were married to-day; and if Azurma had not showed up just as she did, I, too, would have been a benedict.” ”

“ If they attempted to row the boat so as to get away from Clancy and his crowd, they would surely be shot down; and if they remained quietly where they were it would only be a question of time before they would be wiped out.
Before they had time to decide upon what action to take they were astonished to hear a number of rifle shots up the river.
They lifted their heads quickly and glanced at those who were pursuing them.
Doc Clancy and his gang were making for the shore with all their might.
And no wonder! for down the river a boat was being rapidly rowed by half a dozen stalwart blacks. ”

“ Leo was but a few seconds in making the descent, and yet it seemed to be as many hours to him.
Just as he slid over the edge of the decline there came a puff of smoke and flame which completely enveloped his form and screened him from the view of his companions above. Blinded and scorching from the heat, he fell, with a splash, into the cooling waters of the rushing stream. ”

“ The swamp explorers found themselves upon a comparatively high piece of ground, which was surrounded by the marsh lands that composed the greater portion of the vast Everglades.
It was the first time they had set eyes upon the huge trees and tangled undergrowth of the outside world in two whole years, and, dreary as their surroundings were, they thought it the most beautiful sight they had ever witnessed.
Those who had reached the earth’s surface were Dick Vincey, Leo Malvern, Prof. Remington Easy, Martin Haypole, Andrew Jones, Reginald Lacy and Philander Owens. ”

“ The canoes put back for shore with all possible speed.
"I guess they won't trouble us much," remarked our hero. "But I believe we are drifting into danger, for all that."
"Why so?" asked Dr. Pestle.
"Because the way this current runs leads me to believe that there must be a falls close by."
"Then we'd better get ashore," remarked Lank Edwards.
"If we do that we will get into trouble. See! both sides of the river are lined with the white savages."
"Well," said Van, after a pause, "I think we had better stick to the raft as long as it holds together under us." ”

“ It sartainly is he who stole it that night in th’ swamp.”
“Never mind,” whispered Dick. “Let’s watch him and see what he is up to.”
The man, who has been spoken of as Reginald Lacy, paused near the edge of the pool and looked at his surroundings with an air of extreme surprise.
He patted the dog upon the head in an affectionate way and said:
“Well, Jupiter, we have struck a wonderful country. But we are not safe, old fellow—not by any means. Owens is still upon our track, and he evidently means business. But he shall never kill me, Jupiter; I may deserve it, but I will never die at his hands.” ”

“ He has always been kind to me since I can remember, and I appreciated it and loved him. My mission now is to hunt down his murderer and bring him to justice, and I swear to do it. Cousin John Moreland, I congratulate you on being the heir to uncle's estate. Accept my hand on it."
As Van clasped the hand of John Moreland a sudden thrill shot through his frame, and he glanced downward.
The hand he held in his own was minus the thumb.
In the twinkling of an eye Van's whole manner changed.
With the force of an enraged lion he seized the man by the throat and hurled him back against the wall. ”

“ The party was formed of but seven—Leo, Dick, Prof. Easy, Martin Haypole, Lucky, the darky, and the American known as Andrew Jones, and Roderique de Amilo.
They set out in the direction taken by Reginald Lacy and his persistent pursuer.
“A wonderful land is this,” remarked De Amilo, as they walked along. “I have never fully explored it myself in all the years I have lived here. Nearly everything you will meet and see that interests you will be found to be mysterious. In fact, this whole country is a land of mystery.” ”

“ Meanwhile the dwarfs picked up their two prisoners and started across the cavern.
They were bent upon joining their companions, by the manner in which they hurried, and in spite of the pleadings of Doc Clancy and his friend, they were hustled away in a fashion that was decidedly unceremonious.
"See here," said Van, suddenly; "there is a great deal of hubbub over there; let's walk out a little ways and see what is going on."
"That's it," returned Lank Edwards. "Them fellers can't see us as long as we don't carry a light." ”

“ Ten minutes later they were drifting rapidly along with the current in the wake of Doc Clancy, who was now over half a mile ahead of them.
Van and Jack proceeded to steer the huge craft, while their companions undertook the task of rolling the loose logs into a pile on either side, to serve as a cover against the possible attack from any persons on either shore.
They knew there must be human beings in the vicinity, or they would never have found the rafts as they were. ”

“ A slight noise behind him caused him to turn. The next instant a dozen men sprang upon him and bore him to the ground.
Jupiter, the dog, endeavored to render his master some assistance, but a blow from a heavy club stretched the animal senseless on a slab of rock.
Then Lacy’s hands were securely bound behind him, and his captors, who were a queer-looking set, raised him to his feet.
They began talking rapidly in some unknown tongue, and at length decided to take their prisoner down the decline to the cave below. ”

“ But there's Doc Clancy! I can't go away and leave him here; for I have sworn that if the villain lives long enough, I will take him back to the United States to stand trial for the murder of my uncle."
"He'll never live long enough for you ter do that," spoke up Lank Edwards; "I'll kill him myself afore that happens." ”