Sinister Paradise

greater heights. Only one otherthing was needed to make this glow a really perfect feeling, Effra, whohad found this island and had tried to tell him about it. But Effra wasgone.

  They moved on to a big room where some of the scientific equipment ofthe vanished race still functioned. Set in a sunken pool ten feet indiameter in the center of the room was a circle of what looked likemercury. Leading up from it were heavy bus bars of some unknown metal.The bus bars came together and marched across the room to a controlpanel, one of the strangest control panels Parker had ever seen. Themeters were graduated in colors. In front of the chair where theoperator sat was a keyboard like that of a vast pipe organ. How muchtraining would an operator need to operate this keyboard? Directly infront of the operator's seat was a square panel that looked like atelevision screen.

  * * * * *

  Set in niches where the right hand of the operator could reach themeasily were statuettes of birds, animals, reptiles. Made of some metal,they were perfect representations. Parker saw a condor, a bald-headedeagle, a humming-bird, a cougar, a jaguar, an alligator. His eyes wentback to the pool in the center of the room.

  "It is generating power," Rozeno said. "As it turns, it creates someforce, some energy. I do not understand this energy. No one now aliveunderstands it. Understanding is one of the things I hope yourscientists may achieve--come away, Ulnar." The last was spoken as theIndian strayed near the operator's seat.

  Ulnar grunted impatiently. There was something about that seat thatlured him. But he came away. They went into another room, leaving behindthem the pool of mercury that turned slowly, like a miniature earth onsome axis of its own. Parker took one look at the contents of this room,and gasped.

  The crown jewels of England were no greater than these! Here were crownsof pounded yellow gold; here were gargoyle masks made of the same yellowmetal; masks that sparkled with gems. Here, lying on the rock shelves,were ingots of what looked to be solid gold, each one heavy enough to bea full load for a grown man.

  Ulnar was examining a gargoyle mask. He touched a gold bar, his oldwithered fingers seeming to savor the feel of it.

  Rozeno smiled gently. "Ulnar treasures these things, they were put inhis charge a very long time ago. He has been faithful to his trust."

  "But--" Parker whispered.

  "This is a part of Montezuma's treasure, a part that Cortez did not get.There is as much of it here as 400 men could carry away. Ulnar was oneof Montezuma's most trusted sub-chiefs. He brought the treasure here, tokeep it for his Chieftan."

  Ulnar's wrinkled face broke into a grin. "Me take good care," he saidsimply. "Me clean, me polish, me save for my Chief."

  "Tell me one thing?" he said.

  "Gladly, my son."

  "Does Johnny Retch know this is here?"

  "I suppose so. All who live on our island know about it."

  Muscles knotted at the corners of Parker's jaws. He pressed his armsdown against his jacket so that he could feel the guns in the pockets.The guns felt good.

  "Father Rozeno!" a voice called from a corridor outside the treasureroom. "Father Rozeno? Where are you?"

  "Here I am, my dear," the priest answered.

  At the sound of that voice, Bill Parker forgot all about the guns in hispockets, Johnny Retch, Montezuma's treasure, and everything else thatwas on this island. He stood stock still, paralyzed.

  A girl came through the opening into the treasure room. She wore a darkdress; sandals; her hands were gloved; she had apparently been workingat some task. She smiled at Ulnar, glanced at Parker, nodded, looked atRozeno, smiled, then glanced back quickly at Parker as if he remindedher of someone she had once known, then turned again to the priest."Father, I have been cleaning all morning--"

  So far she got. Bill Parker broke his paralysis and swept her into hisarms.

  "Effra--Effra--Effra--" His voice was a choked whisper, almost inaudiblein the treasure chamber of Montezuma. As she had come through the door,his mind had given him a flashing picture of the plane wrecked on theshore. Effra, fleeing from Dr. Yammer, had taken one last desperatechance on finding her island; one last lonely flight out over thePacific. No wonder he had been unable to find her. She had found herisland. She had come here. She _was_ here, in his arms.

  There was wonder and awe and bewilderment in the big pilot. Here was amiracle almost past the understanding. "I've found you--Effra--"

  For an instant, she lay in his arms like a frightened child who darednot move. "Please--" she whispered. He did not hear her. His lips soughthers, found them. She did not draw away, but neither did she respond."Effra--" Parker looked up. Rozeno and Ulnar were regarding him withmild astonishment. In his arms, Effra stirred again. "Please--let mego."

  This time the big pilot heard her. Setting her back on her feet was oneof the hastiest movements he had ever made in his life. "Effra--I didnot mean to startle you--but darling--"

  She stood irresolute, staring at him. "Please--You have no right--"

  He saw that her eyes, fixed on him, regarded him as an utter andcomplete stranger.

  "Don't you know me, Effra?" There was almost a sob in his voice.

  "I never saw you before in my life."

  * * * * *

  Parker turned, moved to a window slot, stood looking out. The treesbelow him, the island, the sea, the PT boat lying at anchor off shore,he saw all of these things, but yet he did not see them.

  He had found Effra and she did not remember him, did not know him.Inside of him was agony, such pain as he had never known. He felt atouch on his arm. Rozeno stood there, his face troubled. "Do you knowour Effra, my son?"

  "Yes."

  "Do you, perhaps, love her?"

  "Yes."

  "And you are very unhappy because she does not respond?"

  "Yes."

  The old priest's face grew a little more sad. "When she landed here, thelast time, she made an awkward landing. She was thrown forward and shehit her head. She does not remember anything that happened before that."Rozeno's finger bit deeply into Parker's arm. "Come now, and I willintroduce you to her, as a stranger."

  Bill Parker found himself being introduced to the woman he loved. "I'msorry about my actions of a minute ago," he said. "I thought you weresomeone else."

  The smile she gave him was forgiving but it was also cool and distant."That's all right, Mr. Parker. I understand." Her voice went intosilence as another sound came into the room. The sound of rapid gunfire.

  Parker had thought he had in his pocket the only two modern weapons onthe island, but somewhere in the growth of trees far below the windowslot, someone was firing a sub-machine gun.

  Parker raced to the slot. Below him the island lay quiet. He turned.Mercedes, her face working, was staring at him.

  "Beel--Beel--I have not told you everything! That Johnny Retch, he hireyou to fly him here in 'copter, to find thees island. He also have menin boat coming. Your job, which you did not know, was to find island,then lead men in boat to it. Johnny means to take all thees." Thegesture of her hand included all the treasure of Montezuma. "He have menin boat to help him take it. He does not mean to let anything stop him.Not anything!"

  Parker saw what he had not seen before, that Johnny Retch was a man whowould always have two strings for his bow. Too late, he saw that theboat lying at anchor was not an accident.

  "I should have killed that dog when I had the chance!" he snarled.

  Shambling feet sounded in the corridor outside. Pedro burst into theroom. He grunted words at Ulnar.

  "Pedro says men come up the ledge," Rozeno said. "They must be from theboat. We must go to meet them. It will be a great pleasure to them.Come, Ulnar. Come, Bill." He moved toward the door.

  Parker was across the room in quick strides, catching Rozeno's arm."You can't do it, Father Rozeno. Those men who are coming up the ledgemean to kill."

  "My son!" Hurt showed on the priest's face. "Surely you do not know whatyou are talking about!"
br />   "But I do know!" Parker almost shouted the words. Quickly, desperatelyhe tried to explain the situation to Rozeno. To his growing horror, hesaw no comprehension in the old priest's eyes. Slowly Parker began torealize that this old man was so gentle and so kind himself that hecould not comprehend even the thought of anyone else being--evil!

  "You may stay here, if you wish, my son, but Ulnar and I will go speakto these people who are coming up the ledge. Come, Ulnar."

  His face glowing at the thought of meeting new people, the priest movedfrom the room. Ulnar grunted once, a hot, savage sound, then followedRozeno like a dog following its master.

  Effra started to follow them.

  Parker