art of a hostile country and that if
they were to get out safely, time could not be wasted in sleep. What
part this man whom he still thought of as the Priest would play, he
had no idea.

The girl told him as much of the odd story as she had gathered,
beginning with her own arrival in the hut. Manning's memory dated from
the blow on the raft. Back of this he skipped an interval of fifteen
years. Even there his memory was cloudy. He recalled vaguely having
joined an expedition which had for its object prospecting in these
mountains, but who the others of the party were he did not know. He
remembered hazily the trip over the mountains and a battle with a
party of natives. He was injured and after this was sick a long
while. As far as he was concerned he had been unconscious ever since
that time. Of his recovery, of the strange sequence of events which
caused him to take up a life among the Chibcas, who elevated him
finally into the position of high priest, of the fanatical devotion to
his trust which had driven him across the continent and then across an
ocean to recover the image, he recalled nothing. He did not know of
the existence of an idol or of any superstition in connection with
it.

Wilson, listening, marveled, but he quickly associated this with
similar cases of dual identity brought about by brain trouble
following an accident to the skull. The psychology of the case,
however, did not at present so much interest him as the possible
consequences to them all which might follow this denouement. It
instantly occurred to him that it was doubtful if Manning in his
present condition was anything but an added menace to the party. A
half hour's questioning convinced Wilson that it was literally true
that the last fifteen years were a blank to the man and that his
mental condition at present was scarcely superior to that of a child.
Consequently, in the event of an attack by the aroused natives either
Manning would be thought to have been captured by the party, which
would bring down swift vengeance, or he would be thought to have
deserted them, which was equally sure to bring about the annihilation
of them all. The only thing to do seemed to be to keep the man out of
sight as much as possible on the journey and in the event of trouble
to hide him altogether. It seemed to him wisest not to allow them to
rest even that night but to push on. Flores, eager to do anything for
the Priest, agreed to guide them. He aroused S