The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-03-18

many forms, some Of which Ross reoog-
nlzed, while others were entirely strange
to him. Vishnu could be gazed on hero
rs fish, q boar, q man lion, an awful
image of absolute forocity, animated
by deViiish intelligence Of sheer destruc.
tiyeness, as q dwarf, as Parasurama,
armed with an ax, rs KalIii, with u
sword and winged horse, and in many
other shapes. Before onoh Of these idols
burned small lamp, and tho multiplio-
ity Of shadows thus created, the strange
carvings of tho pillars, and the utterly
inhuman aspect and expression of most
of tho faces scuIptured according to Eu-
ropean ideas. combined to produce ter
riblo impression on Ross mind already
30 completely ovorstrainod. But what
We're tho idols, fierce, frOwning sensual
and often hideously repulsivo, as typical
of tho worst and foulcst of human pas.
sions and propensities, compared to what
he now saw Mt tho farther end of this
awful hall, whero no bchcld rccumbcnt
figure of Vishnu, II stalk surmounted
with tho mystical lotus coming out Of
his middle and over him for canopy the
bonded necks and hoatls Of four motion
loss cobras?
Aeo'o iiuu ppSll UClOI0 REPRESENTATION
of this god resting on Scsha, his snake
Of infinity, but tho more he looked at
these cobras tho moro convinced was he
that they were real snakes charmed by
somo occult jugglery into the rigidity of
sorpents Of stone There was kind OF
levolcd space ut tho feet of tho recumbent
idol, and this was ovcrlnid with flowers
Whilo Ross still gazcd fascinated and
brcathless slight sound struck his ear,
tho sibilant rustic Of slight drapory
sweeping over stono pcrforce, and he
saw coming out from tho black shadow
Of somo Of tho distant columns Brah-
man, his breast smoarcd with sacred
ashes, leading by tho hand dropping
figure, in which he recognized Lillian.
Ross had never seen Il somnambulist,
but he felt sure that this unhappy girl
! who now allowed herself to be guided
right up tho flower strown couch Mt the
feet Of the fearful idol representing
Vishnu. beneath the horrible canopy of
cobra heads, was under the influence of
sOmo drug or magnetic influence which
rendered her for tho time helpless au.
tOmatou i'll the hands of the subtle Brah-
man, i'll whom, as he cnmo moro under
the light of the hanging lamps, he rec.
| oRnizcd Prohrada. Ross OWNED all by
flash of intuition. The rcvcngcful and
| greedy priest had somehow drawn Lili-
al to tho temple and WAS now about to
| marry her 60 Vishnu, and doubtlcs
| trusted to his own dovilish art to induce
his victim to become n convert and
bring to tho temple her fortune Ross
had once heard of something of tho kind,
| hpt had luuul,pI ut ho fbin.r
siblc. His breath came in pants; his
heart felt chill as no reflected Oh his
present impotence to interfere.
Ho saw, as II man in dream, the
Brahman very gently lay his victim,
who appeared absolutely inscnsible to
all around her, tho floral couch and
then no marked her forehead lightly
with tho trident sign of tho god at
; whose fcot she now rcclined.
Then Prohrada rose and looked up al
u tho idol and tho row Of motionlcss scr
v pcnt heads, and smilo spread over hi
face which, had Ross possessed firearms
- would certainly have been his last
~ Then, glancing once moro at his victim
II he swept out of the hall with lofty crcs
!" and naughty stride, and Ross distinctly
:" heard the slam of II heavy door, Th
> hall was closed then, and now he re
mcmborcd that il was tho custom in th
morning TO anoint tho idols and to ut
ter certain mantrams, or prayers, an<
not till then did the god enter into the
idol, which until this ceremony had
been performed was but Il scnsclcss
image, even to tho Hindoo conception.
RoSS had &C :.'...S III IA haste
| that ho had not , ....': .i. ch. and
he was therefore ignorant Of the time
and could only guess how much might
yet be hia own. What could, what
should, he do? That white drapcd figure
lay aA litclcss on the Goral couch rs tho
grim idol itself, while there was not u
movement TO be seen in the awful row
Of cobra heads which formed that awful
canopy, pctrilicd for the time into the
rigidity of stone What could bo done?
Ross Thought for Il moment of cnlarging
the rrcvicc and dropping from tho pillar
But, If he did, what could he then ef.
feet? Clearly he could not ascend with
Lillian, and then if she woke and re-
gained her senses he feared she might
20 mad from the awful shock. And how
could they escape from tho hall, and
then how did he know what spy holes
might not exist for some lurking priests
to SEQ what was going OH inside? No,
no; that would not do. 1t was yet dark
The best thing clearly for Ross was to
climb back the way he had como, run
back to tho bungalow and rouse up somo
of their native employees and crush"
tho temple. That was tho way he put it
to himself. He wasted no time, but was
in an incredibly short timo racing back
to tho bungalow, maturing his plans as
he went. 1t was not quite dark. to his
great JOY, and Oh arriving ho reused
up Karney and told him in fow words
all he had seen.
His partner, mt first incredulous, was
convinced presently, but no fatty rcfus-
ed TO take violent measures. What!
Dcsccrato n tcmplol And then, 40 doubt,
the rascals would take care that Lillian
should not bo found. Oh, no, that was