Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-26

little game track which wound down to the
lagoon, where a great tree overhung against
the pale light.
Now, senior, can you guess the manner
in which you are to leave us for the next
world?' Emio Kissed softly in his ear.
Gordoh eyes ranged down the little trail
to the great tree-branch that crossed it
above, and so beyond to the lagoon, which
was but deep backwater of the river
Inc lagoon lay in oily black smoothness
ana shot as a silk with silver where the
moonlight fell upon it in delicate tracery.
Through the gloom of the forest they could
near the hollow gulp and gurgIe of the fall
ing river. The night was oyerburdened
with wet heat, and the chorus of bullfrogs
seemed to grow louder.
You know now?"
Upon my word, no." Gordon answered
aloud.
a knife pricked him sharply in the side.
BE silent This, senior, is in the nature
OF an experiment as far as [ am concerned
but the people know more about these
Things You see the branch over the track
the moon just catches it. Along that the
great water serpent lies and waits. Our
people have watched a long time, but only
lately has he been discovered"
An anaconda; well?"
You see, we would not wish to give Won
comon' death, but this one-to wait
through the long hours for the great SER
pent and then to feel his coils droD unon
you " hat do You think? Hat Ha, Hari he
| laughed, under his breath. 1--WE will leave
SOu IItu lIItTt under the tree and
row, TIL the heat of the day; for it is often
not until the heat of the day that the water
god comes. After that we will return and
look at you. The great snake, which these
4iath loois worship, may or may not see
Ut TO attend to your affair. If he does
well, there Is an end of you If not why
we snaH continue to come and look at Won
| day by day. You will be very near the
water, SENIOR, and | dare say Won will he
| thirsty, SO that whether the snake comes
| or not, it will be all the same this do "
| week? These idiots will pray that the god
| Oh the lagoon may swallow YOU as an
| omen, you understand. Antonio, Jose. bring
| the ropes - IS
Gordon brave man as he undoubtedIv
| was could not repress a shudder at the
l thousnt OF the horrible fate in store for
MN. lie remembered the hints and runoors
he had heard from time to time of tba CO
cret meetings of the blacks on the nIsnta-
ton, and in connection with these there
mashed across his memory sinister tales of
the hereditary rites which the forefathers
OF these people were said to have imnorted
with them from the shores of Africa.
Everything became plain to him noW-tha
strange god Of which Emio spoke, to whom
the negroes would give the praise of their
successful revolt. He saw with what cnn
nlns the mulatto had turned their grotesoue
superstition to serve his own purpose.
he remembered how the dark skin all
the world over looks to the snake for the
marvellous. how it forms the nucleus round
which his superstitions center The guar
dian spirit of each Zulu takes the form Of
a snake his Ehlose The Hindoo worships
the cobra, the Haytian Vaudoux worsbiner
offers human sacrifices to the harmless SER
pent Further Gordon knew that the Afri
can has ma; no moral restraint in the matter
and ne thinks himself blessed in doing so
How much more, then, would these rayine
negroes sacrifice him to their fetch.
There was clear continuity in the whole
plot. By means of the presence or ~
great water snake Emio had melted the ne
groes TO this foolish rising He had doubt
less encouraged them by pointing out that
they We're certainly under the protection or
this father of serpents, and the curiousIv
nodded minds of the newly emancipated
slaves turned unanimously toward so con-
genial a gospel.
Gordon felt to the full the irony. even the
humor, of the situation. To his own efforts
in great degree the negroes owed their
lately acquired freedom, and to celebrate If
they had decided to sacrifice him, their
emancipation!