In Search of an Unknown Race — page 131: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

VAN, 121 But he did not wish to appear inquisitive, and further than this, he felt there was something which Mr. Briscoe was holding back. Whether he should discover what it was, remained to be seen. Rather to the relief of Van, Flores showed no signé of resentment when they again met. He was smooth and cooland courteous ; he addressed Ninada with his usual easy self-possession, and there was nothing in his man- ner to suggest the conflict of passion going on within, Only once did a sign of the cloven foot show itself. Mr. Briscoe, with Ninada by his side, was standing on the balcony overlooking the courtyard, gazing up- ward toward the far away summit of Escomada, while a short distance away were Van and Flores. Now ever since Van's arrival in Itambez he had grown accustomed to an occasional sound of a deep internal rumbling, which arose seemingly from the very bowels of the volcano. For more than a year—so they told him—this phenomenon, which is by no means uncom- mon in volcanic regions, had been noticeable. But on the previous night, the rumbling had sounded deeper and more prolonged. Through the darkness they had seen the clouds about the cone shaped peak tinged with a wonderfully awe-inspiring lurid glow. And at the time of which I speak, a thick, sooty smoke, unlike the thin spiral usually seen, was rising and flattening itself out—if I may thus express it—against the masses of clouds just above the crater. ‘‘Escomada looks quite threatening, father,” said Ninada, in very much the same tone she would have used in speaking of an approaching shower. ‘‘The saying of the wise men is coming true,” quietly EOmicbdoo S (E(0)