Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 3 — page 202: what you’re looking at

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

484 Sea, was supposed to be able to change his shape and color at will. As he was a prophet also, and therefore quite a person- age, he did not escape the poet Milton, who made use of him in his ‘ Comus,’ calling him the ‘ Carpathian Wizard.’ “There you have Pro-Tay-Us, or Pro- teus, with all his attributes. How a shred of Greek mythology came to be knocking around in this corner of the world some thousand years ago; how a people came to exist here who worship the forgotten sea- god Proteus, if they do; and how they have acquired a part of their deity’s reputed powers of change—those things I will not theorize on. “I yield them gracefully to Daddy Time. I wish to preserve my sanity. I confess that it totters every time I set eyes upon one of these Paititians.” What of truth there was in the reason- ings of Jones, time alone will tell. His companions in adventure accepted them. As he wisely remarked, the rest of the world is not yet ready for Paititi. Shortly after Jim’s return from the com- pound a delegation came from the Paititian encampment. It was made up of Hualla and his nephews—Jaqui, Isako, and Rasco. -With them arrived the time for the an- swers to Jim’s and Nee-Nah’s questions. Hualla was ready to start for Paititi. He had come to take his priestess. Hualla pointed a finger at the high sun, and stated his errand to Nee-Nah in his queer, hissing sentences. Nee-Nah looked at Arnold. A question- ing agony was in the girl’s deep eyes, and her beautiful face grew pale as death. “It is time for Nee-Nah to go, Ah-meer- e-can,” she said, her voice trembling pite- ously. Would he come with her? Would he leave his own people to follow her? That she should defy Hualla’s summons had not occurred to her. . It was her duty calling. It was the will of Pro-Tay-Us speaking through Hualla. She was the priestess of the god. She knew no other life. Ah, would Ah-meer-e-can come? This was a contingency which Jim’s com- panions, with perhaps a single exception, ARGOSY-ALLSTORY: WEEKLY. had not foreseen. They looked on wonder- 2 a7 ingly. Katherine happened to glance a De Ulloa. The don was tugging savagely“"m at his mustaches. He, too, had turned very § white. : “IT would go with you, Nee-Nah—even ° to Paititi—and for always. But the big world, a new world and a kinder god, are ‘waiting for you beyond the mountains, sweetheart. You belong to them, not these. Won’t you go there with me, Nee-Nah? T want to take you home,” answered Jim. Arnold was not eloquent; but it was his call to his mate that he had uttered, and all who heard it felt its force. Nee-Nah hesitated, seeking words to re- ply. Her world was toppling. Amid its chaos she knew only that she should die if she were to be separated from Ah-meer-e- can. A hand touched Jim’s arm, and ‘he turned. De Ulloa had risen and stood be- _ side him. The little don’s breath was com- ing hard and fast, and{{fFthe deep hollows which the fever had dug his eyes blazed with a strange light. “Do I understand that the young senor wishes to make this unknown seforita his honored wife?” he asked. “Vou do,” answered Jim, his own gray orbs beginning to snap angrily. “Then the time has come for Castro de Ulloa to speak a word in this matter.” “ Sefor de Ulloa—”’ began Jim. Don Castro raised his hand. “ T have the right, Sefor Arnold,” he said gently. ‘She is my daughter.” CHAPTER XXIX. THE ANSWERS—AND THE END. LL of De Ulioa’s auditors stared at him—his English-speaking friends, who understood him; Nee-Nah, who only. half comprehended; and the Paititians, who, with the exception of Hualla, did not comprehend at all. Though his stony face did: ‘not change a muscle, deep in the brain of Hualla burned a light of understanding. “She is my daughter,” repeated Don ‘Castro, looking from one to the other of \ | | N ;