Free Treasure of the Golden Cheetah by Suzanne Arruda

through East Africa in his later years, conquering tribes and plundering their gold. While he was busy pillaging from the Maasai, he saw Kilimanjaro and felt induced to climb it. It proved more than a match for the old king and he knew he would soon die. So he called together his retinue and told them he would die as befitted a king. He would be buried at the summit.”
    Beverly, fingers wiggling with excitement, jumped in. “The legend says that he wore jewels, gold, and King Solomon’s regalia when he was buried, and that he carried articles of power. Of course, they threw the slaves and concubines in with him.”
    “Naturally,” said Avery. “I’d take mine.” Beverly swatted at him playfully.
    Madeline took advantage of Beverly’s distraction to continue her tale. “There’s some twaddle about a future heir finding the regalia and restoring Abyssinia to its former glory. But that’s just half of the plot.”
    “Don’t tell me,” said Sam. “The actors are the brave explorers searching for the treasure and one of them is a reincarnation of Menelik.”
    “Very close,” said Madeline. “One of them is also a reincarnation of Menelik’s lover.”
    Sam shook his head. “Sounds like some terrible combination of every H. Rider Haggard book ever written.”
    “I forget. Who plays Menelik?” asked Neville. “And who is his lost love?”
    “Conrad Hall is Menelik. He’s also the explorer searching for the treasure.”
    “Then shouldn’t he already know where to find it?” asked Neville. “I mean to say, if the chap is the reincarnation, he should already know.”
    “But he doesn’t know,” said Madeline. “Don’t interrupt me, Neville. Where was I? Oh, Bebe Malta plays Menelik’s lover in the past, but in the present, she’s a hired servant girl who is looking for her lost love. Of course, the present-day Menelik is married, and that’s where Cynthia Porter has her role. She’s the explorer’s long-suffering wife. Then there’s the safari leader, played by Prentiss McAvy. And Henry Wells is a companion who is in love with the explorer’s wife.”
    “Of course,” said Avery. “Must have a love triangle. What does that redheaded man do? Woodrow something or other? And there’s another man, a big, bulky fellow.”
    “Woodrow Murdock is the redhead. He’s supposed to want the treasure for himself,” said Madeline. “Which should mean he’ll have to die in the end, I suppose. The other man is an extra as well as a stand-in for the dangerous scenes. I don’t know his name.”
    “Roland Talmadge,” said Avery.
    “What does Miss Zagar do?” asked Beverly. “I should have thought she would be the lusty servant girl.”
    “That’s most curious,” said Madeline. “I don’t think she actually has a role. I heard Mr. McAvy explain that they use her body for certain scenes instead of using Miss Malta’s.”
    “I think I can understand that,” said Avery. Neville nodded.
    “Avery!” scolded Beverly. “You are behaving like a horrid male this evening.” She smiled when she said it, and Avery responded with an answering grin.
    Sam removed his napkin from his lap and placed it beside his plate. “Sounds like a picture I will miss. I’ll stick to Hoot Gibson, if you don’t mind. I can tell the bad guys there. But speaking as someone who’s been on the backside of the camera, I can’t see how they’ll manage some of the scenes with Menelik. Shooting everything out-of-doors is very unpredictable.”
    “I’m sure some of it will be finished back in the United States,” said Neville.
    “That’s right,” said Beverly. “Inside in elaborate settings. That sort of thing is generally staged, I believe.”
    Then it hit Sam what was nagging him about Graham Wheeler’s murder. It was all too convenient and dramatically done to be real.
    It was staged!
     
     
    THE MOSHI STATION was far from lifeless at night. Dozens of African natives lined a wooden barricade. Most carried lanterns