Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-09-14
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men, preceded by KaZil advanced to-
ward the entrance to the cemetery.
The light of the moon could not pen
citrate through the high. narrow detile,
but as the little group entered the
plain. bursting from behind Il cloud. it
| revealed to them Il scene of strange and
weird grandeur; its white rays dis:
closing the huge masses Of bone. the
dark background of rock, and the gro
/ tesGue and hideous idol rising cclispic-
unuSly i'll the midst
Mounting che CT the steps leading to
tho image George examined it careful
ly. K:,Zil slUdllercd at what appeared
to him !: sacrila-iOuS act and expecting
TO see Lightning flash from the gods
eyes and Il destroying fire from his
mouth. But his master descended un
harmed, ard directed his step; toward
one IT the skeletons. to study nearS:
+, the hi?hly.p@!;s he'd bone.
Eaxil separated himself al u little
,!i,.,.,:..:.cc. ;:n1 walked sl",tly ard a;'n'-
l;ss.y. brushing his feet alcng the A::s;,l
grass. his =..Zr fixed on the ground.
Suddenly he stopped abruptly. y
Shu;'tlrr ran through his limbs. and ne
made a movement backward With man.
ifcSt ttrlcr.
/ Then, conqucring his emotion. by
strength of will. he returned. leaned
over and parted the grass with his two
hands. only to spring erect. uttering Il
terrible cry. in which anguish and hor-
rcr together mingled.
what is the matter:" cried George
Malcolm. fastening toward him.
"a boa CONSTRUCTOR stammelcd Stop.
in terrible fright: "a black panther. Il
leopard or Il fierce tiger! We arc lost.
Let us save oursclves!
In saying which the valet would have
taken refuge in flight, but terror paral-
wed him. He sank helpless Oh rock.
Not without some impatience. George
addressed Kazl Il second time:
"Answer me. chid-what is it,
"A corpse buried in the grass" an
swered the young HiDdoo. gravely.
"A corpse:' repeated George.
"Ycs. MASTER
.Kazil knelt by the body. and drew
from the wound an Indian dagger,
whose bloody blade he carefully exam
med under the light OF the moon. Suo-
denly violent and new emotion was
| depicted on his countenance, and he
murnured:
"a dagger marked with the symbol
of the goddess. 1t is the Sons of Bow
hnnie who have struck this bloW!'
At this moment black cloud passed
over the moons face. George took the
| torch from the hands Of the Hindoo
who was neas him, and, bending beside
Kazil. exclaimed:
Let us lookv'
Shielding the light he held it where
it might fall upon the CHASTITY form;
but instantly he bounded back; the
torch fell from his hand to the ground.
it's flame eXtinguished, while a cry, or
rather vail Of agony burst from his
breast. Breathless and painting, he
muttered to himself these words:
mo. no! 1t is a dream, an illusion.
an internal lie! l have seen blindly! l
am a fool! This form, these features.
If it should he I have seen Alright! My
God! My God! on my knees l pray
YOU to remove this phantom from me!
1t is impossible! 1t is not true-lt
would be too horrible"
Master. master, what is the mat
ter?" asked INaZil. who saw. but could
not understand. George Malcolm's ap-
parent madness.
Stop was no longer seated on the
stone Kneeling and groaning. he called
upon all the saints to protect him.
The moon reappeared between two
clouds, and let it's clear light fall full
uDon the corpse. George ayerted his
head. as if to avoid some frightful Wis.
ion.
81 wish to look again, and [ dare
not..' he stammcred. Il wish to see it
once more. but I have not the cour-
a"c!' Then. selling KaZirs arm, he
cried: ':Look you. Kazil! Bend and
look! You do not recognize TINS
corpse? In the name of the living
God. answer me quickly! Tell me you
do not recognize it,
KaZil obediently leaned over and
looked upon the CHASTITY face: his eyes
suddenly dilated. his face becoming liv-
id, as, in voice which no longer sound
ed like his own. he cried:
''Sr John MalcOlm-Sir John NAL
colm.'
George threw himself on his knees
beside the body. sobbing.
MY father! 1t is my father!'
kazil. his face bathed in tears, muir
INJURED, despairingly:
'My benefactor-my savior! They
have killed him, and they are my broth
crs!'
George. stretched upon the ground,
now clasped his father in his arms,
and leaning against his breast, tried in
vain to revive him, while he wiped the
last drop of blood from the open mouth
of tine wound. He kissed his face, his
hands. His grief, in its terrible
strength would have moved to pity the
heart of a tiger, or even a votary of
Bowhanie Through his tears and sobs
he murmured:
MY father, stabbed to the heart
my poor father, bloody, lifeless! He
can't hear, he cannot see me. His eyes
are forever closed and his voice forev-
er hushed. With all my strength. /
loved him. So much happiness had
hoped for, and it is death that meets
ne!''
His face appeared of marble. whose
lines We're rigid under a mask of livid
pallor; his eyes. dried by al inner
fame, no longer wept; his parched
mouth expressed an energetic purpose.
He had been kneeling. He rose.
'Let this helpless weakness be ban
ished"' he exclaimed. his voice regain
l ms.