OCR Text |
Show "OLD-SALT" TALES i By CAPTAIN IRA PERKINS j (Copyright.) .ff .w-fx-.vgv 1 Si x . MA V 1 ' ' 1 The Great Smiler ('T,HERE was that tawny-skinned half-breed a-stalking along about six steps ahead of me in the moonlight." moon-light." The captain had started one of his famous yarns and every boy of his ten listeners sat In rapt attention. The captain relighted his pipe, then the story went on. "Imagine now, if you can, my situation: situa-tion: Here I was In the heart of a tropical forest. It seemed the man who led me either was gone crazy, or else we were being pursued by some invisible spirit," native of these wild haunts. On top of this, remember that the man with me spoke not one word of any language which I could understand. I was lost entirely; and more afraid than I would have cared at the time to admit "The plan had been that the native was to lead me by a secret path into the rear part of the great temple which sheltered the Idol we sought Once inside, I was to find the Idol and also see if there was any way which I could let in my three comrades who were supposedly waiting in a boat on the river bank at the front side of the great temple, to which spot they had been guided by another of the natives earlier in the evening. "As I stumbled on through the forest for-est this plan now looked like tlie very wildest and most foolhardy of schemes. "It was in this frame of mind, with a perspiring brow, and a heart heavy as stone, that I at last reached the edge of the groat clearing In which the temple stood. "The whole scene before me was lighted In a shadowy way by the moon which was about one-quarter full. "Before leaving the seashore I had put on the clothing of a native. "Since I was so well disguised, my Indian guide found small trouble In taking me along with himself Into the temple. Once inside, I did my best to And out the things I had been sent to learn. The main room of the temple tem-ple was a great, square, box-like sort of place, with pillars of hewn stone, and rows of Idols on each side. None of these Idols was like the one for which I sought. The one I looked for was said to be the chief Idol of all the minor ones. The Great Smiler' was the native name for him. No white man had ever seen him and no one could say exactly what he was like. But It was known that In some way a fortune In precious Jewels was displayed dis-played on his body. "At one end of the big room In which I stood several priests, evidently set there as guards, were seated with their backs to the wall and all of them asleep and snoring deeply. Stepping across the very bodies of some of them I made my way at last Into a separate chamber. This was hung all about with drapes and a monstrous big Idol was at the far end of It. Am I stood looking about me, a bell In some distant dis-tant part of the temple began to chime. Almost at once there followed tl.e sound of sandaled feet coming toward to-ward me. The best thing I saw to do his to slip behind one of tl.e hanging drapes. "Then I viewed one of the strangest sights It bus ever fallen my lot to cast eyes on. About eight or ten of tlie head priests mine sh. idling Inio the room. They chin. ted some barbaric lay which r.e higher und higher In pitch. At the lust note they threw themselves on their faces. After they were down, a (.'rent lamp was placed behind the hem of the Idol by the high priest. Then this priest fussed about behind the idol's back and must have worked some bidden spring. The mouth of the Idol suddenly swung open. I cHitgbt my breath, and nlmoM cried aloud. The entire Inside of the ldol grent mouth and throat was encrusted with pr" ious stones. "The priests on the floor roue to their knees, .-'lowly they r.-ilw-d their eyes to tl - floe of the 'Irc.it Stuller, At H word from the high priest they j nil cro-d out p'g'-ther Mid oio-p more fell pro!." Upon the floor. The grent "on,, j.iv f of the idol were elanipi-d Uc'e-h'-r. The lump was hlovn out. 1 t. n at a v r 1 from the high pric I 1.11 -, .:, v i.u-paMod. "I.ij-. r. I i;. ide rny w a y front the - utile.' a-. ! ; v.-etn.-.J the guards ;,-:.-! ti e lirea' Su.ller to take good rare of I in -. 'f hen the n en w ho .wo.- ".,,-,rg le,id uy story thej thoagrt it . -t to dchiy until Ran- P'.-jwS .oull i." made 10 bre,,l opcj ! j 1 th.ls u.-.-slvp stone head. Wi er.t I a. k to our ship. As far un 1 k.-.o i. the Idol . ther. 'u the karin '.luce. t eh.y." |