The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-06-04
u--(Continued.)

hs-N1Outluu
A circle was soon formed about
Scsffcidi and he was stared at with
curious eyes by all the by-standers.
There you are. old chap" said one OF
his friends. you proved TO be n wonder
in nghting qualities; you have outdone
Sullivan and all the other prize fighters
by your clever eparring."
What do you mean7" Scaffoldi an
swered. recovering something OF his in
nate hauterr.
"why. you fought with such earnest
ness that you gave yourself no chance to
recognize the three men who assaulted
you"
"Who are they?''
Here we are: rne. two, three" replied
the tnterlocutor, designating two OF the
men present and himself.
Under other conditions, you would not
have been. all three, a match for me- but
/ was stu under the excitement caused
by, that fierce tiger when you seized me-"
"Whyl Were you afraid of the stuffed
skin OF a tiger?"
"You cannot fool me now, l should say;
a stuffed skin could not move and roar"
Certainly II can. when properly
equipped with well conceived machinery,
skafuly made and secretly manoeuvred
and manipulated by we'll hidden cogs.
straps and levers"
IT should call that a wonderful thingi
Yet while all is explained. after all you
did not need to SINCE me-"
I'VE could not help II for that Is the
old method of initiation established cen
turies ago by our ancestors. the founders
OF the Orde. 20 make certain that no
weakling should join tho Society"
"As long as explanations are in order,
can you ten me- please, how IL happened
that / was singled out from so many
masked men entering the placer
You must inquire about IL from the
man at the entrance to the cellar. He
knows his business, without any doubt
my dear fellow"
At this point the conversation was in
terr7lpted by a tapping sound and a
hoarse voice, In the next room. calling the
meeting to order.
Everyone rushed to the call and Scat
foldi was greatly surprised at the mag
niicenfly and gorgeously furnished hall
which, he was informed, was the court
room.
On entering the room the scene that
met Scaffoldfs gaze was strange one.
but his attention was FIRST attracted by n
printed inscription enclosed IN frame
and with a glass over H. After he had
read few words OF It he smiled know
ingly 1t was some Latin distichs taken
from an old escutcheon.
All around the large hall was decked
with a rich tapestry and the carpet was
OF very thick and soft stuff Al each
corner hung n flaming chandelier OF chts-
eied crystal ntaining numbers OF lighted
candles. and here and there were other
candles set In scones which projected
from the walls.
In the middle OF the hall large chan
delier was spreading flashing waves of
light on a platform upon which three men
were sitting They were dressed In close
~ fitting. hooded mantles, which reached
to the heels and whtcn were slit up I'm
front and back OF the waist. The hoods
almost covered the face 40 that only the
glittering eyes OF the men could be seen.
In reality. what Is called hero n plat
form was a wooden frame structure. in
shape and style ike low scaffoid and
u was covered all around with rich can
opies That platform was suunounted by
a crimson flag. movnted on n gilt stafr
and cut in three scallops. probably 20
denote tongues Of fire.
ON the desk before the three men n
mass book lay open at the pnge where
our Saviour - exhibited as cr,ioifed. The
elittering blade OF a dirk. a dreadful
human skull, three lnkstands. few pens
and writing paper and a large register
book cnmpnAed- AL Lhera- -naA-o1-i -.l.-al,
90 look at
MythOloglcal and other alegorical
frightful pictures were attached all
around the tapestry.
TNphon, the evil Egyptian genius. a hor-
rible monster. whose breath was like
whirlwind and whose strength irresisti-
BILE; Nithrss. plunging a knife into the
throat OF dying bull: the Nile-god. with
scores OF children: q we'll initiated COPY