The Meeker herald., 1892-11-05

We searched our pockets and
finally tished up from one corner the
stub of Il lucifer. which l handed tc
my companion who took it with &
cry of thankfulness.
l held my breath rs he drew Il
along the wall and. at the same time,
l raised my cooked pistol eager tc
send bullet through tho head OF the
nuwab's treasure guard. Where
would we find the serpent and how
large was hep
The little flame leaping up seemed
to shine like n star amid tho gloom.
but in an instant it went out like the
others had done. But that shor,
period of time was enough.
Looking down on us from Il hole in
the wall. with one-half of his glisten
ing and spotted body out was Il
serpent OF the constructor species
large terrible and loathsome The
forked tongue darted in and out with
In few feet of our heads and the
little eyes shone like diamonds in
their malignant CLEO.
saw that the snake was banded
with gold band. which enclrcled the
neck just back OF the head. thus fix
ing the question OF ownership. for
the old nuwab had banded every
living thing in his palace; why not
the Shiny guard OF tho treasure?
When Casey saw the serpent he
gave one unearthly Shrek and stag
gered down the wall leaving me.
stood there with weakened limbs and
cold sweat on my forehead. l felt
rs 1t were. the hot fetid breath OF the
reptile on my cheeks and when |
recoiled rs an act OF self-preservation
l thought | was falling down into
some bottomless pit
Not sound had followed Caseys
Shrek. felt for another match, in.
tending in moment OF forced cour-
age to send n bullet through the men
acing head. but found nothing OF the
kind. / crept down the wall to a
corner, stopped and picked up some
thing at my feet only to drop it. for
it was Il lizard. which stung me ere
let it go.
All at once the voice of Casey rang
out calling on God to help him.
The sounds froke every drop of
blood in my veins and started over
to where he was to quiet him when |
recoiled, for l heard tho breaking OF
bones and knew that the serpent had
the poor fellow in the fatal coils,
Desperation at last brought action
TO my nerves and senses i resolved
to face the terror to take the initia-
tive, and thus armed l crept down
the wall with ono hand thrown out
i,, ,tb ut
razor edged and bediamonded knives
which had picked up at my feet
Where was the slayer of poor
Casey?
Seeing nothing in that gloom. l
crept on and on until all Mt once my
hand came In contact with something
horribly smooth. 1t was the body of
the boa!
My hand could not span the girth
OF that terrible form but l believed
from the sudden wriggling that had
touched it near the head. In fact
when l moved my hand again it came
in contact with the gold necklace. aud
then. with the fury OF demon despair
and revenge. l hacked away with the
Indian knife.
felt that blade go through flesh
and bone with tho keenpess of kris.
With my blood at fever heat and my
nostrils filled with the suifocating
odor which emanated from the SER
pent, did not stop for second. but
cut away for life.
felt that everything depended on
what l was Mt and worked that knife
with all my might feeling tho folds
give way. and the gold band at last
fell to the floor with ring.
| knew from the contortions OF the
huge body that the head was oil, and
staggering back with gasp l fell
against the wall.
When / came back to life l felt
some air on my cheek. and then u
streak OF light which came from
certain spot showed me the interior
OF the place. looked about me an
instant and then shut my eyes.
In ono corner lay the crushed body
OF Casey. and across the floor. reach
ing from wall to wall. stretched the
spotted length OF the terror of tho
nuwab's treasure house, tho severed
head three feet from the trunk.
My first thought was escape. The
light came from the hole in the wall.
und drew myself up to it squeezed
my body through and dropped on the
other side.
There / found door leading l
knew not whittier but did not stop
to ask. threaded the corridor
passed up TO the sunlight in tho nu-
wabs palace, and fell headlong un-
conscious on the street My escape
from the palace was miraculous. and
for three months the surgeon had a
mad patient but after the plundering
OF tho palace by tho enraged soldiers
in return for the massacre OF Gavin
pore, l came back TO reason. and
again took my place in the ranks.
Not for long time could be in
duced to speak OF the adventure in
the subterranean chamber. The very
horror OF it seemed 10 CONCEAL my
blood when I REQUIRED toit and those
who afterward went down to the
chambers found no jewels at all. but
on the floor OF the scene OF our foolish
raid they discovered the bones OF
Casey and near by the long skeleton
of the uuwabs sentry.
1t was supposed tina: those left in
charge OF the palace had removed the
treasures as other treasures were no
moved in n mysterious manner during
the rebellion and that the rich jowels
and rcg;.lia of the old nuwab won't to
| ,aorr tho noloce Of sOme Young