Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1893-04-06

! % @ellAl sARRANGEMsNi VIII IHEM.}
Some of the statues were Of life size,
beautifully modelled, and there were
mysteriously shaped objects of ancient
ceremonial use; chairs, or rather stools,
tables, tripods, urns, platters, cups, bra
ziers, censers, chains, SUNS, moons, stars,
flower work, arlnlets and anklets, all Of
solid, heavy material and skillful work
manship.
Alcng the side of the chamber were
ranged three rows of urns filed with
gold dust, kingly store of itself, that
equaled the widest fantasy of the Ara
bian story teller and made Eric almost
fear that he was dreaming. Among all
these treasures Iklapel picked his way,
and Gilbert followed him until the old
man paused before heap of silver bars
and lifting several passed them to him,
saying:
"Six of these are all that you require.
They are worth o thousand taos and
more, but we need not be particular.
It is years since these things were
touched. We do not have as much
need of them as we once had, it seems.
"How long have these treasures been
accumulatingr inquired Eric.
"Many thousands of years. In the
ancient times we had twenty temples,
and these statues adorned them; the
utensils and furniture were used in
them, and the people yearly brought
new and rare gifts; but as our race de-
clined they were gathered here, and here
they have remained"
"But are they safe here, with no
guardr'
"Very safe, indeed, for no one knows
except ourselves of their existence or Of
this chamber. OF course our people
know of the maze Of underground pas
sages, but they fear to penetrate them,
and the passage leading to this room Is
well concealed, as you observed. But
we will return with our burden before
it grows late" And the aged priest
moved up the dark way with the light,
while Gilbert carried the silver ingots.
II was no mean load; they weighed
many pounds, and his arms ached when
they reached the sacred chamber and
climbed up into daylight.
That night Eric went with Kulcan to
Chalpa's dwelling for the first and only
time, taking the silver with him. They
arrived late, and as they entered heard
loud and boisterous voices in eager
clamor. There were four half drunken
priests squatting around the tablet OF
stone eagerly watching the fitting of the
dicebox. Their uproar drowned any
noise that Kulcan and Gilbert's entrance
had made, and Chalpa, with his back to-
ward the door, did not perceive them as
he sat waiting for the bets to be made, 9
sneering smile upon his face and his
hand over the end of the box. He start
ed as Kulcan seated himself at his side
saying:
"Chalpa, / have come with the thou.
sand taos to once more, and for the last
time, test my luck and yours. Remem,
sber the agreement-all my losings and
my sister againsta thousand taos.
Chalpa turned pale, stole q scared
glance at Eric and faltered He found
himself in adificu1t position. He feared
Eric most nightly and felt that his
methods were suspected if not known
to him; but he dared not hesitate, and IN
moment he had resolved to allow Kul.
can to regain his wealth, or seem to at
least, by the same device whereby he
had lost it. He smiled and said, with
well assumed heartiness:
"It is well, my Kulcan. Iwished to
give you an opportunity to recover, II
possible, what you had lost. It is faiT
bargain"
"Then wager you now on the odd
dice FIVE hundred taos against my sis
|. teri" cried Kulcan, placing three ingots
on the tablet. A couple of other players
laid wagers also upon the odd side, and
Chalpa tilted the box.
One glance showed that Kulcan had
won. Chalpa's face was serene, how
ever, as he replaced the dice, and the
young priest again wagered FIVE hundred
taos against his lost property. He tilted
the box and shot the dice out upon the
tablet once more, and Kulcan won again.
He had freed his sister and regained his
estates, and now for revenge! With 9
lool, full of meaning into Chalps'B cruel
eyes, he cried:
"Once more, FIVE hundred against I'VE
hundred taos on thseven numbers"
Chalpa did not dare refuse nor did ne
dare cheat, yet five hundred taos was an
immense sum for him, successful though
he had been in his operations. he felt
Gilberts keen searching gaze upon him,
and he feared to look up. His nervous
fingers shook the box, and the dice rat
tied.
"Come,n cried Kulcan. "You do not
fear the test now. You have taken the
same wager before from mel"
81 fear nothing" the gambler an
swered. 81 take the betF
The other players also placed mailer
sums upon the board upon the even side,
and the trickster tipped the box. The
eleven clay cubes rolled across the stone
with a clinking rattle, and tho eager eyes
counted quickly. Kulcan had again
won. Chalpa had lost the fruits OF sew
eral years Of swindling and usury.
Gilbert had seen that the odd dice had
come from the left and the even ones
from the right end Of the dicebox and
formed his conclusions, but he refrained
from announcing his discovery, or rather
his suspicious, and when Chalpa had
made over to Kulcan the sum OF his
winnings they withdrew, followed by
the other players, who were delighted
with Kulcan's good fortune.
Chalpa, on being left alone, threw
himself upon the floor in a savage frenzy
of rage and despair, and then and there
resolved to kill not only Kulcan and Gill
bert, but old Klapel, for he knew the
secret Of the treasure vault and sur
:oa lor, tba o;lvo,. had heen obtained