“Yes,” went on the man, seating himself upon a rock; “I may as well tell you all about it now as any other time, since you are all to be citizens of Hez in the future. It is a queer story, and I have not said that I believe it.
“To begin, my name is Andrew Jones; I am from Kentucky, and have no relatives living save my wife, who is a native of this place. I came here a little over a year ago, and expect to stay here as long as I live.
“Roderique de Amilo is the founder of this race, though he seldom admits it. He discovered this underground country in the year 1509, by being washed over the falls into the river you passed on entering here.
“While here he discovered the fountain you speak of, and feeling satisfied that it was the one he was in search of, he bathed in it, the result being that he attained perpetual youth.
“Then it dawned upon him that he should have a helpmate; so one day he went to the edge of the pool and prayed for a wife, and lo! before his prayer was finished there arose from the crystal water the most beautiful woman man had ever seen!
“Well, to make a long story short, De Amilo took her for his wife, and from them came these people, who number about three hundred, outside of those who came here after.
“You have the legend just as everybody who comes here gets it. You may draw your own conclusions from it, as I have done.”
“Well, I don’t believe it,” said Haypole, bluntly.
Andrew Jones laughed.
“Few do,” said he; “and none seem to care much.”