The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-06-27
UNDER TIE TOWER OF SILENCE.
BY JOHN D. REID.
COMPLETE STORY.

dency of Bombay, the ground rises some
little way above the elsewhere dead level
Of the surrounding country. The elevation
referred to is scarcely sufficiently imposing
to entite il to the name of hill, but as it is
the only exception to the everlasting wood
ed fiat, it buks in the relieved eye with
kind of fictitious importance. in character
it is rocky and bare; what slight vegeta-
ton it boasts of being, even in the rainy
season, of little account and less value.
Trees will not grow on it, and although
the bruShwood on the plain below is thick
enough not bush climbs its sun baked,
bistered slopes. There would indeed be
nothing about it worth second glance
were it not that on its summit stands a
huge circular pillar or tower, built of red
brick, and having q name that epitonllses
humanity 1t is one OF the Parsee places OF
the dead; one of the towers of silence.
Grim enough it looks even in daylight,
with the hea ted air eddying and quivering
around it, and the fierce flare of the tropic
sun turning its dingy red to the hue of
flame; splashing it with streaks and
b.otchcs that look like blood Grinlmer yet
is its aspect in the shostly moonlight for
then il is black against the stars. and the
shadows creep about ii like bodiless pres
ences of outer and evil things Grimmest of
all perhaps, it is in that weird time that
lies between the first frightening of the
cast and the rising of the sun: when the
haze lifts from the grey levels and the lnky
woods sharpen their outlines against the
Wilderness of the dawn. At such time
there is something uncarthly about II, COM
ing almost into open sight and surrounding
it with atmosphere of fascination that
at once draws and repels the Imagination,
not yet wholly freed from the influences
Of the night and the dark. Such time. too.
seems of all the fittest for those who would
follow the dead into the inner pit of their
ae:ial grave Were we now to open yonder
low, frownng door, and climb in the dark
ness of the inner stairway up ana up TO
the ecrie tower top, We should hnd-what?
What is best left alone. possibly, if only
out of pity for deaths shame. Fer the hol-
low core of the tower is ldded, within a
few feet OF the top, by an iron grating,
and upon that CHASTITY platform we might
ind that that would appal us with the re-
yea,ed horrors and hideous realities of the
graves that are vet to be our own. Better
70 stay here on the hillside, and looking up
at the dizzy crown of the tower, picture
in fancy all we dare to think of 1.-THE hour
after the mourners have gone, and over the
still naked one stretched on the grating
the obscene air scavengers gather in clouds
- Ugh, The very atmosphere of the place
IS chatna., and had there been no more of
mystery attaching to it than the sad and
solemn secrets of the grave we might nave
passed it by. But 1t 50 happens that, con-
nected with that CHASTITY airpit, is an eX-
perience as weird and awful as ever was
undergone by man beginning and ending,
that is, short Of the shut lid Of coffin.
For it CHANGED, once upon a time, that
draft of 30 soldiers from England arrived al
poonah route for a certain regiment
then stationed at Benares. And as there
was no room for them all at Gorporee the
station depot the surplus, about a dozen
in number. We're sent on to Wanowrie.
The distance between the two places is
less than mile, but even that was enough
to ensure the Wanowrte party being left
mandng the depot having two pronounced
charactc,istcs--a superabundauce of fat
and rooted dislike to eXertion.
Among the new corners who found them
selves located at Wanowrie, was one Hec
tor MLeod. AS his name implies, he was
of Highland descent, was about q years
Of age. and was exceptionally handsome.
He was possessed of much more than
the average intelligence and education of
his class, but IN addition to being imagina-
tive and reserved to an extreme degree,
professed to hold Views that stopped but
little short of downright atheism What
was more, he seemed to have lost or de-
stroyed what moral sense he had ever pos
sesser and summed up his creed in one
word--selfishcess seltishness in the or
binary greedy, grasping sense be it I'M
derstood for when the whim seized him he
could be even generous; and his conduct
as a soldier was uneXceptionable. But he
acknowledged no dividing line between
right and wrong and, enforcement of law
apart, held no right or honor sacred in 9TH
ers that opposed or impeded the gratifi-
cation of his wishes and desires. In addi-
ton to all this he was accredited by his
comrades. most of whom were Of Scotch
nationality. with the gift of second sight;
q belief his recurrent fits of savage gloom
did much to strengthen, and which in
creased to no small extent the feelings of
uneaslness and aversion with which they
regarded him.
When the draft had been about week
at Wanowrie, M'Leod found himself one
evening at the foot of the rise upon the
crest Of which stands the Tower of Silence.
AS usual. he was alone, and to judge from
the expression on his face, was in even
more than his wonted state of gloom.
Standing there the edge of the bare
bistered activity, ana staring up at the
tower through the swiftly falling twilight
of the East. he had a touch Of the satanic
about him in his sneering lips aud Sombre
eyes.
A hideous looking vuture, that had been
perched on the coping of the tower, sud
denly lost It's footing, and came tumbling
down as If it had been shot. So unexpected
by the great bird itself had been the move
ment that it was half way to the bottom
before it succeeded in arresting its descent.
Then, its vast wings again recovered
their mastery of the air, 1t wheeled sharply
and swept away over the tree tops like a
tempest driven cloud. And as it did SO,
MLeod, to whom the quick transition from
dignifed repose to scared activity appeared
in the last degree ludicrous broke into
laugh Of saturnine amusement.
The laugh was echoed behind him, but in
voice melodious and soft as a woman's
Instantly wheeling around. he found him
self face to face with tall figure wearing
the flowing dress and grotesque headgear of
Parsee Too much surprised for the mo-
ment by the others unheard and unsus-
pected approach to speak, MLeod stood
staring; his face revealing an odd mixture
OF curiosity and irritation.
Although apparelled like man. and of a
stature rarely attained by the opposite sex,
there was that in the face and general
bearing of the stranger that suggested to
MLeod an instant suspicion that he was
in the presence of a woman. Yet when he
sought justification for the thought he was
puzzled. The tall form, what could be
seen Of it's outlines under it's loose robes,
was slender, the limbs shapely the hands
and feet small; but in no one of the points
noted was there anything incompatible
with strength and virility. AS for the face
1t simply strengthened the suspicion while
Rffording even less ground upon which to
rest it. The complexion was clear olive,
the features delicately cut the eyes large,
glowing and intensely black. Beautiful it
undoubtedly was, but the beauty was not
ct that order that one could readily asso-
riate with woman's face. The stamp of
power was too strongly impressed upon it,
nnd there was subtle suggestion of mock
Ing cruelty about the mouth and in the
deep, lustrous eyes
While rapidly noting the above, the SOL
der had recovered from his first surprise
and now contrived to ask:
Where did you come FROM"
The stranger laughed the same musical
laugh that had startled NJ Leod already
From the road yonder,' he said Il was
passing near YOU, but Won were watch;po