“In most every other way but the direct road to the necropolis, we are going. The fact is, your Honor, the person in yonder cab disguised as Leo Leander suspects us of following them, and is going to ascertain if such be the fact by this method,” concluded Julio. In the meantime Leo Leander was formulating a plan for escape, while the Rev. Isaac Tombstone discoursed upon various topics with the other two occupants of the cab. He played his part well, to the great delight of Leo Leander, who had no idea that the man had the learning he now displayed. “Yes,” he said, in answer to a question propounded by Señor Enrique Arellano, “I am certainly grateful to the Father Divine who saw fit to let me live throughout two centuries and more, and retain complete use of my senses, and yet am in feeling a gay, healthy young man as well.” “Upon what ground do you base your information concerning prehistoric Mexico?” asked Señor Jose M. Martinez. “Upon the fact that all light since the beginning of time has come to man from the East. Knowing such to be the case, early in the nineteenth century, then a young man eager for knowledge, I journeyed to Calcutta, and from thence to the remotest of the Himalayas, where I studied with the most learned of the Hindoos. They taught me from charts, maps and sign-writings, that centuries before, a people had gone from Persia and settled along the west and southwest coast-line of Mexico. But this new country was like the ‘Vale of Siddim, full of lime-pits,’ and the leaders of this tribe fell to fighting amongst themselves, after having founded large cities. Excavating amongst the ruins of their once great and populous cities, I discovered they had made great progress in science, art and literature. Those of the Persian tribe left, fled to the mountains and valleys of the interior, where they show evidence of having united with different races, by whom they were afterwards extinguished. These facts, friends, are of profound interest ethnologically,” concluded the learned doctor of divinity. “To be sure, to be sure,” repeated Don Enrique Arellano. “What a wonderful fund of knowledge you have, Reverend Tombstone. Some day not far distant I hope to have you at my house as a guest, when dear Mexico is restored to us again and we are happy.”