Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1897-02-04

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many idols around Of gold and silver
and brass and even iron. There could b
seen Representations Of Vishnu in hi,
many forms, some Of which Ross recog
nized, while others were entirely strange
to him. Vishnu could be gazed on herd
as fish, boar, a man lion, an awful
image Of absolute ferocity, animated
by devilish intelligence of sheer destruc.
tiveness, as q dwarf, as Parasurama.
armed with an AZ, as Kalki, with a
sword and winged horse, and in many
other shapes Before each Of these idols
burned q small lamp, and the multiple
ity Of shadows thus created, the strange
carvings Of the pillars, and the utterly
inhumal aspect and expression of most
Of the faces, sculptured according TO Eu-
ropean ideas. combined to produce a ter
rible impression on Ross mind, already
so completely oyerstrained. But what
were the idols, fierce, frowning, sensual
and often hideously repulsiye, as typical
of the worst and foulest of human pas
sions and propensities, compared to what
he now saw at the farther end Of this
awful hall, where he beheld arecumbent
figure Of Vishnu, stalk surmounted
with the mystical lotus coming out Of
his middle and over him for canopy the
bended necks and heads of four motion
less cobras?
Ross had seen before representation
Of this god resting on Sesha, his snake
of infinity, but the more he looked at
these cobras the more convinced was he
that they we're real snakes charmed by
some occult jugglery into the ri9idity of
serpents Of stone. There was kind of
leveled space at the feet of the recumbent
IDOL, and this was overlaid with flowers.
While Ross still gazed fascinated and
breathless a slight sound struck his ear,
the sibilant rustic of slight drapery
sweeping over stone perforce, and he
saw coming out from the black shadow
of some Of the distant columns Brah-
man, his breast sneared with sacred
ashes, leading by the hand dropping
figure, in which he recognized Lillian.
Ross had never seen somnambulist,
but be felt sure that this unhappy girl
who now allowed herself to be guided
right up the flower strewn couch at the
feet of the fearful idol representing
| Vishnu, beneath the horrible canopy of
cobra heads, was under the influence Of
some drug or magnetic influence which
rendered her for the time helpless au.
tomaton in the hands Of the subtle Brah.
man, in whom, as he came more under
the light of the hanging lamps, he rec
ognized Prohrada. Ross OWNED all by
q flash Of intuition. The revengeful and
greedy priest had somehow drawn Lili-
an to the temple and was now about to
marry her to Vishnu, and doubtless
trusted to his own devilish art to induce
his victim to become a convert and
bring to the temple her fortune. Ross
had once heard of something of the kind,
but had laughed at the thing as impos-
sible. His breath came in pants; his
heart felt chill as he reflected on his
present impotence to interfere.
He saw, as O man in dream, the
Brahman very gently lay his victim,
who appeared absolutely insensible to
all around her, ON the floral couch and
then he marked her forehead lightly
with the trident sign of the god at
whose feet she new reolined.
Then Prohrada rose and looked up at
the idol and the row of motionless SER
pent heads, and smile spread over his
face which. had Ross possessed firearms,
would certainly have been his last.
Then, glaneing once more at his victim,
he swept out Of the hall with lofty crest
and naughty stride, and Ross distinctly
heard the slam of heavy door. The
hall was closed then. and now he re-
membered that it was the custom in the
morning to anoint the idols and to ut
ter certain mantrams, or prayers, and
not till then did the god enter into the
idol, which until this ceremony had
been performed was but senseless
image, even to the Hindoo conception.
Ross had come away in such haste
that he had not taken up his watch, and
he was therefore ignorant of the time
and could only guess how much might
yet be his own. What could, what
should, he do? That white draped figure
lay as lifeless on the floral couch as the
grim idol itself, while there was not a
movement to be seen in the awful row
Of cobra heads which formed that awful
canopy, petrified for the time into the
rigidity of stone. What could be donei
Ross thought for moment Of enlarging
the oreyice and dropping from the pillar.
But, If he did, what could he then eff
feet? Clearly he could not ascend with
Lillian, and then il she woke and re-
gained her senses he feared she might
60 mad from the awful shock. And how
could they escape from the hall, and
then how did he know what spy holes
might not exist for some lurking priests
to see what was going on insideP No,
no; that would not do 1t was yet dark.
The best thing clearly for Ross was to
climb back the way he had come, run
back to the bungalow and rouse up some
of their native employees and "rush"
the temple. That was the way he put it
to himself. He wasted no time, but was
in an incredibly short time racing back
to the bungalow, maturing his plans as
he went. Tt was not quite dark. to his
great joy, and on arriving he reused
up Karney and told him in few words
all he had seen.
His partner, at first ineredulous, was
convinced presently, but he fatty refus-
ed TO take violent measures. What
Desecrate templei And then, no doubt,
the rascals would take care that Lillian
should not be found. Oh, no, that was
far too risky thing. Besides, if they
proved wrong they might raise the viii
lage against them, and if they were
right probably the same thing would
happen.
Ross lost patience. He slapped the
coward's face and would have kicked