In Search of an Unknown Race — page 140: what you’re looking at

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

128 VAN. ‘But does he know that Cousin Van is to inherit— that is, to carry back to his own land—a share of youf riches, father?” eagerly asked Ninada. ‘‘T did not tell that—no,” returned Mr. Briscoe; “nor that, instead of being my heir, as Flores expected, I should make different arrangements——’” ‘‘Hark!” said Van, suddenly springing to his feet. ‘*T certainly heard someone breathing heavily.” Mr. Briscoe rose, and, stepping into the passage, listened. As he stood there a low hiss was heard, and a glitter- ing coral snake glided from the nearest of the branching avenues into full sight. Seeing a human form it crept back with another hiss. ‘It was acoral snake, the ‘treasure guardian’ as the Incas considered them,” remarked Mr. Briscoe, resuming his seat with an air of relief. ‘‘ The first branching passage has a concealed outlet in the garden, and the snake probably entered that way.” Then he went on: ‘As I was about to say, I simply told Flores that I could never trust him with the care of so precious a thing as my daughter, and that he must give up all idea of accompanying her to my native country, as well as certain other hopes that only lately I discov- ered he was presumptuous enough to entertain—eh, Ninada?” , But Ninada, with crimsoning cheeks, only cast her dark eyes downward, and again the peculiar sound was heard in the passage, this time, however, attracting no particular attention. Having finished speaking, Mr, Briscoe rose, and, EoOmichookssco