his horse, he rode down the steps and to the side of the walk.
"Ridenour and Payne will join Stormont and Sardis at the gate," he commanded, and our fellow executioners moved out of the shadows and advanced to our side.
We were all picked riflemen, but the firing party never exceeded four and none ever had failed. Tonight one would fail.
The door slowly opened with a creaking sound that I shall never forget. Flood raised his hand, and instantly our four rifles were at our shoulders. Framed in the doorway appeared the tall dark figure of—
"My God!" I screamed. "Don't fire! That is not the man!"
Alone of them all I had sensed the situation, but my warning cry came too late. Three rifles flashed simultaneously as the captain's hand dropped, and with a sharp sob the figure in the doorway crumpled and fell. At the same instant, Flood cried out with an awful oath and pitched from his saddle to the earth.
I turned in horror to my companions at this double fall, and in the face of Sardis beheld the answer to my question. Before my flaming glance he leaped away and tried to raise his rifle, but I had dropped mine and now held my revolver in my hand.
I had fired before he could raise his arms, and he dropped half inside the gate and lay still. Then, bitterly calm, I turned upon my astounded associates.
"Sardis has murdered the captain," I said harshly. "Look after Flood, Ridenour; and you, Payne, hurry to the rear. Hamelin is escaping at the back."
But as I hastened after Payne, a sudden burst of firing at the rear of the house halted my steps. There were good men at the back, and by now Hamelin was dead and damned.
I returned and knelt beside our fallen leader. His well-trained horse stood quietly beside him.
"Still breathing," whispered Ridenour, "but he has no chance. I was once a doctor, you know!"
I nodded and bent over the dying man. His lips were trying to frame a sentence.
"Stormont," he breathed.
"Yes, Captain," I said obediently, and put my ear to his lips.
"I—loved her!"
"Yes, Captain," I repeated.
"She is—?"
"Yes, Captain," I said for the third time, lying easily. "She is safe. I will take care of her."
He squeezed my hand faintly and did not speak again. Tears were in my eyes as I arose, and my heart was heavy as I strode toward the steps.
There was no need for haste now, for two bullets at least had reached their mark in the open doorway. Oh, yes, we were all rifle men!
SHE LAY where she had fallen, half outside the door, lovely in death, beautiful even in the hideous men's garments she had donned to save the worthless coward who had allowed the sacrifice.
On her lips was sealed a secret smile, and in its sweetness I found the soul I had never known that I possessed.
Another Story by Vincent Starrett Will Appear in the Next Issue of WEIRD TALES.
It Is Called "The Money Lender." Don't Miss It!
Will Tombs of Old Mexico Outrival King Tut's?
WEALTH of historical interest and treasures surpassing those discovered in the tomb of the Egyptian King Tut may be brought to light on this side of the globe. In Yucatan and Guatemala, the locale of the lost Maya civilization, excavations are to be undertaken that should unearth revelations which are expected to outrival the trophies and wonders of the Egyptian find.
Dr. Marshall H. Saville, American archaeologist, has just returned from the districts of the ancient cities. In an address before the Archaeological Society of Washington, he told of the one-time civilization of ancient southern Mexico.
Almost a hundred years before the birth of Christ, the Maya Indians attained an advanced civilisation. They were proficient artisans, architects, engineers, sculptors and painters. Records of the day were chiseled on monuments, walls of temples or written on a material resembling parchment. Leaves of this parchment have been discovered, pointing to the likelihood of their having been bound in volumes; indications are that whole libraries were buried in some of the tombs.
In their tombs the Maya people put many valued personal effects, and costly ornaments with the corpses of the renowned. The burial vaults of the priests, who were also the intellectual leaders of the times, have been definitely placed as being under the floors of the temples. Accidentally, one of the latter tombs was opened, and in it were found rare jewelry of exquisite workmanship, jades and beautiful works of sculpture. The tomb was quickly sealed to protect its contents so that a wonderful opportunity of learning at first hand of the Maya people might be preserved to science.
Astronomy was one of the interests of the old Mexican race. Calendars were perfected which compare favorably with our own. On one column of a temple was found the figure of a woman bearing a globe upon her back and shoulders—significant because the bygone race may have thought the world to be spherical.
Certain of the temples rose to a height of more than three stories from the summits of pyramids, but, unlike the pyramids of the Egyptians, they were not used for places of burial. The inner walls of the temples were often finished in plaster and decorated with mural paintings. Outer walls were carved and chiseled in a manner similar to those of other eras.
Transportation was an element, for stone and concrete highways were laid through the jungles. Even today, portions of the roads exist.
There is great deal that relates to the old civilization yet to learn, for engineers of that day drilled wells 280 feet deep through a solid strata of rock, although no evidence has been found which proves that instruments like the modern well drill were used. Disclosures illustrate the length to which investigations should proceed and the great historical value of possible discoveries.
