The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-12

wicker basket, wherein plunging his
hand, he drew cut two loathly huge
snakes, which twined about his neck
and arms lovingly. Oziel stivered with
disgust and superstitious fear, and the
old man put them away.
They are harmless" he said; their
poison fangs are drawn. But see!
He drew aside another curtain and
displayed a simple staff set in the
ground. Round it's top was wound a
narrow band of beaten gold, twisted in
the form of a serpent, whose head rose
above tie stick, and was adorned with
two big rubies for eyes.
1.-The treasure" said Sir Roger, SIM
ply. My memory may fail me in val
ues, but l should judge it worth hum
hired pounds. / made it in my tedious
hours, and these people have accepted
it as an idol
Oziel gasped. For this had these men
been so eager TO rush across the seas
and get to it first!
rs that alp" he stammered.
"Ah,'' said Sir Roger, looking at him
with what CZiel at once thought suspf-
cion. The simple Puritan farmers face
glocmed. A little gold, and at once, be
it Lynch or Gabriel, or this old man,
the possessor or the would-be preseason,
nothing, disdaining TO tell that his
thought had been only Of Justin's disap'
pointment, who had dreamed and talked
SO oft to him and Marian of revivinS
the family glory.
Doubtless" said Sir Roger, quietly
"Donne-reau has heard that l poS1SSs
more. None of these savages have ever
entered my hut to know. But now we
must talk of my son. If he be again in
no ha rd of these -aGnalG I fofi no
doubt his life is safe, for, as you eX-
planned it, through him they play their
game
Even as he spoke he started and Oziel
ran to the door. for on their ears there
fell the noise of great shouting and of
the musical instruments, coming that
way.
Oziel peeped out from the curtain
There is a crowd of SaVages. he
cried back to Sir Roger, with music
They are dancing as they come. "Ah!
! Donnereau is at their head, and, Oh,
the villains, they are together. Lynch
and old Gabriel come shoulder to
! shoulder, and then-'tis your boy! tbs
/ Justin Then follow MOL Dade and the
men of the schooner. How dismayed
| these look, But Justin. sir-Seep'
! Sir Roger peeped under the tall lads
arm.
My boy, my boy'' he cried. They
i have wrought him furiOusl The mark,
/ See the birthmark on his brownie
snakei 'Tis palmer than ever was his
fathers. Come back, lad, come back!
| TITS plain what they would do. Don
nereau has shown them the newcomer.
Distrustful as they are. they will ac-
! cept that sign, and now they come to
make him priest in my place. Come
/ back-'tiS death to me-
/ He was about to slip away to the hut
/ by rear. door from the temple, but,
/ looking out first he saw it was too late.
/ Donnereau had evidently sent party
! there to make him prisoner, for saw
ages were running across to the little
hermitage. Before the old man could
devise another means of escape, the
rush of blacks swarmed onto the plain
and filled the temple. OZiel and Sir
! Roger hid behind the curtain that COW
cred the golden serpent just in time to
save being seen. They could not see.
! but they heard the crowd assemble to
weird music, and then, suddenly, the
clear, cool voice of DiXey Lynch.
Tell them, Donnereau," said the adj
venturer, lin the most agreeable terms
which their abominable lingo is capable
/ of that, although white men, we are
! fervent converts to their adorable be-
/ lief. Assure them of our sincerity, and
( that we have come to live among them
/ III peace. lei tEeiIi lUdl crazy
! Dade, who was q captive in the African
! forests and there learned the sweet de-
! lights of this way of living. came to
! show US what blessing we had in the
person of Master Justin Hallowell Say
we worship that wonderful mark as
well as they, and, Donnereau, be most
exact in informing them that Justin's
! powers are extraordinary, and that he
must be placed in full charge of the
| reTnn1e md all ifs trp1Snr -
/ Thou villain Thou blasphemous
villain cried the voice of Justin Hal
] lowell, in choking rage. Was it for
/ this you enticed me to peril my soul?
Nei MOI
! His voice rose to a scream of shame
and rage. for Donnereau had been rap
/ idly talking to the savages, and now,
/ as the old man OWNED behind the cur
tain, the wretched pagan wOrshipers
were throwing themselves at his feet
and rendering him homage. 1t was this
! hideous act which caused the lad to cry
out, an act to one bred in the strictly
! simple of faith of the Puritans, SO un-
natural. so inspired by demons, as to
make his soul revolt with horror and
! fear.
! That scream had an immediate effect
upon Sir Roger. 1t was the voice of
his boy in agony, and as he heard it,
he drew himself up, and his faded face
was suffused with angry blood, until
once again the Hallowell mark stood
/ boldly out in vivid red upon his fore
head He seized the sacred staff and
drew the curtain aside.
| Not a word did he say, but, at his
/ sudden appearance. the crowd broke
! backward in evident amaze, for. as ne
himself had told Oziel. it was long since
rage had drawn the sign on his brow.
| Donnereau and Lynch and Gabriel (the
latter of whom, at the head of his men,
was very apparently bewildered at
what passed) were speechless for a mo-
! ment. Then Donnereau rushed on the
old priest, crying to the savages to fol-
low him.
"A sacrifice!" he yelled. 1T is the
law. Obi has sent a new priest. Let
now the old be sacrificedr'
He darted at the old man. Oziel
sprang to protect him, but Sir Roger
acted for himself. He raised the wand,
the strange idol, and with its heavy
golden head. smote so sternly the great
black that Donnereau sank bleeding to
the floor.
CTo be Continued.)