Page:Weird Tales Volume 2 Number 2 (1923-09).djvu/58

CHAPTER SIXTEEN THE STORY OF MISS ENID WIDDIUP IT T IS so good in you all," the girl be gan, somewhat later in the day, when they were all seated together un- der the big canoe's awning, "so very good in you to understand and not blame me in the least for any of it. Of course, Mr. Sigsbee's remembering me helps. I am almost sure that I recall his face, too, though I drove so many officers back and forth to Camp Upton-Oh, you were 'just a sergeant' and I didn't drive you? Why, I drove lots of the non-coms and the boys, too. We all did. Well, if you couldn't get near my car, I'm sorry. There was a crowd-Oh, you were trans- ferred to Georgia just after I began driving at Camp Upton? And then never got across? That was stupid. But I can sympathize with you fully. They wouldn't take me in the ambulance corps, because they said I was too young and not strong enough. Wasn't that absurd? I'm not so awfully large, of course, but my physical endurance is simply end less. But I must begin at the beginning and tell this properly. "My father, as I have already told you, was Dr. Alexander Widdiup, the archaeologist, and I was born on the Amazon, in Manaos. Mother took me home to New York when I was a baby, and I never saw Brazil again till this summer. "I was nine years old when poor Dad wrote us that he was planning a trip up the Rio Silencioso. An Indian had brought him word that at the Silencioso's source were some remarkable ruins and relics of an ancient people. This Indian -his name was Peter or-no, Petro, that was it-I beg pardon, Mr. Otway? Yes, his name was Kuyambira-Petro. Dad said he came from some cannibal tribe on the Moju river. He was a wizard, too, and made charms to protect people from jungle and river-demons. He showed Dad one of those jaguar tunics, and two small diamonds, cut to symbolize the sun. But the expedition my father or- ganized, never came back. "Dad had been with us in New York only part of each year, but he and I were best pals. I used to say to myself that some day, when I grew up, I'd find a way to at least learn how he died. "Then the War came. Mother always lets me do about as I please, and I had learned to fly a Bleriot, but of course they wouldn't take me in the aviation corps, either. So finally I had to content myself with motor-car service at home. After peace was signed, poor Major Du- pont agreed to help me in my scheme SUNFIRE to reach the source of the Rio Silencioso by the air-route. Major Dupont was English Royal Flying Corps-but he was visiting friends in New York on six months' leave. When I told him my plan he considered it very practical and interesting. "We decided on the hydro-airplane because we had to rise from the Amazon, and over these forests if we couldn't come down on water we couldn't come down at all. "Mother is at Manaos now, waiting for me. She is probably terribly worried, but still she knows that I always do get through safely somehow. I beg pardon? Oh, I inherit an adventurous disposition from father, and I don't think size and physical strength count for so much in these days.. "Why, Mr. Waring! You mustn't say that! Why, I didn't mean that at all! You poor things, of course you couldn't help yourselves with that frightful beast threatening you every moment. But let me go on, and you'll understand better. "Mother drew the line at my making this trip alone, but poor Major Dupont was so resourceful and had such a splen- did flying record that when he offered, that made it much safer, of course. The Major and I only meant to make a recon- naisance flight this first trip, but we had no trouble in finding the lake. The top of the pyramid flashed its location to us miles off. Of course, we didn't know what the flash meant. It was like an enormous, bright star shining in broad daylight, and on earth instead of up in the sky where stars belong. "Mr. Tellifer? A fallen star-yes, that was just what poor Majer Dupont said it resembled. It is a little strange that he should have used that compari- son, because of what was told to me later on. "We planed down to the lake and landed in the collapsible boat we car- ried. There have been several heavy rains since, and our little craft must have filled and sunk. I notice it is not among the others. Major Dupont wished me to wait and let him go up the pyramid alone, but I wouldn't, so we went up together. It was noon, but of course we had no means of knowing that noon meant anything dangerous. "We looked over the upper rim, and there was that strange hollow place, with palms and shrubbery and in the middle something glorious. Major Dupont said it must be the grandfather of all diamonds, and we joked over it. We knew it was fearfully hot in the court, but it I was hot outside, too. We walked over to the pit. Major Dupont said there must be a furnace below it. He stepped 57 on one of the five-sided stones-By mere chance, I had one foot on the solid pave- ment and pulled myself back in time. I ran out on one of the oblong stones. The column I caught hold of was so hot it scorched my hands. I-I find I can't tell you much of this. . . . Thank you. Yes, I believe I'll just leave it out. I couldn't help him. There wasn't time. I -fainted, I think. "Afterward, for a long while, every- thing was like a dream. My first memory is of looking up into the face of an old woman, very strangely dressed. I was lying on the floor of one of the outer houses. She had taken away my own clothes and dressed me like herself. This seemed a bit strange for a few minutes, and after that quite natural. I accepted everything just as one does in a dream. Some of the time I would even seem to know I was dreaming, and wonder a little why I couldn't wake up. I felt very sad always, though there didn't seem any real reason for it. had seen happen. There was a Miss Blair that mother and I knew. She was the dearest girl, but she had been at a hospital base in France when it was shelled by the Germans. For nearly a year afterward she wasn't herself at all. interest in anything. I used to bring her She cried a great deal, and couldn't take "I think it was the shock of what I would never do anything unless the flowers, and when I called I noticed she nurse or I suggested she should. I sup- pose I was very much like that. . . . "Why yes, Mr. Waring. If any of you had asked me to release you or told me to shut that hideous creature in its hole, I think I would have done it. When you all seemed so so annoyed over what was happening, I used to wonder why you never asked me to do differently. But then, you were just people in a dream, and dream-people never do be- have consistently, you know. So I went on acting as Sifa directed me, because that was easiest. "The old woman's name was Sifa. She spoke English and some other lan- guage that meant nothing to me. Her teeth were nearly all gone, but very soon I grew used to the mumbling and the broken accent, and understood almost everything she said in English. "I did whatever she advised me to. She didn't hurt me or even threaten. In fact, she was extremely considerate and kind, I was going to say, but that hard- ly expresses it. Her face and eyes were too wicked. I followed her advice be- cause she seemed to know exactly what I ought to do, and it was such an effort to think of things for myself. Besides,