Nedra

  CHAPTER XXII

  FLESH SUCCEEDS STONE

  Lady Tennys rubbed her eyes and stared blankly about her when Hugh awokeher. The darkness and the strange forms frightened her, but hisreassuring words brought remembrance of the unique trip and with it thedim realization that they had landed at last.

  If their first landing place was wonderful, this was doubly so. Despitethe darkness, they were able to see quite distinctly the general outlineof the coast. Two mammoth rocks, as large apparently as the one they hadleft behind, rose toward the hazy moonlit sky, far in shore, like twinsentinels, black and forbidding. Between them a narrow stretch of skycould be seen, with the moon just beyond. Entranced, they gazed upon thevivid yet gloomy panorama bursting from the shades of night almost as ifit were advancing upon them. So immense, so startling, were these vasttowering columns, so brilliant was the sky behind them, that thewonder-struck strangers found difficulty in controlling a desire to turnabout and fly from the impending rush of mountain, moon and sky. In thefirst moments of breathless observation it seemed to them that the greatrocks were moving toward the sea and that the sky was falling withthem, giving the frightful impression that they were soon to be crushedin the ponderous fall. They were exchanging expressions of relief whenthe big chief came up and prostrated himself at their feet.

  Ridgeway touched his shoulder and bade him arise, pointing toward themounts and their attendant glory. To his amazement the chief uttered anexclamation of satisfaction and abruptly ran back to the boats. In anincredibly short space of time the restless savages were coming up thebeach with their canoes on their shoulders, heading straight for theopening through which the moonlight streamed. Two of them formed a"basket," and Lady Tennys, taking her seat upon their hands, and holdingtimidly to their hard, muscular shoulders, was borne swiftly onward andupward, Ridgeway having some difficulty in keeping pace with thehuman carriage.

  Big rocks told them that they were at the base of the rocky columns andthe course of the little band indicated that they were to pass betweenthe towering, almost perpendicular monsters. Suddenly the littlecavalcade of the night came to a halt, the boats were thrown down andHugh arrived at the conclusion that they were to stop until morning. Inthis he found himself mistaken, for with the very next moment he heardthe splashing of water, seemingly beneath his feet. Up to now he hadbeen looking upward at the rift in the rocks. Instead of a rocky gorgehe now saw the shimmering of water, and a fresh exclamation of surprisefell from his lips.

  "Can this be fairyland?" he cried, completely dazed.

  "We must be dreaming, Hugh," murmured she. The party stood at thewater's edge, looking up through the miniature canon, the rushing ofdistant rapids coming to their ears.

  The boats were lowered, and the oarsmen were soon pulling sturdilybetween the tall twins. These frowning monsters formed a perfect gatewayfrom the sea to the home of the savages. Hugh felt that he was shut offforever from the outside world as he surveyed, with sinking heart, theportals through which they had passed. Soon a second landing was made,this time upon soft, rich soil, instead of crunching sand. It was easyto tell that they were standing on velvety grass, soft, cool and dewy.The boats were made fast, the spar and shell were swung upon broadshoulders, and then the party plunged straight into the wood, LadyTennys being carried as before.

  After ten minutes of rapid walking over a well-beaten trail the bandhalted, and the chief uttered several piercing cries. From afar off inthe still night came an echoing answer and again the march was resumed,the travellers keeping close to the bank of the river. In time theyreached an open stretch, across which the escort started, turning awayfrom the stream.

  There were fitful flashes of light ahead. Across the little plain came ajumble of flying human beings, two or three bearing torches. They seemedto have sprung from the ground, so abruptly did they appear before theeyes of the dumbfounded strangers in this strange land. The chief wentforward rapidly and checked the advancing figures, preparing them forwhat was to follow. The entire company prostrated itself in good form.

  With the horde of stupefied recruits at their heels, the white people atlength entered the village, which nestled against the hillside. Hundredsof dark, almost naked, savages rushed from the shadows, the news of thegreat visitation having spread like wildfire. By the time the halt wasmade in front of a large, odd-looking structure, her Ladyship was soovercome with excitement that she could hardly stand. Ridgeway caughther as she staggered from her improvised litter. Presently she grewstronger, and with her companion entered what was apparently a palaceamong the squat, queerly built houses.

  The chief ordered torches stuck in the ground, and a bright, stronglight filled the interior. They found themselves in a large apartment,twenty by thirty feet in size. A reed or grass roof provided covering.This roof, like those in civilized lands, ran to a high point in thecentre, the sides being fully twelve feet from the ground. There were nowindows in the walls, but as they did not come within three feet of theroof, there was ample provision for ventilation and light. The entranceto this structure was through wide portals, reaching from ground toeaves. There was no floor save the earth, but there were rugs made fromthe skins of wild animals. Hugh noticed with a thrill of excitement thatamong them were tiger and leopard skins. Directly opposite the entrancestood a rough and peculiarly hewn stone, resembling in a general way theform of a man, colossal, diabolical.

  "An idol," whispered Lady Tennys in awed tones.

  "Perhaps it would be wisdom on our part to kneel before the thing," saidHugh calculatingly.

  "I'll do anything you think best," she said reluctantly, kneeling for amoment with him before the idol. Whereupon the chief and his attendantsshouted for joy and fell upon their much-used faces. The populace,thronging about the temple, took up the cry, and all night long theychanted praise to the living gods. The weird, ghastly figures flittedfrom end to end of the mad village long after the chief and his partyhad left the temple to the sole possession of the new divinities.

  "I wonder if they expect us to sit up forever as sedately as that oldparty over there," mused Hugh, after the savages had withdrawn, greatlyto the mystification of their guests. "We're evidently left here to makethe best of it. I fancy we are now supposed to be in business as realgods with a steady job in the temple."

  "I am beginning to think we have come to a terrible place, Hugh. Howfierce and wild these people are! What is to become of us?" asked she,shivering as with a chill. "How horrible it would be if they brought ushere as a sacrifice to this beastly idol. Is there no way of escape?"

  "Nonsense! We've queered this antiquated old fossil forever. Two reallive gods are worth ten thousand stone quarries like that. If you sayso, I'll have a few of his worshippers take him down and toss him inthe river."

  The big room was devoid of furniture save for the rugs and severalblocks of stone grouped about the idol. Ridgeway was convinced that theywere in the sacred place of worship. Seating themselves rathersacrilegiously upon the stone blocks, they looked about the place withtired, hopeless eyes. The walls were hung with spears, war clubs andother ferocious weapons, evidently the implements of defence to be usedby the stone deity in case of emergency.

  "Well," quoth Hugh, after the gloomy inspection, "they must think thatgods don't sleep. I don't see anything that looks like a berth aroundhere. God or no god, I am going to turn in somewhere for the night. HisReverence may be disturbed if I snore, but I dare say his kick won'tamount to much. I'll pile some of these skins over in that corner foryou and then I'll build a nest for myself near the door." Suiting theaction to the word, he proceeded to make a soft couch for her. She satby and watched him with troubled eyes.

  "Do you think it safe to go to sleep when we don't know what they may doduring the night? They may pounce upon us and kill us." Hugh paused inhis work and walked to her side.

  "Something tells me we are safe with these people. We may as well makethe best of it, anyhow. We are in for it, and I'll bet my soul we comeout all right. G
o over there and sleep. I'll be the first one killed ifthey attempt violence. Here's a club that will down a few of them beforethey get the best of me." He took from the wall a greatmurderous-looking club and swung it about his head.

  "I want to be killed first, Hugh, if it comes to that. If you aremerciful, you will kill me yourself when you see that it is theirintention to do so," she said earnestly.

  "Pooh, there's no danger," he said, and went back to his work, impressedby her manner more than he cared to admit. With her chin in her handsshe resignedly watched him complete her bed of tiger skins.

  "We have desecrated the temple by disturbing the rugs," she said atlength.

  "I'll have 'em make some hammocks for us to-morrow and we'll hang 'em ineach end of the temple. And we'll also have this place divided into twoor three apartments, say two sleeping rooms and a parlor, perhaps akitchen. If necessary, an addition can be stuck on just back of wherethe idol stands. There'll be great doings around here when Yankeeprogress takes hold."

  "You surely do not mean to ruin their temple! They will be up in arms,Hugh."

  "Well, they'll have to endure a great many things if they expect tosupport such luxuries as we are. If those fellows don't quit fallingdown and bumping their faces on the ground, I'm going to have a lot ofpads made for them to wear when they think there is danger of meetingus. They'll wear their faces out." It did him good to hear her laugh."Well, your bed is ready, my Lady."

  "I am dying for a drink of water. Do you know how long it has been sincewe touched food and drink?"

  "All day! I never thought of it until this minute. I am half famishedmyself," he cried in dismay. Then he rushed to the door and shouted tosome natives who were standing near by eyeing the crude buildinginquisitively by the light of a single torch. "Hey! you fellows!"

  At the sight of his white figure and the sound of his voice, torch andall fell to the ground.

  "Get up, you blamed fools," called the white man, walking toward them inexasperation. They arose tremblingly as he drew near, and he managed bysigns to make them understand that he wanted food and drink. Away theydashed, and he re-entered the temple. Lady Tennys was laughing.

  "What are you laughing at?" he asked in surprise.

  "It was so funny to hear you call them fools."

  "I hope they understood me. Anyhow, they've gone for the fatted cocoanutor something equally as oriental."

  In less time than seemed possible the happy messengers arrived at thedoor with food enough for a dozen hungry people. The giant chieffollowed his subjects, and it was through his hands that Hugh receivedthe welcome food. The white people were gratified to find in theassortment rich bananas and oranges, raw meat, peculiar shell fish,berries and vegetables resembling the tomato. At first the nativeslooked a little dismayed over the disordered condition of the temple,but no sign of resentment appeared, much to the relief of Lady Tennys.The luscious offerings were placed on one of the stone blocks as fast asthey were handed to Ridgeway, the natives looking on in feebleconsternation.

  The chief was the only one to enter the temple, and he started toprostrate himself before the stone idol. He appeared to be at a loss asto what course he should pursue. Hugh promptly relieved him. Shaking hishead vigorously, he pointed to the stone image, signifying that therewere to be no more salutations bestowed upon it, all homage being due tohimself and the lady. The fickle pagan, after a waning look of love fortheir renounced idol, proceeded to treat it with scorn by devotinghimself entirely to the usurpers. He brought cocoanut shells filled withcool water, and the thirsty ones drank.

  "We seem to have got here in the fruit, fish, vegetable and noveltyseason, to say the least," observed Hugh.

  "Isn't it wonderful?" was all she could say, her eyes sparkling. Neverhad he seen her so ravishingly beautiful as now, filled as she was withthe mingled emotions of fear, excitement, interest, even of rapture. Hecould not prevent or subdue the thrill of indescribable joy which grewout of the selfish thought that he had saved her and that she must leanupon him solely for protection in this wild land. Turning sharply fromher, he glanced at the tempting feast and unceremoniously dismissed thechief and his followers. The big savage stood undecided for a moment inthe centre of the room, wavering between fear of the new god'sdispleasure and an evident desire to perform some service.

  After an instant he boldly strode to a stone block back of and to theleft of the image. Seizing it by the top, he gave the impression that hewas about to lift the great stone. Instead, however, he merely slid fromits position a thin slab, pushing it half way off of its square base.Instantly the sound of rushing water filled the ear, and theunaccountable, muffled roar that had puzzled them was half explained.The block was hollow, revealing a deep, black hole, out of which pouredthe sound of the hidden stream. The mystified observers could plainlysee the water some ten feet below the surface of the earth, glidingswiftly off through a subterranean passage. The chief made themunderstand that this well was for the purpose of supplying the imagewith drinking water whenever he needed it.

  "That's very interesting," said Hugh to Tennys. "I'll have to see wherethis water comes from to-morrow. From a practical point of view it isthe finest bit of natural sewerage I ever have seen. I'll makearrangements to tap it, if we are to live here."

  "You lawless Americans!"

  Apparently satisfied, the chief and his staring companions withdrew,devoutly prostrating themselves not to the graven image, but to theliving, breathing beings who were awaiting, with an ungodlike appetite,an opportunity to make way with the tempting fruit.

  "It is ridiculous to allow those poor things to fall down like thatevery time they turn around before us," she said, when they were alone.

  "We must encourage it. If we are to be idols we can't afford to give oursubjects a bit of relief from their religious obligations, and I'm quitesure we are idols or sovereigns, more than likely the former, judging bythe snubbing our flinty friend has received."

  "If we are to live among these people, Hugh Ridgeway, I, for one, intendto tell them, if possible, of the real God, and to do what I can for acause I served but feebly in the past. I may be a poor missionary, but Iintend to try in my weak way to do some good among these poor, benightedcreatures."

  "I think we'd better let well enough alone," said he disparagingly.

  "Why, Hugh, how can you say that?"

  "I haven't thought very much about God since I've been in this land.I've been too busy," he muttered, with no little shame in his face,although he assumed an air of indifference.

  "He saved us from the sea," she said simply, with a tremor in hervoice. "Surely you remember the prayers you uttered from your very soulon that night. Were they not to God?"

  "Begin your missionary work with me, Tennys. I am worse than thesavages," he said, not in answer to her question.

  Silently and greedily they ate of the delicious fruit, and found newsensations in the taste of more than one strange viand of nature. A calmrestfulness settled down upon their tired bodies, and all the worldseemed joyfully at peace with them.

  Almost overcome by sleep, he managed to toss a few tiger skins on theground near the door, not forgetting to place his club beside theimprovised couch. "Sleep comfortably and don't be afraid," he said. Sheslowly arose from the block and threw herself on the bed of skins.

  "You are so good to me and so thoughtful," she murmured sleepily."Good-night!"

  "Good-night," came his far away voice, as out of a dream.

  Outside, the celebration was at its height, but the tired idols heardnot a sound of the homage which was theirs that night.