The Web of the Sun (Adventure Magazine, 1922)/Addenda
Addenda by the Transcriber
AN ENGINEERING party which made a recent survey of the outlet of Motobatl lake in behalf of a hydro-electric company, discovered that the shell of the crater at the whirlpool is only one hundred and twelve yards in thickness, and that the racing water accomplishes its passage through the hole in exactly fifty-two and three-eighths seconds.
Two tourists have emulated Lassiter's passage through the whirlpool by having themselves nailed up in barrels and launched into the maelstrom. No harm came to them, although a swimmer who attempted to dive through the outlet was killed.
Of Lassiter's passage, nothing could be learned from the man himself, as he has no recollection of it. The Stendill agent's memory picks up its narrative at a hospital in Iquitos, Peru. At this place Lassiter found himself suffering from a cerebral trouble. Nunes had disappeared, although the house physician stated that a Colombian, giving the name of Balthasar Nunes, brought the sick man to the hospital.
This Colombian told the doctor that he had brought his comrade down the Rio Nanay, which had its fountain-head in the mountain of Motobatl. For several days the Colombian had been very attentive, calling each day at the hospital, and even asking to help nurse his American friend, which, of course, was not permitted. However, before Lassiter became normal, Nunes' visits to the hospital stopped and nothing further was ever heard from the muleteer.
At Iquitos Lassiter made a bundle of Birdsong's letters and the Testament and forwarded them to Mollie Birdsong, Birdsong, Arkansas. He told her simply that her husband had perished in the service of his religion and that he had intrusted these letters to him, Lassiter, for her.
Iquitos, Peru, is the headwater of ocean navigation on the Amazon. Two weeks after Lassiter's convalescence, a Stendill steamer made port and the promoter set sail for New York.
On the first day down the river, the invalid picked up a copy of the Diario, a local paper of Iquitos. Across the front page were spread the headlines of an execution. Lassiter read it under the awning on the afterdeck. The article wound about in magniloquent Spanish fashion. At the conclusion, Lassiter read:
The accusation against Señor Nunes was that he followed Señora Altagracia from the paseo where he first saw her to her magnificent casa on Calle de la Virgin Immaculata, entered her boudoir in the sable watches of the night, and there attempted to misuse his prodigious strength and activity. When the policia burst into the mansion at the call of her husband, Señor Dom Tomas Altagracia, Caballero Nunes admitted his intent and was arrested.
Señor Dom Tomas Altagracia is a retired coffee exporter, and his wife, the beautiful Dona Purita Altagracia, has only nineteen years. They have always appeared to live together very happily.
The trial of Señor Nunes has aroused great interest and sympathy in Iquitos, especially among the señoritas. An admiring and distinguished anthology of beautiful damsels and charming wives attended the execution, which was admitted to be the most magnificent held in Iquitos for years.
When an opportunity was given the condemned to address his hearers, Señor Nunes pronounced a graceful tribute to “woman.” Not a dry eye remained in his concourse of beautiful and distinguished hearers. Flowers were thrown upon the banquitto; dozens of señoritas climbed up to embrace the prisoner. It was an ovation.
Señora Dona Purita Altagracia pinned upon his lapel a blood-red rose, and printed upon his lips a kiss and upon his heart a long embrace—as a signal of her forgiveness.
The señora's husband, Dom Tomas, was too old to attend the execution in person.
Dom Balthasar Nunes met the fire of his unwilling executioners with an open breast, a smile upon his face and a graceful salute to the señoras. Four balls pierced his noble heart.