New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-24

pane Of cness with the chief the stakes. my life
against safe conduct TO the EhgiiSh llheH 49,
before had ] encountered 80 tcfflpie an opPolII"
and never in the history OF the r0yal game ilau ~
fatcful an issue been fought out on lhe Ul,lIo
field Of the sxty-fOur squares. TOOK ny s'rT
opposite the chief, and the torchpcaicrs loi inc
a wide ring round the table, looking as the d'llc1
inc torch flames shone on their dark faces ana
limbs like 50 many stalwart statues % pi ii
Within the circle and It'le ptllu , 1I 80
stood the evil priest, motl0niess, WIN loiucI a,i1
Including mo and the board in his keen, hatciuI
gaze ] knew exactly where he stood peI9r or
looked al him, and again ieit 'he sum- ii uiL Lu
fascination working on me mat mao l'lI WIZ Ln
| first set eyes on him. The chief moved the
pieces indeed but ! was conscious IN some su?,i1'
way that il against his attehiah' nlI' i
that | was pittcd-that the former was s,arccit
NOR than an automatOn under the thraldOm 81 81
the priests marvellous will, and the game ltseli
only sort of emblem or shadow OF our ih"''u
contest Cl mmH an% enough VITA the white
pieces, and the game itself might have ahorurd
an expressive symbol Of the anagonlsn OF tase
light and dark races. OF the clear, brghi MG lt
with the mystic. sombrc East, but the thouIho
did not occur TO me then. To me it was raIher
a struggle between the intangible powers oil gopu
and cyil-a realization in my own sell OF uIc
eternal struggle of the universe we pinAru Nr as
slowly. and in absolute silence. No word was
spoken nor sign made when either KIN ,ho
checked. Hour after hour the priest k'pl nle
same motioncss posture behind his chiei' Whp
played with the same monotonorsly mecnanl'ai
movement of the hand, the same vacant n'o.
mcrlZcu expression on HIS luce I"''
hour unmcasured by any clock, unmarKcu w
any change except in the position OF Inc pies
on the board The chief, or rather inc PrIcH';;
PLAYED we'll and. though time after tlmc Scentu
on the point of gaining a decisive advantage, some
unforeseen move always deferred my victory.
Zone piece in particular repeatedly thWaItc',
my combinations. Again ana again II ,ovld
the weak point in series Of moves when ShouId
have brought me victory. Again ana neuin'
when, after straining every faculty 81 my nLa'n'
made my move and raised my eyes - watch IN
- urioSt'c face tho effect II "A stroke 10 NilNi
saw no reply. faint hooking smile won curl
for n moment his cruel lips and the black Knlght
would he moved once more, Threatening uahGcl"
which had overlooked and daShing my prrma-
turc honrs 20 the ground II was ~ though SOM,
secret link existed between that particular pl' Oh
bore and the grim, ghOulish spectator oI our
game Piece after piece was taken from the
board and dropped on the sand az our feet; the
ranks of pawns grew thinner ana thinner pu'
still that one black knight, now the only piece
left 70 my antagonist. sprang over IN" board,
evading my dccp-laid plans for his capture Inc
opening was long pissed, the wavcring fortune
Of the middle game had wanrd with the long hours
to an cnd-game Tho memorable moment Wilch
must decide my fate was close upon me.
:" | turned for moment from the board to ease
and throbbiug fever of my brain. black ven "i
formlcSS mist hid the stars and gave back the
carthS heat, till I gaspcd for breath and drops
of nervous sweat ran down my forehead There
was sitting oppression in the still AR, as IN
the minutes before the first lightning nash dailS
from the charged thunder cloud. The chief
moved. and | spuTrcd my Tagging energies once
more to the study Of the game. Suddenly. !
seemed 10 be gifted with extraordinary powers
of calculatlOn / shut my eyes, ana 81" men
tally the position change through every possible
variation ike the moving pattern OF a kai'ido-
scope. | could, have announced male. Knew
10 the exclusion of any doubt. that | must WIN.
| made my move. and then, concentrating every
particle OF the hatred and bathing with when
The diaholical priest had inspired me INTO one
flashing look Of defiance. ! tried = hur rom Inc
the cuTscd inilucacc of his malignant spirit aud
TO crush il into subsection T. mine. lli- lace
changed with a h,cous cOntorilon OF defeated
evil purpose. and iHcn the whole devil ~ nm
rose 10 one supreme effort in answer q mine. lie
passed his hand lightly acrcss his eyes, and Lean
in- over his chief scored his forehead with
frown the glare of his glittcrlng eyes
seeming 10 pierce - The brain Of the head thcT
ncdriy touched. The ncw spell hogan 10 work on
the chief. An Uneasy. puzzled look came mi"
his flcc and this time il with an uncertain.
yacillating movement that hc raised his haul
20 play. Again ! looked at III" priest His cN
preston Was NOR, bitterly mo"klnc anu more
cNul'in-ly hcndish iA0u ever a. he directed ur
glance hy movement of ms own 10 The hand
which lowered over the board lis trachcruis
design was Transmitted in Hash q ny mimi
by some uurN plHincd inirrlctiou of Our brains
An Illegal move with the bacl, KNIGHT. in defiance
of the rules of the game. was to snatch the ncarly
won victory from my Grasp saw thr iht'
square on which the piece would be- placed, ana
/ felt that il il reached II ! was Lost There
were no spectators 20 whom could appeal against
tie elaring illcsalty. UNCONSCIOUS, no doubt. on
tho part Of tie hypnctlzcd chlc'. and should
nc,e r be able 10 convince him ancrward Of hay
ing won uuGiry must prevent the move.
The struggle cntcIcl on the final phusc
had shaken oil tine priests mcsiAruc influence
o.cr my own will. now ! mus' Wfcsi The cllt f.
will from the same thuldom bv tlc cNcrli1n of
Il counter Influence. II was tlr critical moment.
the cuilnintiins point OF co.iHri wlich must
a. Inst be- decisive The chiefs laul raise the
black knight lowiy from thc board. and - i De-
q.,m more slowly still - descend, "Ncrtci all my
power Of Will IN one burst OF ftrainiuc cnlc1yof
L. compel another move than the ial~e one tA"
Intended Every nerve BODY
ftrl.n. o. cracking. The wonderful sensation 81
my individuality. Of The in'anaihl" essence which
constitute, sell, wrestling 2rnlN for HE viii tie
demon possessed priest. me intensified ~ my
brain rcclcl. The chiefs hand came slowly. slowly
down: waycrcd rs though uncertain CA which
: uare 10 place rHr piece one iiaa effort OF
will exhausted NY faculties Of brain and voltion
"Ih" ordeal was over; llgnt had triumphcd
over darkness a. day had risen on nght. knew
The, priests influence I"d been overcome. hIs
spell east Of, without the evidence Of The chess
board | saw him fall backward on the ground
Every muscle of his body twisted in horrible con
tortiOn, ~ though some invisible power oi the
sIaem- shaken form. The grcwsOm, sishi ended
quickly, the violence of the seizure YVES TSsicss
the muscles relaxed, the limbs stretched out, aud
he lay corpse.
" How | parted from my strange entertainers
| can't tell You. ! only know that the chief
honoraby fulfilled his pledge and that. rs
galloped away with Il guide for the English camp
over the fair, green earth, The woods and fields
dancing 10 the breeze in the sunlight the bright
clouds carrying my thoughts 10 the depths 81 the
blue eXpansc they sailed in experienced a new
,ensatOn Of keen. rcstataic enjoyment of life for
its own sake MI nature seemed to have a fuller
better meaning TO me than ever brlorr. 10 be- the
hysical expression of bnundlrSs power anI hap
pimcsS moving with alinclueyc purpose toward
some eternal end AMI myself was filed with
thrilling vitality in the consciousness of being
a part Of the joyous whole
The colonel made long pause. and then. with
n reluctant sigh rs hc dismissed the wide cXpanse
OF glorious landscape which law stretched ont be-
fore his minds eye. 10 return 10 the common
place If his immediate surroundings, he picked
iIp the papcrwcioht from the board. and replacing
it on the writng.tnblc. concluded
" Later in tho dnv. and aiYcr nv return to the
English camp, ! found this little fellow in a
pocket of my coat. Whether ! had put il there
mysclf or how if got there / don't know. and 10
vha extent the incidents Of the night colorcl
by ny own excited imagination is d chess problem
1 must leave g. your own soution'-tIhc Strand
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