Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-08-10

y
Of no cave or recess in the rocks?''
| 'None," answered the boy.
| The young traveller threw a hasty
glance around him, discovering, by aid
of the lightning flashes lighting the
mountain i'll a blaze of glory by their
almost continuous succession, a Singu-
lar mass of stone, profilcd against the
heavens, at a distance from them of
some few hundred feet.
what is that?' he asked.
'It is the ruined temple of the God
silva" answered the child, in tones low
and filled with emotion.
| "Ah!" continued the Englishman,
| lightly. ''Then we must appeal to the
god for nights hospitality. Go, Ka-
iii. speak to the escort and let us gain
the ruins quickly"
But Kazil, instead of obeying the Or
der, trembled and stood still.
"Have you not heard?' asked the
Englishman, amazed-'have you not
understood meg"
81 have heard and understood"
stammered the boy.
Then why do you hesitate?'
Master, we are here OH the top Of
the mountain called Beomah-on the
very lands of the mountain saint.
Death walks night and day about the
ruins, and defends them better than
any army Of Sepoys. The spirit OF
silva, god Of evil, inhabits the pagoda.'
81 have no objection" said the Eli
glishman, With smile. But silva.
god Of evil, in Offering us shelter
against the storm, will become god of
benevolence. That will be, surely,
tiattering to him.
THE temple is a sacred place for be-
LEVERS" answered Kazil, quickly; "but
for unbelevers it is accursed."
Don't go, your honor" pleaded
Stop. 81 have always been afraid of
the devil, and the god Of these people
must be the devil himself. Don't go!
BE wet. rather with resignation;
soaked with heroism."
For sole reply, the traveller shrugged
his shoulders; then. turning toward
Kazil, he said. simply:
II commando"
In his turn. the young HindOo adj
dressed the bearers.
One answered. and KaZil again re-
piled to him. until, after colloquey of
some minutes. he addressed his mas
ter:
They refuse to obey" he said. 'The
them is insurmountable."
"But is not my word commando
'ln all else, master. yes. They will
keep their engagement, if need be. at
peril of their lives-they will continue
their route. Drawing mountain torrents
and avalanche of rock-but nothing
would induce them, on such a night. to
penetrate the ruins Of the temple
which belongs to silva, the terrible
god!''
The traveller seeing. in the face of
such superstition, argument or COM
mand could have no effect, insisted no
longer.
$50 be it," he said, stepping from the
palanquin. 81 will go alone with
Stop"
Il will accompany you, MASTER" an
swcred the young Hindoo.
You, Kazil? You are not afraid,
like the others?'
"My flesh shudders, my face pales,
my heart beats to suffocation. l be-
lieve in the danger, and 1 am afraid;
but what matters it? I will accompa-
ny you.''
"Come, then, my child. And since
these natives care not cross the thresh-
old of the temple, perhaps they will
carry the palanquin near the ruins"
"That, master, they will do, prom
Use you"
Repeating his masters commands,
the bearers took up their burden; but
their steps slackened as they grew
near, until, at distance of a stones
throw, they set it down, hating.
"Master," said Kazil, taking a torch
from one of their hands, "they will go
no further. Gomez
And the three moved together in the
direction of the once-famed temple.
The child appeared strangely moved,
though he struggled for outward calm.
His bronze skin had become almost
white; his great, black eyes, half
yelled by their long, upcurled lashes
(Which might have been the envy Of
any woman), expressed anguish and
terror.
Nor was Stop, the valet, more reas
| sured, glancing cautiously about him.
as though expecting the onslaught Of
| hidden enemies.
! The Englishman alone preserved q
perfect and immovable calm, as, step
ping within the ruins, he surveyed
them with reflective curiosity and qui-
ct thoughtfulness.
The lightning flashes showed him to
be man Of from twenty eight to thir-
ty years of age. His light hair, but
that it was cut so closely to his hand
/ some head, would have curled like a
child's. His eyes were blue and dark;
his skin, pink and white, almost to et-
! feminacy, but the expression Of firm
ness about the mouth, half-concealed
! by a long, silken mustache and the SUI
perb physique and splendid breadth Of
/ shoulder.
! AS the three stood within the ruins,
suddenly there sounded the boot Of an
! owl. twice repeated from the two ends
Of the temple.
Kazil shivered, and bent his head as
one eagerly listening.
| Before half minute had elapsed,
| the cry was again heard, thrice repeat
i ed in two different directions.
Kazil had regained his composure;
but, as he lowered his head. these
! words escaped his pale, pallid lips. al
though in an undistinguishable voice:
"Our brothers watch!'
"Ah." cried the Englishman, laugh
ing. "The night birds fail in respect