Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-01-20

There was no bell on the door, but sim
ply a quaint old knocker.
81 WISH" observed Hendricks, shat it
were day instead Of night. You a
form no idea of the picturesque rugged
ness Of the scenery. You see we came
by the old road through the woods, but
just behind the house there is a new
drive. At this point it has been cut
through solid stone, and there is a cliff,
within 400 feet of us, over a hundred
feet in height. In blasting the stone
away, it was thought that the old man
sion became unsafe, especially as it is
believed that there are caverns under
the hill"
Hendricks mounted the steps and
used the knocker vigorously. The
clatter had scarcely died out when the
tones of a bell as soft and mellow as
cathedral chimes in the distance came
from the house.
"Kola knows my rap and the bell is
q signal to his attendant to admit me-"
said Hendricks. eff I make no mistake
you are going to be repaid for your ride
out here. In psychic tom-foolery and
mysticism you are a schoolboy COM
pared to Kola. He imbibed it at the
dusky breast Of al eastern mother, and
his very life is stepped in it,"
The door was opened by an Indian in
he costume of his country. He placed
his finger on his lip to indicate that
they were to remain silent, and then
gave a salaam hat brought his turban
almost into contact with the floor.
Il want to see your master" whis-
pered Hendricks, handing him his card.
Again the man bowed silently, closed
the great door, and left them in the
spacious hall. With many and profuse
draperies, Kola had hung the walls and
ceiling so that the effect was distinctly
oriental. The ornaments, scrolls, paint
ings and statues were all eastern, but
what struck Lampkin most forcibly,
perhaps because it was so i'll suited to
Its environments was a dragon of carved
walnut, which stood at the foot of the
wide curving stairway.
THAT belongs to the house," ex-
planned Hendricks in a whisper. "It is
a genuine curiosity. The carving is ex-
cellent. One would think it of japanese
origin, but if you will notice, tits of the
same material as the balustrade, and
that must have been made in this coun-
try"
Just then the attendant glided from
between two heavy silken curtains, and
with another salaam, invited them to
pass before him. Doing SO, they found
themselves in Kola's big reception-room.
Here their vision was given O rare treat.
The lessee Of the old ruin had removed
the two floors above the one on which
they stood, giving a becoming altitude
to the walls, which were gracefully
draped with long flowing hangings of
different blending cloths. The ceiling
was disguised by a flmy mass of white
material, as gauzy as cobwebs, behind
which shone red and yellow lights, like
signal fires in q mist.
Lampkin almost uttered an exclama-
ton Of delight, but the impressive man
ner Of the attendant and Hendricks
unwonted silence checked the impulse.
The servant gave them seats with their
backs to the door through which they
had entered, and then he stood still in
the center of the room, his head bowed,
his turbnn held in front of him.
After a moment the mellow-toned
bell, which they had heard before, and
(which was suspended somewhere
among the lights overhead, struck three
times slowly. Then a white light blazed
up and kola was seen in a hitherto dark
alcove. He wore his gray gown and
close-ftting cowl, and was seen to be
pacing back and forth. Without seem
ing conscious of their presence so near
him, he picked up an unlighted electric
bulb and turned the button. Then
holding the light in his right hand, he
approached a black tripod over which
lay q red cloth. He lifted the cloth, and
a big polished crystal sphere was ex-
posed to view. 1t was about ten inches
In diameter and as clear as a diamond.
Rejecting the dull, sensuous lights over
head, and the bright rays of the electric
bulb, 1t was certainly a marvellous sight.
Still kola seemed unconscious of
their proximity. From the walls near
him the smoke of incense began to rise,
a rosy light pervaded the room, and soft,
seductive music was heard somewhere
above.
Kola held the electric bulb over the
crystal and began to gaze into its
depths. uttering in sing-song tones
words of a strange tongue.
Lampkin heard the detective take a
deep, impatient breath, and then his
voice Jared harshly through the room.
"Oh, | say, Kola!" he demonstrated.
Il came out here the other day and had
to sit and watch you go through this
sort of thing till l was obliged to leave.
For the sake Of"
Kola turned f%uriously. his features
working wildly. Holding up his hand.
he said:
you must be patient, Mr.. Hendricks.
You are as ignorant as an infant of the
Importance of what l am doing. You
laugh at what you don't understand,
but you don't know all hat there is to
be known. Right this minute l am
reading for you, and seeing what your
untutored eyes will never see. knew
you were coming. Isaw it here" touch
ing the crystal. II know what you
don't know about the case you are
working on. II your eye were only
trained you could see it now in the crys-
tall"
Pardon me-" said Hendricks, that is
what l come to see you about. | am
about to the end of my resources, and
something must be DONE"
"Wait!" Kola turned to the crystal.