The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-10-04

distant. SEQ; it, light is on,lnuous, and
that of the gloww0rm is intermittent.
My God what an escape you have had!
and overcome by his emotions he folded
me to his heart, kissing passionately my
lips and eyes. All, you will dislike In
dia moro than ever now he said, this
thought ever prominent in his mind.
But was wildly, dcliriously happy after
my depression and fright, for new light
had dawncd upon me, and l saw the cross
purposes at which we bad been playing.
Il don't dislike India-l love it, l
Whispered. hiding my face ON his breast.
Did the sahih CALI" asked the OLD
consariui, standing before us, but discreet
ly turning his head to cough in his hand.
The consarmi, like all native servants,
seemed ubiquitous and had q habit OF APP
pcurng ana disappearing unexpectedly.
Get me your masters pistol, quick
There is a cobra under that tree, said Cap
tain Rochester, pointing to the starlike
glimmcr in the grass
Contrary to his usual alacrity when
given an order, the consarmi stood ~
though paraly2cd
1T is the devil snake, and his maize
| kullul Don't shoot, sahibl he painted
with chattCring teeth "Hinduo fix him.
Make him kill hisse'f--yuu see, " and with
around the bungalow.
What does he mcan' don't under
stand, / asked.
Its only another of their supcrsti.
tiuns," Captain Rochester replied, They
believe if the cobra is killed that another
will come to ayenge his death, but If 1t
can be made to commit suicide the evil
power of the stone is overcome. l am glad
you will have an opportunity of witness
ing their jugglery"
We sat down on Il lawn seat in the white
moonlight, with our hearts too full for
words The cobra was now distinctly
visible i'm a brown coil, with its head
waving slowly to and fro above the stone
as it skillfully snapped up the flreflies that
came within its reach. Soon the consarmi
returned, with all the men about the
stables and house, each with his arms full
of cocoanut fiber, which they noiselessly
hcapcd in a circle about the date tree, and
then commenced to sway their bodies and
chant in low voice. while some boys sat
Mt their backs and beat ON tomtoms.
1t was a weird, truly oriental scene.
rustling the tall palm tops,
the half clad natives, with their barbaric
incantations, and the death dealing cobra
before its shining stone, no longer heed
ing the frchics, but apparently hypno.
tiled and keeping perfect time with its
head to the strokes Of the tomtoms
At signal from the consarmi tho
cocCunut fiber was ignited, the tomtoms
were beaten furiously, and the chant AROSE
to almost shrek. My father and step
mother, attracted by the noise, drew near,
while the ayah ran about, madly tossing
her arms and shouting: "A devil snake
\ devil snake!"
The cobra, at the first flash of thu
flames, raised its terrible crest, striking
out blindly in its rage AS it circled round
and round the stone. As the din in
creased and the fire leaped higher II
seized the naja kallu in its mouth ant
made a dash to escape. Time and agair
I it tried, but was driven back by the heat
+ when in seeming frenzy of despair il
dropped the stone struck its fangs into it:
, own body, and with n cOnvulsive CULVER
stretched itself out dead.
Then there went up triumphant
shout in which we all Joined, and Sadi
who had been noggod for stealing my
| necklace, sprang into the circle, clutchet
7 the now harmless stone and laid it at my
feet Imagine my surprise at finding that
| it was my lost necklace, and that TIN
cobra had been the thief The snake wal
an unusually large one and had possibly
lived about the house for years, feeding
T. on mice 1t undoubtedly gained access Il
b., | my room through a rathole in the floor.
a A week later, when the Alexandra
It steamed out Of port, bound for England,
l. stood ON deck ar my husbands side, way
q ing a brief adieu to India, and in m
n trunk, packed in soft cotton, was collie
al the naja kallu necklace for Caroline. -
:. Josephine c. Shackleford in Romance.